The Best Birthday Ever -- DC Wedding Edition

I feel so very blessed and praise God for all He is doing in our lives. Over Christmas holidays, Max and Laura announced they had a date for their Nuptial Mass--Jan. 17th--and it so happens this is the anniversary of their first date at Butterworths! It's also the Feast of St. Anthony the Great of the Desert! We kept praying to God that Ian and Dagny's baby will arrive early enough for me to witness Max and Laura's wedding and our prayers were answered. I had a full week I could spend taking care of the new parents and I had dear friends whom I approached to take care of my baby girl while we were gone, and they did. I asked for a daily dose of the little one :)

On our drive, we finished listening to Ida Elisabeth by Sigrid Undset--loved the slow pace, the interiority, the excellent character development, the digressions. Very similar themes as Kristin Lavransdatter about family, fidelity, the consequences of sin, and of course, redemption. We started The Plague Journal by Michael O'Brien and finished listening at home. Prophetic. We've listened to his other books--The Sabbatical; The Lighthouse. Wonderful writer. But I digress!

We had a delicious dinner at Karravaan | Silk Road Inspired Restaurant. It made me think of Daniel Nayeri's The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams. Beautiful book! I will be helping build my kids' libraries--especially with the best children's books!

Loved visiting the botanical gardens, especially the tropical and orchid gardens. It's astonishing to see the variety of exquisite flowers.

Laura joined us for lunch at Rasika. She went back to work while we visited the National Gallery of Art. So inspiring. I especially loved the paintings depicting Madonna and Child, our Lord Jesus and John the Baptist as infants, the Adoration of the Magi. Why yes, I have baby fever!  

Andrea del Verrocchio, c 1465 

Fall of Man (note the cat) Henrick Goltzius, c 1616

Jacopino del Conte, c 1535

We fully enjoyed our time in DC. It was so lovely to visit with Laura's parents and sister before the big day. Max came over with his tux Saturday morning. We walked over to Eastern Market, got some delicious food, and then got ready for Mass at St. Joseph's. I love St. Joseph and I know this greatest and humblest of saints is watching over Max and Laura. I am so proud of them for arranging everything for a small and intimate wedding, and so grateful for their faithful friends who're walking with them, as they begin their new vocation. 

The organist and cantor sang a beautiful Missa de Angelis. The readings were all focused on the nature of love and God's love for us, from the Song of Songs to the Gospel of John. We pray that Max and Laura will always abide in His Love. I love how Max looks at Laura, with tender love and care. Laura was a radiant bride and so happy! But I sensed an even greater joy the following day when we all met at Butterworths.

We went to Sunday Mass at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land and I just loved that the Gospel reading was about the Wedding at Cana! My heart is so full. 

We stopped for the evening in NC and just in time to avoid a winter storm in DC. What grace to wake up in the morning and see the frost on the ground and the geese swimming in the pond. Michael had a celebratory cigar when we came home. We have so much to celebrate and be thankful to God for--new life, new marriage, renewal. May God bless Max and Laura with a long and happy married life. May they bear much good fruit. And may they help each other get to heaven! Heaven! 

Best Birthday Ever!

A blessed and happy New Year! I have hardly the words to express my joy! We've had the most wonderful Christmas and Epiphany with the children, as we eagerly awaited the birth of our first grandchild, who arrived in the wee hours on the Feast of St. Raymond of Penafort, a day before my birthday.

During Advent, the word that came to me for the next year was Freedom. To be free from fear; to write, to sing, to paint freely. I want to be free to do the right thing, to be free from sin. On New Year's Day I played Jennifer Fulwiler's Saint Name Generator--guess who came up?!!! St. Joachim--the father of Mary, the grandfather of our Lord Jesus! And patron of fathers, grandfathers, and grandparents. How fitting as we begin this new chapter in our lives. 

Here are the young parents, waiting to meet their little one! We are so happy Dagny had a hard and fast labor; it brought back memories of my first labor and I'm so grateful that she was able to give birth without any complications (unlike mine). Deo gratias! And thanks to all our prayer warriors! I've had a lovely time reminiscing with Dagny (below, newborn Dagny). Like the Magi, I fall in Adoration and Thanksgiving to our Lord Jesus. 

What a privilege it is to see a new life enter this world, and especially to see my baby hold her baby. I will always be grateful for these moments of grace. What struck me again is how protective the hands of the father are, cradling the baby. I have always loved Michael's hands, and I know Dagny will always appreciate Ian's. God bless him and all the work of his hands. They're home now and enjoying getting to know their sweet little baby boy! 

This little one is the best birthday gift. Dagny and I had planned on doing a session with Painting with a Twist for my birthday, but with baby's arrival, it was not to be. Saturday evening, I decided to go by myself. It reminded me very much of what Julia Cameron calls an artist date. I had such a good time and learned a lot too. I title this WONDER. The cute birthday card is from a dear friend.