Counting our Blessings in the Chaos

Matt returned from a trip to Mexico and took off work on March 13th to help me prepare for Lily Grace's confirmation on Saturday the 14th.  My mom was flying in and we were having a dinner with friends on Saturday night to celebrate.  That's the day things really started to change around our house. 
We picked LG up from school with a notice that school was being closed due to the coronavirus.  
We also received notice that confirmation was being postponed.  My mom ended up staying in AL and well...here we are.  
It was announced last week that all churches would be closed.  All restaurants were ordered closed except for carry out and delivery.  Yesterday, the governor announced that Indiana is now under a stay at home order.  All nonessential businesses will close.  Matt will continue to go to the office and his plants will stay open since they perform essential manufacturing for transformers and face mask wire. 

In the midst of it all, we have found so many blessings.  

This June, we have plane tickets and hotel reservations to visit Rome and London.  We have been looking so forward to it.  Lily Grace and I are suppose to attend a cooking class in Rome and she is super excited to visit the original Harry Potter set at Warner Brothers in London.  We were super excited to finally receive our letter from the Vatican notifying us that they would be holding tickets for us to attend a Papal Mass.  On a side note, you actually have to send a snail mail letter to the Vatican requesting tickets months ahead of your visit.  Will we still go?  Well, we aren't sure.  We are holding out to see what June brings.  We certainly hope so but know there's a very good chance we won't be able to this year.  The bright side, Matt's travel has been on hold so he's been leaving the office at 5:00 and home for dinner every night.  We also know that we have options.   A trip here in the states.  Perhaps a staycation trip to the cabin in Michigan, either way there are people dealing with so much more and we are blessed.  

Gracie is on her second week of remote learning.  She's been doing great and the teachers are working so hard.  While she misses her friends and teachers, she's gotten in a lot of art and reading time.  She and I have gotten to hang out and do some things we enjoy.  She's also gotten to FaceTime and hang with friends and teachers.  Her Fidelis sisters have also been meeting and holding a Bible study via zoom each week and it's been pretty special. With Gracie off to high school soon, I see this as such a blessing to have this extra time with her.  

Gracie's new classmate joined her for one of her zoom meetings.  Pretty sure Molly slept right through the Algebra discussion.

We are doing a lot of this.

And like everyone, we've seen a lot of this.  Yep, it's the toilet paper isle and Nope, I don't get it.

This past Sunday was our first with the church closed.  Our priests are still performing mass on Sundays, it's just not open to the public.  Instead, the mass is being live streamed.  I have to tell you, while we couldn't be there, it was still one of the best masses we've attended.  It was heartfelt and meaningful.  Our priests did an amazing job.  We were there at 9:30 (online) just like every Sunday, we responded, sang, gender flexed, prayed, gave peace and took spiritual communion.  However, this time we enjoyed and celebrated mass as snow fell outside (yes, even in March) a fire was going inside and again, it was a special time and blessing.

(This picture is from Spring Break 2019)This weekend my grandmother will celebrate her 90th birthday.  Gracie and I were supposed to be on a plane to help her celebrate along with family.  Unfortunately, we won't be able to go.  Her retirement facility is also on lockdown and she can't leave or receive visitors.  She's been looking so forward to this birthday.  While I'm sad for her, I know that it's a blessing that she is still here.  She's lived through so much in her life and we are be able to pick up the phone and call her on Friday to wish her a Happy Birthday.  

*Through this chaotic time, it's important for all of us to remember to look for the blessings.  Peace be with all of you!*

Blessed Beyond Measure

Enjoying dinner downtown: Family Day! 13 Years

Trading for Trendy

After almost 20 years of wearing rimless glasses, Gracie and I managed to talk Matt into trading them in for something bold and trendy. 
It’s been quite different for Matt. And while we love the man behind the glasses, Gracie and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE his new look!  

She did it!

Back at the beginning of December, Lily Grace, along with a lot of other 8th graders took the Merit Exam at Bishop Dwenger for a chance at one of 8 Merit Scholarships they award incoming freshman each year.  These scholarships are awarded solely on academic achievement.  The scholarship goes towards your Freshman tuition.  With only eight scholarships being given and so many taking the test, Matt told Gracie he'd give her a $100 if she placed.  
Yesterday, we received a letter from Bishop Dwenger letting us know that Lily Grace had won one of the scholarships.  You can't imagine the excitement around here yesterday afternoon!  
Matt and I were beyond happy for Gracie and so very proud.  She works so hard and never complains.  With a lot of after school activities, clubs and advanced classes, she still holds high honors each and every nine weeks.  She's held on to those straight A's since starting school. 
I can't tell you the joy it brings Matt and I to see her earn this special recognition for her hard work.
Congratulations Gracie!  We are sooooo proud of you and love you even more!

