My Cowgirl...
The title suits my baby Big Girl. Took this after a hot day, late summer birthday party with her friends riding ponies. I swear you can see her independence, sweetness, and sass all in one shot.
Some people say a good portrait is supposed to let you see more than the image of a person...it is supposed capture the essence of the person. I can use some more practice, but this captures Kelley....
The last two weeks were crazy: Long work days, family fighting off various rounds of the December virus, robotics competition, about two cords or more of fallen tree branches in the yard, family challenges that come with six kiddos, we lost a great American soldier I once was proud to call my own, trying to discern God's will for my family, and a dozen other crazy moments and challenges.
All this made me have a hard time focusing today. Very hard! All that stuff was running around in my head. Luckily I was able get a good rosary in at church, and then work on that yard doing physical labor for a few hours. In the rhythm of prayer and breaking down branches I centered myself for a while. So when Kalen and I came in from the rain, I was able to appreciate this one moment of two boys of mine playing.
In that moment of personal peace I was able to catch a photo of two boys secure in a warm house, loving each other, two boys who know they are loved by their parents, and safe from so much evil in the world...for just a moment. Now at the end of my day a friend lost his son-in-law in an accident, and I know I need to pray for him and his family. The sorrows and confusion of the world is back on. They, and so many others, need a moment of peace to begin to work towards healing.
I'll pray for all those who need their moment, because in my moment of peace I realized again how blessed I am. Blessings however cannot stay still, they must move on to help others. So I will do what I can in prayer tonight. I'll also pray someone who reads this, may just be inspired to join me in looking for moments of peace to share with the world.
-ehw
Yesterday we welcomed our newest family member, Josiah Anthony to the family. He is a wonderful little boy, and the family gallery moments are full of rich loving emotion. People viewing these photos would think we live in a wonderful version of wonderful TVLand where all is right in the world. In reality though, the photos reflect a grace filled moment resulting from a gutwrenching year of enrichment leading to it.
Over the last year as a family we faced many challenges. Our adventures extended not far from the house. Daddy led only minimalist excursions, Momma struggled with health issue after issue, kids got sick, we faced challenges at school, in discipline, and we all lost our marbles from a problem or issue more than once. NONE of those moments were the type of Rockwell images I relish to build in either my personal or photographic life. I certainly never captured those moments outside of own cranium.
Friends can't come over, Daddy is at work, and Momma is too sick to drive? Hope for tomorrow and play with your siblings. Tired of groundhog Saturdays with no adventure...shut up and finish a job you had not finished in the house. Tired of having to do more and more chores, lacking Mom's presence in your life because she is perineally sick, or the thought you now have bigger bills to pay? Pray on why your giving into vices, and hit confession to seek forgiveness.
In the valleys of life we always have a choice to help ourselves go lower, hold the course or begin to climb to the ridgeline again. I know the only way we reached this glorious moment yesterday though, was because of our collective responses to those low points. We only occasionally failed to stay at or gain altitude, and never went into a terminal decent. The key to our family response was our collective final decision always kept hope alive through acts of faith and charity. We also paid up lots of pennace to each other for our internal transgressions.
We had a moment in some glorious graces, and now we are back to reality. A huge tree fell in the yard, feedings every three hours around the clock, littles now need to re-establish the household order, health needs restoration, there will be more chores to do, and needs to meet. The reward though will be more lessons leading us to greater heights of love, and good photographic moments.
So off to work we go!
-ehw
God blesses us from time to time with people in our lives who call us out and inspire us to new heights of growth. My son, and family, were blessed to know Father Austin Fogarty at St. Thomas Aquinas Church from 2012 until his death. My Kevin would never allow Father Austin to leave the church without a high five during the procession. In 2016, two years after Father passed, my son went to cry some more at his graveside.
It was therefore a great deal of happiness yesterday, we were able to enjoy a good bit of Father Austin's handiwork at St. George Parish in Newnan, Georgia. Based on what Father did at St. Thomas Aquinas to repair and beautify the sanctuary, we could feel his handiwork all over the church. We even found notes to the parish sacristan with reminders for care of chalices with his name on it.
