Baby K Baptism

(Personal Note: I am "handling" things slightly better than during December, however my only sibling, my sister C has still chosen to not visit with her only child, her son Baby K - our parents only grandchild and my only nephew.  Several posts last month... They spent two nights/day before Thanksgiving with us - Baby K was exactly two months then two months one day -- and have not had either of them over since because my sister decided late on Christmas Eve that she was 'done' and we could not see her son.

Hopefully -- because we have newlywed long-time family friends visiting from Mexico next week -- C and her son K might put in an appearance... After six and a half LONG weeks of no visits.  Luckily we did get one single text message with a single photo of Baby K this past week!  He looks so very different, obviously, instead of eight weeks he is nearly fifteen weeks!)

Okay, done with rant.  My apologies.

I know I kept promising a baptism post (my nephew) -- and here it is!
(Also coming up this week is the wedding of my cousin R to her husband C)

Baby K was baptized by our long-time family friend, Father Edwin, on Sunday, November 17th 2013 in a small private (Catholic) ceremony -- isn't he ADORABLE in his white suit?? He was asleep as we arrived at church, so waited until the last minute to add his white suit (with tails!)

His mother (my sister C) and her boyfriend B very lovingly took turns holding their son Baby K.

Left to Right: Godfather M; Godmother P; Dad B holding
Baby K while the priest pours holy water over his head;
and Mom C (the camera angle has her slightly blocked
however you can see the purple flowers in her hair)

Our parents (M and P) were Baby K's only godparents (as is tradition in the Catholic Church -- one practicing Catholic of each gender is chosen for each baby -- sometimes only a single godparent is chosen though which is allowed if two are not "wanted"/"available").

Immediate Family: Baby K, his parents (C and B),
God parents (M and P -- are C and my parents so
they are also Baby K grandparents), and myself, J

Photo of FOUR GENERATIONS on BOTH SIDES of Baby K's family!  He is such a lucky little guy!!

Mom C, grandparents, great-grandparents in purple
Dad B, grandparents, great-grandparents in green
(white are Godparents and Father Edwin)

I KNOW there must be photos of the reception after (as mentioned, small, perhaps 25 guests??) however I cannot find a single photo, not even of Baby K's baptism cake! If I find them later I shall share : )

December 28th

Example of a Completed Christmas Day Advent Wreath
(purple.purple.pink.purple.white) ~ the single white
candle in the center is added on Christmas Eve and
lit at midnight/on Christmas Day to celebrate
the birth of Jesus

So today's image is an example of a completed Advent Wreath (lit on Christmas Day ~ the single white candle in the center is usually added on Christmas eve and is lit at midnight/on Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of Jesus)

Today I am also remembering YESTERDAY, December 27th, 2013

One: We had dinner with some of my Dad's side of the family and it was lovely!! (Christmas Day we celebrate usually with a brunch, with my Mom's side of the family ~ it was also lovely!!)

Two: Dec. 27th my nephew (Baby K) turned three months old.  As prior posts have noted, on Christmas Eve my only sister decided suddenly (because yes, a plan to pick up her new family of three so they could celebrate for at least an hour before going out of town to spend time with the baby's father's side of the family)... ahem. Christmas Eve my sister changed plans and instead of time together for the first time since Thanksgiving, myself, our parents (baby K's grandparents AND godparents) along with everyone else on Baby K's mom's side of the family has not gotten to see or hear from any of them.  With the exception of the heated texts on Christmas Eve (because instead of the three of them, she wanted his whole family to come over and decided to say that at about 9pm -- then took back all visiting possibilities and stated that we would more or less be lucky to see him before, at, or after the new year).  STILL NO BABY K, NO SISTER, NO CONTACT. 

Hurt yet starting to be able to move past it -- with tiny steps at least :  (

Waiting...

Pretty Tree

Trying to not let things get to me.

Waiting... to figure out how to let go of the way my sister lives her life (and therefore how she controls that we have not seen - even in photos - the first grandson/nephew for a third of his life. Technically tomorrow actually, he was born the 27th, not the 26th.  But really, no response on baby's FIRST CHRISTMAS!???)

Waiting... for test results to see if more procedures are to be done or if I am to sit and wait for a few more months then be tested again (and again and again)... At least I am honestly not worried at all about the results.  As far as I know I can only fall into two categories and I can deal with either one -- I just really am disliking this waiting stuff.

Waiting... to return to a positive, faith filled, hopeful person.  I try, yet I know I was at the very least a bit of a drag on Christmas Day this year (which I hated, but again, am waiting to be able to move past things I have no control over).