Reading the letter that brought the good news.

Pure joy and excitement all over her face.  And yes, a $100 in hand from daddy as promised.

20 Happy New Year 20

We rang in the new year with a sleepover.  Lily Grace had a couple of friends over and threw a party.  
2019 left us with lots of memories and we look forward to all that 2020 will bring.  Happy New Year!

We helped Gracie decorate the basement for her party, complete with a balloon drop.  Matt blew up over 75 balloons and thankfully, he owns an air compressor.  

Of course there was a photo backdrop with lots of props.  

Matt and I got in on the fun before we got kicked out. ha!

Oh yes!  She even bought some strobe lights for karaoke and dancing. 

As promised, a taco dinner and sundae bar

These girls had so much fun and went nonstop.  

The balloon drop was so much fun!  Matt and I couldn't believe how well it worked.  And the bigger shock is that Matt and I made it until midnight.

We even toasted in the New Year with sparkling grape juice thanks to one of the girls. 

We did it!!!  Happy New Year!  For the record, this picture was taken at about 12:05.  We sent the girls upstairs to their bedrooms.  They ended up giggling and playing games in one of the guest rooms until 1:30 in the morning before going to their own rooms and going to bed.

I made waffles for the girls the next morning before taking them home.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Memories

We've had a wonderful Christmas break.  We didn't waste a moment from the time Lily Grace got out of school and Matt left the office.  
We've had so much fun and enjoyed a lot of family time.  It truly has been a special Christmas this year. 

Gracie roped Matt into being her sous chef for macaron making.  I have to say, he wasn't half bad.  He is such a good dad.  Making macarons is quite time consuming.

We enjoyed a yummy brunch downtown on Christmas Eve.

Before Christmas Eve mass, Lily Grace and I worked on a chocolate cottage.  We had to melt chocolate, mold, build and decorate.  We actually liked it better than a regular gingerbread house. 

Even if we weren't the best at it...

With LG getting older, we actually slept in until about 9:00 this year before we heard her coming downstairs.  She was most excited to find the Apple AirPod Pro set she has been asking for as well as a personal bluetooth printer. Even I agree that the printer is so cute and cool.  

Before all the paper ripping got started

Lily Grace and Matt filled my stocking and I had to declare her the best stocking filler.  

I was responsible for her and Matt and I packed her full of Oreo's. All I ever hear is her making fun of me giving "healthy" snacks so this year I buried all the good stuff at the bottom of her stocking beneath all the individual Oreo packs.  

Matt got an updated set of Apple Air pods himself.  

With a new bear, she was set for the day and busy so we could open gifts. 

This beautiful crystal snowflake came on a pair of Tieks I had asked for.  Gracie wore it as a headband.  Too funny!

Lily Grace also got the Harry Potter Funkoverse game.  People, this game should come with a warning.  It can cause families to tear each other apart.  I thought I was going to have to put this game up as these two went at it while figuring it out.  It has turned in to quite the joke around here.  They've played several times since and actually really enjoy his game.  I'm happy to report, it's a lot more civil. ha! ha!

The Rise of Skywalker

We were among the excited fans last night who braved the cold and the crowds to see the premier of The Rise of Skywalker.  
The theater was filled with excitement and characters from the movie.  
We loved the movie and how it all came to an end.
What a fun start to the holiday season!  

Posing with Emperor Palpatine and the dark side...

...and Legendary Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi.

Happy Turkey Day!

We flew south for Thanksgiving this year.  Our first stop was in AL to visit my side of the family and then on to FL to visit Matt's side.  We stayed on the beach in Pensacola and soaked in the warm weather which is a far cry from November here in the midwest.  
Thanks so much to everyone for hosting us.  

Lily Grace couldn't wait to get to AL to visit cousins Wilder and Henry.  She adores these two boys.  

Henry was more about the chase and less about the picture.  

Gracie and I got in some corn hole out on the deck at the hotel our first night.   Corn Hole for the record, is more fun when you can hear the ocean crashing beside you. 

We spent the mornings on the beach walking and looking for sea shells for a couple of hours.  This was one of our favorite memories from our Thanksgiving this year. 

Gracie was a good sport and joined her younger FL cousins in Pie Face.

She also helped Owen and Emma decorate a gingerbread house.  She had so much fun doting on them.

These two proved they have skills.  I took this picture to remind them of that. Ha!