It made me ponder how our material works can still help the living after our passing. I realize we cannot take anything material with us beyond the grave. However, if what we build with our hands and hearts is rooted in God's Law we can leave a living memorial capable of inspiration far beyond our death to generations beyond. I know this was true here, because my Kevin shed no tears yesterday. He instead marveled at the works of this fatherly priest, and how he urged him to live a life for Christ.
So today we will pray for our beloved friend and priest, Father Austin Fogarty. I pray he finds himself wrapped in the love of Jesus, at rest from his pains endured here on earth. While we miss you, we will not let that selfishness keep us from living as you asked us to here on earth with the people of God.
The Lonely Cheerio which should bug the devil out of me.
I cleaned up the mess of a 15 month old boy's self instruction in the art of eating, only to find an hour later I missed one more little crumb maker in a corner of the kitchen. I used to get mad at messes like this, but over the last year I've chilled out a lot. Somehow this cheerio made it into my rosary meditations last night. Somehow this little cheerio, my reaction to it and the Sacred Heart of Jesus all came together.
As I went through the Joyful Mysteries (Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Presentation and Discovery in the Temple) I thought of the incredible trust Joseph and Mary had in God. First you have two people who have a plan...got job, get married and live a nice little life in Nazareth with a few kids along the way. Then an angel appears to each of them and says...God has a different and much greater plan for you! Both gracefully accept their commission, and they became the gateway for our Lord Jesus to enter the the world and save our souls.
After meditating on the first four mysteries I found myself thinking about how each our arrival in our family changed our worldly plans. Gone were the new cars, fancy house, and two people generating good steady incomes. I thought of how we prayed over the decision to homeschool our children, and the lifestyle changes it brought on us. I thought of our acceptance of being open to life in our marriage with the blessings of five children and five miscarriages it brought. This brought me back to the Cheerio on the floor while Jesus was in the temple as a young man.
I related to the panic Joseph and Mary had when they could not find Jesus. I could only imagine the things they wanted to say when they found Jesus calmly going about his father's work in the temple. In the moment of finding Jesus, Joseph and Mary each were able to view a mini-transfiguration. Jesus foreshadowed to them his future mission, and how well he would perform it. Joseph and Mary were able to put all their emotions and order, and enjoy a moment of clarity on what their entire lives were entirely ordered for. Jesus' parent saw a glimpse of Jesus Sacred Heart on display.
That cheerio on the floor, one of hundreds I am sure, is one of the many of sins I've committed against God's law in my lifetime. Jesus may have used that cheerio to have me peer into his Sacred Heart. When I saw the cheerio, I quieted my mind and fury about why it was there. I just accepted it was there.
Christ gives constant charity to me for my sins despite the wounds I place on his heart. In turn I must continue mirroring his charity in my life despite all the changes and challenges the world and my choices put in the way. This is what his parents did, and this is what I am called to do in living out the gospel through word and deed.
Well time to go...little guy just finished his breakfast. Low and behold! There is a cheerio for me to pick up.
-ehw
John Paul
Things going a little crazy right now? Election got you in a funk? Well how about a dose of happiness? This is John Paul's version of a pick you up smile!
Catching babies and children is a hard task, but a little flash and quick thinking help. In this case John Paul was happy since he was on a swing, and making it go very very fast. The flash caught the action in freeze frame where it counted most: the eyes. The flash also put a sparkle in the eyes which gives you a sense of life in a frozen frame. His natural smile completes the moment without the typical childhood squint and cheese.
This is what great family portraits are all about...making art where the going is rough!
My daughter just finished a very special trip with her grandparents. Ten days visiting Washington, D.C.; seeing godparents; enjoying some new clothes; but most of all enjoying a different vision of the world she lives in. She learned a great deal about where she comes from on my side of the family. My daughter lives a very virtuous life, and is a role model for me her Dad. Her selflessness for living God's law is impressive. While she was gone though, her absence let me think about how God's relationship with each of us in the story of the Prodigal Son. This story is always about the tale of the two sons, but it also gives us a deep insight into the love of God for each of us.