Waiting... so that I can be a great aunt (I know how to be, just not receiving the opportunity)

Waiting... to have dinner with some family from the other half of my family tree tomorrow night (Also hoping I can at least pretend to be a bit more cheerful than I was on Christmas Day -- I did try and smiled and talked but it just felt like a day of loss and I cannot get out of this funk yet).

Waiting... for a long-time friend (five years) to let me know that the move back to Chicago went alright and to be okay with knowing I cannot visit from CA -- at least not in the near future! Those five years sure did fly by fast...

Waiting... for the new year because hopefully I will have actually moved on and am no longer pretending as I have been the past week

Happy Boxing Day Everyone! (Day After Christmas)

Merry Christmas 2013

So yesterday THIS happened... Prayers/understanding/support/love please??

Want to wish you all a Merry Christmas...

First ever photo Christmas Card (how did we avoid it all these years??)

Bottom row of 3: Four generations; Family dog; Mom C with son Baby K

Most ADORABLE photo to come from my nephew (Baby K's) photos taken the day before Thanksgiving

Baby K's First Christmas (2013)

Love, Happiness, Family, Friends, Life, also a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!


UPDATE AT 9:45pm -- no contact from my sister still. No visit, no call, no text, not even a Christmas photo... Today was an absolute LOSS day which just sucks.  After the relatives left I curled up in bed and cried myself to sleep.  I cannot seem to give up and trust in God that things will work.  I kept hoping and praying all day -- both to let it go, and to have them come by (or at least make contact!!!)

Christmas Decorations Done!

The month of December has been so filled -- difficult to believe but the last time I shared photos of what the Christmas Decorations looked like this year was on the 3rd -- exactly twenty days ago! Now that I shared the link to that post (in case you wanted to see what was going on then). Today, Christmas Adam, I am sharing the last of the decorations -- mostly garlands!

Garland (from kitchen looking into dining room)

Garland (from dining room looking into kitchen)

Holiday mugs and two reindeer on top of the bar in the dining room
(Can you read the black and gold sign on the inside top shelf?
Reads ~ "IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE")

Garland (from dining room looking into living room)

Standing in living room looking at decorated garlands
 (living room to dining room to kitchen)

Last but certainly not least -- the completely decorated Christmas Tree!

Christmas Tree 2013 (in the corner of the family room)

Just wanted to add that the garlands do have lights on [at night] ~ Pretty!

I think that is it for Christmas 2013! (Unless gifts are ornaments that is!)

P.S. Guess what?? Apparently my aunt, my mom, and myself are going to have a Christmas Eve Marathon of Downton Abbey!! At least season one, hopefully season two as well (not likely, but we shall try) -- the Marathon will continue through the end of season three because SEASON FOUR OF DOWNTON ABBEY STARTS IN JANUARY 2014!! Huzzah!! ...Yep, got carried away.  GREAT show for anyone who has not seen it... What was I rambling on about?  Oh yes, that at the least the three of us shall continue cramming in the first three seasons before New Year's Day : )

Advent Week Four

Advent Week Four - December 2013

Wow ~ all four candles lit!  Just a few days left now... Christmas "Adam" (Dec. 23rd) ... Christmas Eve (Dec. 24th) ... then Christmas Day (Dec. 25th)! I think I have written this on every Advent post this year, but the past week seems to have flown by!

Yesterday was a bit of a conflicting day -- on one hand, I did VERY well until nearly five in the afternoon -- on the other hand the evening my body was really fighting and so today has really been a pj/bed/food/restroom/bed/bed/bed type of a day.  Nothing urgent on the agenda prior to Christmas Eve mass though, so today was an excellent day to rest and hopefully nothing negative will disturb tomorrow either... Oh!  I have been working (with paper and pencil) to get the details nailed into place for both sides of my family tree!  Just from both sets of my own grandparents through all of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; however it has been a project!

Had initially been trying to finish before Christmas, and I think perhaps I shall be able to have the paper and pencil version completed by then.  New plan is to find time and a computer program that will allow me to somehow shrink everything yet still make it easily read-able.  Currently I think I am up to four or five pages (for each side of my family tree) running length-wise on regular 8.5" by 11" lined paper.  Would very much like the printed version to have individual photos... Shall see how it works out!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and THANK YOU to everyone who has been keeping me in thoughts/prayers/good vibes -- no test results yet but this week I should get news of some sort.  Not the best timing, but it is better than waiting, right?

