Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Saint Mother Teresa

Recently Mother Teresa was canonized a Saint!  Here are some great quotes by her, compliments of our favorite Priest, Father Don!

Saint Mother Teresa, pray for us!


“Each person’s mission is a mission of love.  Begin the place where you are, with the people closest to you.  Make your homes centers of compassion and forgive endlessly.  Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.  At the hour of death, when we come face to face with God, we are going to be judged on love; not how much we have done, but how much love we put into the doing.”

“So many people talk about the poor…how many actually talk to the poor?”

“God does not ask us to be successful, God asks us to be faithful.”

“For Mary, the annunciation was when Jesus came into her life, which was her first communion day.  And she did something very beautiful.  As she realized Jesus was with her, she went in haste, immediately to see her cousin Elizabeth who was with child.  And we know what that unborn child did: leapt with joy at the presence of Christ, his Savior.  John the Baptist was the first to declare Jesus had come.  It is wonderful to think that John, as an unborn child, had the first privilege to proclaim the coming of Christ.”

"Abortion kills twice. It kills the body of the baby and it kills the conscience of the mother. Abortion is profoundly anti-women. Three quarters of its victims are women: Half the babies and all the mothers."
"America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men. It has shown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships. It has aggravated the derogation of the father’s role in an increasingly fatherless society. It has portrayed the greatest of gifts (a child) as a competitor, an intrusion, and an inconvenience.  It has exposed many women to unjust and selfish demands from their husbands or other sexual partners. Human rights are not a privilege conferred by government. They are every human being’s entitlement by virtue of their humanity. The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or a sovereign."
"Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion"

"Many people are concerned with children of India, with the children of Africa where quite a few die of hunger, and so on. Many people are also concerned about the violence in this great country of the United States. These concerns are very good. But often these same people are not concerned with the millions being killed by the deliberate decision of their own mothers. And this is the greatest destroyer of peace today- abortion which brings people to such blindness."
“We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love.”

“Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the home begins the disruption of peace in the world.”


“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat.  I was naked and you clothed me.  I was homeless and you took me in.’ Hungry not only for bread but hungry for love.  Naked not only for clothing but naked of human dignity and respect.  Homeless not only for want of a room of brinks but homeless because of rejection.  This is Christ in distressing disguise.”

Monday, September 26, 2016

Thankful & Grateful

I really love Fall weather!

It just makes me so happy!

Tuesday and Thursday mornings when we head out to catch the bus, we often catch the Johnson Family on their way out the door for school.  It's too bad, they don't love Emersyn ;)


Molly and Jenny came over for a visit one morning. We loved our baby snuggles!

It's fun watching these two get closer and closer


Playing nap
 Loves to read her books and rock
LJ's adorable school picture.  I have to take a picture of Sally's. (the only reason Libby's was on my phone camera roll was because we got them during the day and I wanted to send it to Daddy.  Sally's had come the evening before and Daddy saw them when he was home from work...all about fairness!)
 We got lucky and qualified for a new roof compliments of our insurance due to a hail storm.  We both had to be present to sign over the check, so we met Daddy at Chaska one day after work and then we decided on Arby's for dinner, cause we're healthy like that...
 Can you tell who was in Beast Mode? :)
 Oooooh this girl, our doot-ta-doot
 She asked to ride home with Daddy
 Can anyone spot the missing chocolate chip?  Part of one of Nana's Banana Bread Muffins, was her reward for going to bathroom on the toilet
 A few Fridays ago we got to hang out with Pearl for the morning and afternoon.  And then Grandma Peggy came for dinner, but I didn't get any pictures, too busy chatting
 Saturday morning snuggle bugs while Daddy was at his Patriarch Group
 And then Mommy had the grand idea of rearranging Libby's room to prep for SISTER ROOMS!  We already had an extra twin bed, so I thought why not set it up while we have the energy.  We won't be officially switching things around until after Christmas, but it's fun to get ready!  Mr. Emotional (Daddy) wanted to make sure to snap pictures before we made any changes.
 We had already moved the Doll house at this point, but you still get the idea.

This switching around gets me super excited.  I've never completely set up Sally or Libby's room, knowing we would eventually add another child, God willing, and therefore switch it all around again.  I love being able to get things settled and in place.  But of course, I didn't get any after pictures.