In the previous excursions of my children with grandparents I never had a child who was at the age to explore life away from the family. This time though, my daughter took a trek to the outstanding Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. There she met one possible destiny. She saw shelves and shelves of great books. She sat in classes where she had more of the Shakespeare memorization complete then the students (recent homework at Regina Caeli), and also experienced a class knowing she was not yet ready for it. When she was done she found a great college, and felt it could be a home away from home for her.
My young lady left, and seriously contemplated the next phase of her life. Thankfully for me, her description of why included the statement "They really try to live out our Catholic faith there dad." In the story of the Prodigal son, however, the boy wanting to live in man's world chooses to live by his own rules. He leaves the father, and the father knows he may never come home. This faithful father also realizes the son may also forfeit a home in heaven for his soul, and this fate would trouble the father even more than a failure to return to the family home.
When the father sees his son coming home repenting of his sins, he rejoices. He hugs and adorns his child with all he can. While the physical return home is good, the father knows a repentant son will be with him forever in the paradise of heaven. Since tradition teaches us the father is symbolizing God the Father, we know the human joy and love we see pales to the love God has for us.
So when my daughter returned I rejoiced in having my faithful and true daughter in my care once again. I also thought of the Father in the Prodigal Son. Here a son, who was dead to him, returned home. The son showed repentance, and demonstrated his embrace of the Lord's ways. If my joy was immense, I could only imagine the joy and love God poured forth into the moment when sinners come home.
What an awesome God to believe in, and see reflected in natural law throughout history.
-ehw
Hum Hum? How did this happen?
Then my daughter Kellie says, "My hair is messy!" The Daddy replies, "Well you were having fun twirling your dress!" Kellie then screaches with a belly laugh happy as can be because this is what she remembered:
The Twirl in a dress!
Thank you Aunt Jane for all your work! A dress for my doll and I and purse to boot! Some really nice other outfits as well! Annalise (the doll) is now in her pajamas enjoying a short summers nap with Kellie. These are some great moments to remember. It is what being a family photographer is all about.
Ah a good desert book...
Well we were not in Lake Havasu for more than a day when Grandma loaded up the two big kids and took them to someplace they find better than Disney World...a Library. Out they went, and back they came with one and three books respectfully. When not engaged with board games and outdoor fun their noses are buried deep in their books.
Simple things we need to remember are all part of Capturing His Glory in our daily lives. I'm glad I get to see it!
-ehw
Yes there are unicorns...we must believe!
With the news from Dallas and Tennessee today, one could rightly believe the world is up in flames. The world is changing and there would appear to be no hope....but this is what Uncle Screwtape would have us all believe. There is hope...more hope than we can imagine if we still believe unicorns can walk amongst us!
I am being a bit silly, but it is true. Amongst all the terrors of the world, we have plenty of signs of natural law bringing joy and hope to people. How can I say this? Do you love your child? Do you sacrifice your personal conveniences to help your spouse when they have a bad day? Do you pray and give alms to the poor in some way? Does any one of these items fail to let grace and mercy through you to others?
Amongst pain we see now, and know that is coming, we can still bring Christ's gospel through us in word and deed to the world. It is this grace, flowing through us to others, which will provide the world the renewed church. One which will conquer the evil at some point, and let God's plan unfold in ways new and unexpected to us mere mortal men.
Oh..and the Unicorn water cannon my daughter has in her hand packs a heavy stream pounding. It made me believe in its power a few times in our water wars last night!
-ehw
The magic of bubble or two in the life of a child is indescribable. A bubble is a one of a kind creation with a fleeting lease on life which can captivate a child's imagination. One set of magic bubbles like this will propel a child to make many more bubbles to see it if the magic will come again. I guess it would not hurt us adults to have our own fleet feet bubbles to call our own!
-ehw
John Paul Tracking along at six months...in 12 months duds.
Amidst the winter illnesses and stresses of life comes one great story...John Paul celebrated six months Friday! He continues to excel in the growth department, weighing in around 19 pounds and long enough to DEMAND twelve month duds. As the bib says, he is heaven sent and on a mission to be 100% cuteness (so others besides the Dad says).
I cannot believe we are so lucky to have John Paul. I cannot believe the love the other children show him, and the care they give him every day. I am so blessed to watch the creation of new hearts open to life and the work required to bring it to fruition. It is a series of observations which through pretenses of materialism into the shredder, because their work for John Paul demonstrates the power of agape love. John Paul detracts nothing from the older kids, and in the big kids work for John Paul they glorify God.
We still need prayers for Mom to get fully healthy, but for just a minute I want to bask in a moment of God's Glory captured in a digital form. I hope it gives you as much hope and joy as I get when I see it. For if our lives are to be full of toil (or so says Proverbs) seeing a moment of God's makes the work worth it to survive to see another day.
-ehw
When you see the photo of an adorable, 100% cute child you think of the wonders the child brings to the world. When he is your child, and you meet him at 1AM for a quick diaper change and handoff to Mom a few other thoughts run through your tired mind about the same child.
Nothing good in life comes free. Nothing great comes without great cost and sacrifice. This is not only true of life, but of the path we need to take to heaven.
Jesus lived a hard life, and so did his disciples. He even had friends he loved suffer and die! He was our king, and died a painful death on a cross he carried on his shoulders after a brutal set of beatings. Yet despite these facts, I think most people imagine Christ in his gloriously transformed body by default. A transfigured body he only obtained by passing through the painful death on a tree.
So the next time you see 100% cuteness, don't forget the work it takes to get there. Also know the moment of glory is worth every sacrifice it took to make a glimpse of heaven on earth.
-ehw
Christmas Magic at 7:30AM
This morning was the first day our tree was up...we follow the old tradition of decorating at the last minute...and out of her room like busy bee on a mission sprang child number four. Kellie ran to the kitchen, grabbed the stool, and without a skip of the beat sat before the well lit tree (thanks to Kevin lighting it before she got up). "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells..." and the partially remembered songs flowed through the house punctuated by "Kalen sing...Kev Kev sing....Baby Jesus!"
This is the Christmas Magic we long for in our memory of ages past. It was the time giants roamed the earth. Mom made magic cookies. Hugs felt heaven sent. In these memories, even Dad smiled as we enjoyed another magic tree tree lighting and train run. This is the memory we wish every child could have, and we could share. Experiencing it in our children makes our hearts warm and pulse quicken in joyous anticipation of seeing what St Nicholas left once again...
As parents we too often miss these moments. Just minutes after I snapped this golden memory, I found myself assaulted by four excited children and one just wanting a diaper change. The noise became defining...well for our house anyway...and I lost all sense of the magic moment. I lost it until I developed my "negative." When the image appeared, I felt the magic arise in my heart once again.
Our childhood faith filled Christmas Magic images are glimpses of the promises in heaven. Like the Star of Bethlehem, these moments can lead you to the home Christ prepared for us all. This Christmas I pray you will find your moments, keep them close to your heart, and let them lead you home.
-ehw
A few weeks ago a most incredible person told me a story, a story of forgiveness which humbled me. The story goes something like this...
Years ago this person suffered a great injustice at the hands of another. Bonds of trust broke, and a relationship broke into pieces. The breakup effected more than the two inside the relationship. The shattered relationship hurt many others, and still does to this day. Defenses went up to prevent additional pain, but the grace of forgiveness remained open to the offender. Not only does forgiveness flow, the offender gets prayers and encouragement to return to the church and obtain salvation from the victim!
I suffered a few injustices in my life, and I will admit my pride gets the best of me from time to time when the wound resurfaces. When I asked the person, their response was "To hold on to the anger and hate is to condemn your own soul to Hell. We can only move forward to Christ when we release the hate and let it fade away. We can only achieve heaven when we wish for those who harmed to repent and join us again on the path to heaven."