While we were moving and switching and rearranging at one point I asked where Emma was...

She got a pair of Libby's flip flops on and made her way out to the patio....stinker pants

Perfect Saturday night for S'mores, Emma's first roasting of a marshmallow
 Vetrans
 Crazy Craigmile Crew!
 City living at it's finest...propane fire...college football TV mirrored to cell phone screen...can still change the channel with the remote from the patio without moving.  Perfection :)
 Sally and Libby started up with swimming lessons on Sunday.  I was even able to get their lessons at the same place and the same time.  We loved Sally's swim team experience last year, but I wanted her to perfect her strokes a little bit, and also be at a closer pool.
 Sally getting a chance to hold Emersyn.  Soaking up our afternoons outside!
 Last week was a busy week, I had something M-Th night!  One of the nights was a GROW (God Renewing Our Woman) event at our church.  Anna's sister hosted a painting night, it was nice to hang out and chat with the ladies!

Wednesday we hit the 20 week mark.  Half way!! I always get a bit nervous for our 20 week ultrasound as it's our first look at the babe.  All is very well and very healthy.  So very grateful for this wonderful blessing!  C-Mile 4.0's measurements were measuring almost 2 weeks ahead!! I know we're known for our big babies, but they've never measured more than 4 days ahead at the 20 week ultrasound.  Uh-Oh, maybe we'll push the scale over 10 pounds with this one?

Still keeping the gender a surprise.  Ultrasound heart rate was 139 and when we had our prenatal appointment the heart rate was 145.  In the same range as Sally, Libby and Emma's.
 C-Mile 4.0--buttone nose and kissable lips! So bittersweet, I can't believe this really might be it!
 Sally's Ultrasound
 Libby's Ultrasound
 Emma's Ultrasound

Confession: when I was organizing the pictures for the blog I thought "Oh crap, I have two of one.  NOPE, Jackie, you have FOUR kids!!!"
 Friday we celebrated the School Marathon!  Thank you do the Grandparents for your donations!!  Sally's class theme was bright colors and Libby's class theme was favorite football team!

Sally and her friend Anna
 Walking the two miles
 2nd graders loving on Sally's sibs
 We ♥ Mr. Marathon, our new Principal!
 Doot-ta-Doo loved her Popsicle at the end
 Matching Jammies
 Putting their babies to bed
 The other night the C-Mile sisters were anxiously waiting for C-Mile 4.0 to give a little kick

Happy Monday, Happy Last Week of September, Happy Ryder Cup, Happy Everything!

**Whoop Whoop, I think I'm all caught up on the blog...for now**

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Go Gophers!

A few weekends ago, on a picture perfect Saturday morning, Nana and Grandpa treated us all to a Gopher Football Game (minus the littles).  Thank you to Kaylee for coming to hang out with Emma and Madden!!

C-Mile Sisters so excited to play with Madden.  Looks like they'll be sooooooo disappointed when C-Mile 4.0 arrives ;)



Emma is used to perfect little Baby Emersyn who sleeps and doesn't say a peep when we play outside.  She thought it was so funny to see Madden sitting up and moving like a real person.




Breakfast before heading to the game

 Heading on the bus to drop us off at the Bank Stadium
 Picture it the Cheerleaders on the way in.  Libby and Reice didn't care to join in on the picture

We spotted the Peyton family on the way in.  Libby, with her Pre-School Friend, Kathleen.  Both of them at their first Gopher game
 Libby's first game! (LJ was a little terrified to be standing on a chair up so high)
 The whole gang.  Thank you Nana and Grandpa for the Memories!
 Gopher Fans!
 It quickly got warm with the wind at our back and the sun in our face, it was wonderful



Snack Break! Girls love giant pretzels like their Mama!
On Sunday we had a quick uniform change after Mass to cheer on the Vikes!
 The girls at their "Eiffel Tower" a special tree they use their imagination at

It was a beautiful Sunday with a bit of a breeze, so we decided to go fly the kite Grandma and George had given us this spring.  It was a lot of fun!

 Everyone got a turn
 Libby does have pants on...
 Even Emma got a turn...she quickly realized she needed to hang on, she let the string go and Daddy went sprinting after...it was pretty entertaining!


 Miss Emma enjoying her only child status M-W-F mornings...at least until February!

Skol Vikings!