I prayed about this on a few nights since I heard this sermon of word and deed. I realized how much more I need to grow as a person to reach this type of holiness...and I hope I can imitate their example with a few more years of practice. Until then, I'll also pray this incredible person continues to show people like me the true path of Christ in this fallen world.
-ehw
P.S. The photo is of Kellie at the Antiedam Battlefield Museum. It was a wonderful moment to watch her enjoy flowers, amidst the stories of war. It reminded me of the decades it took to heal the wounds from the Civil War, and the lesson above being the path towards reconciliation.
A few people asked me why the blog posts slowed down. So I thought I would address that this morning since I've blogged more than ever the last few months! I support two important activities for my children (outside of paying the bills and homeschooling): Blue Knights and First Lego League.
Blue Knights is a boys evangelization effort I run with some willing and faith filled Dads. I am the head coordinator this year for both our year groups, and my friend Les (John Paul's Godfather) runs the first years. I am very happy to report three other friends are very excited and participating as well...one runs the before meeting games and the two new dads are digging into the program very quickly. This effort is time consuming though. We have one template meeting a month, and the second I have to brainstorm inside the program objectives. Between the meetings my sons and I work on the evangelization questions, daily prayer, and a few craft projects. The work is worth it when you see all the boys light up hearing about the great lives of our saints and teaching of our church.
The second major activity is the Darebot First Lego League team. Les runs this group, and I am one of two dedicated assistant coaches. During the fall and winter we can meet two to three times a week for several hours to prepare for the competition. I am helping build out the project and team building aspects of the competition. Thankfully Les is a great coach for the kids, and I just have to keep up.
For both activities I run separate Wordpress blogs. You can view them and see all the fun events and activities yourself. It is where life is on display, and some pretty fun street & documentary photography! Here are the sights! Darebots and St Michael's Blue Knights
So the next time you wonder where are the pretty pictures trees, flowers, Americana, and grace you've come to expect regularly...just know they go on in two different venues. I'll keep pushing on here the best I can as well!
Baby's World Grows
Read MoreJoy in the yard!
Read MoreToday I found myself blessed to watch my son Kevin participate as an altar server at mass for the first time. It is a moment which almost put tears of joy in my eyes. Why? I could see in his eyes and his deeds he wanted this moment with all his heart.
Last night Kalen and I prepared Kevin by holding a practice mass, as conducted at RCA with Father Tran's preferences, twice on our deck. Kevin impressed me with his memory of how the bells rung, the way people stepped around the altar, holding his hand on his chest and the procession in which he would accompany the priest to the nursery to deliver the Eucharist to those working there. I already knew he memorized much of the consecration prayers, but this was pretty amazing for me to see first hand. For all of his daily eight year old distractions, he was paying attention every mass.
Today two upper school boys, John Paul and Stephen, took Kevin over to the chapel to set up and do a final rehearsal. This is something which endears me to Regina Caeli. Our youth are normal youth, but we parents call them out a little more each year to live their faith. At the end of a 15 minute preparation, Kevin came out tripping over the seam of the smallest cassock and stood with Father Tran and Stephen to enter the mass.
He went down the isle with his serious face on, and nervously looked over to Stephen from time to time to make sure he was doing the right thing. Stephen looked out for Kevin as a big brother should, and Kevin earned a smile from Father Tran. Kevin sure made his Daddy proud. It sounds silly to many, but I was proud because he entered the Army of Christ today at the altar of our Lord as a willing servant for the community. it is a major step on the road to adulthood of life and faith.
Thank you God for letting me see this day in the company of so many good friends!
-ehw
Just a moment of fun as my son reaches for the sky. I never knew one could get so high on a swing...but he pulled it off! It reminded me of what we can do when we don't let fear overcome our lives, and let our faith in Christ guide us on the right path to achieve the aims of God above. it may be close to the meaning Christ wanted us to remember when he said we needed "Faith like a Child."
-ehw