Shall try to get in the posts about my cousin R's wedding and my nephew K's baptism soon! (Also one about my day trip yesterday - lots of holiday cheer!)

One step at a time

"one step at a time"

"I will trust God even in the silence"

"Always smile back at little children.
To ignore them is to destroy their belief
that the world is good"

Hello -- just taking it easy so here are a few images with quotes that I like (and that I may or may not have posted onto this blog already!)

Advent Week Three

Advent Week Three - December 2013

Just like that, another week flashes by.  We are now in the third week of Advent! Perhaps if I loved every month like I do December, (with holiday spirit, decorations, Christmas), every year would fly by...

I am very thankful for my family and friends...

Currently feeling a little too tired

Love, prayers, faith and hope

Pope Francis I, Our Lady of Guadalupe, a new death, remembering a death

So yesterday I (obviously!) posted a very, very, VERY long rant/ramblings/spewing thoughts -- it was something that I was a bit scared to actually hit the "publish" button because I realize that this can be read by anyone in the entire world at any time.  However it really is beneficial for me to just let everything out sometimes, and it was the right choice because I FINALLY slept for just over eight hours last night and have been rested and relaxed all day!

Alright, four topics in the title to cover: day before yesterday a close relative passed away, but she had been ill for what felt like a long time and she was ready to move on.  God gave her a bit of extra time and so more family were able to visit which was a blessing...

Yesterday, December 12th was a Feast Day for several people I know/knew -- it was also the official Catholic Feast Day for Our Lady of Guadalupe. There are many images, many websites, many different ways to find her if you search -- but you are here so I want to send you to two links, if you have the time. First, from the Vatican Radio Pope Francis sent a message to the Americas. (If you do a quick g.oo.gle search you can watch the video of the Holy Father speaking -- but this site has it translated into English and typed out so it is likely to be more convenient for most). Second, a new find for me (yes, I am apparently MUCH more lazy than I think) - from catholicculture.org they have daily readings, activities, etc and the link to the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe is wonderful (also short and to the point in case you are not very faithful). The image below I have lovingly borrowed from them, so you are already familiar with an aspect of the page...

Three sentences taken from their page which summarize her story: "She appeared to an Indian convert named Juan Diego on December 9, 1531. She left a marvelous portrait of herself on the mantle of Juan Diego. This miraculous image has proved to be ageless, and is kept in the shrine built in her honor, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe."

Time Magazine picked their person of the year and I am thrilled to share that it is Pope Francis I -- (you can read my post when he was chosen to become the new Pope if you would like)!  He has done so much for Catholics but also importantly he reminds me of Jesus, really reaching out to all people, everywhere.  He is a role model I can only aspire to reach a level of his authenticity.

Also, finally, today, December 13th... It has been eighteen years since we lost "Aba" and she too was blessed to join God and leave her earthly struggles behind.  I posted about losing my grandpa exactly eighteen years ago earlier this year... This time I remember the day, the exact hour, the exact minute when Aba took her last breath at home, surrounded by so many of us.

That is all for today -- between yesterday and today I have shared so much. If you did not read yesterday's post please try to get through some of it and leave me your opinion/views/similar stories/something.  I feel quite worn out today.  Mostly in a good way, but a bit wary that I blurted out so much.

Advent Week Two

Week Two (of four) of Advent has arrived and I am still struggling with gift ideas.  Part of me wants to at least send cards to all of my family/extended family/friends/those I have lost touch with/pay it forward to strangers/all that jazz... Realistically I have been able to focus on helping create a "family" gift for just immediate extended family and write Merry Christmas (or Happy Hanukkah, or Happy Kwanza, or Seasons Greetings, or Happy Holidays) on my various social media.  Sometimes emails, but I never feel like it is enough.

No matter how quickly time passes between each Advent season, I am so very thankful when December rolls around again.  Whether I have had a great year, a horrible year, or landed somewhere in-between, Christmas/December/holiday music always reminds me of family, love, support, stability, warmth... Although there are 52 weeks in every year and I always tell myself I will try to appreciate this year -- every year slips through my fingers.  And I am only thirty (already thirty!) this year...wonder what life will be like in the future!

As a Catholic, these four weeks leading up to Christmas Day every year give me the amazing opportunity to stop and be thankful for everything (good and bad) in my life.  I try to take this time to focus on something/everything that is positive/good/uplifting in people's lives because I know of/have heard of/have read/have experienced not good things.  And, being human, I often fall/sink/fail.  Advent is a time where I try to really focus outside of myself and not allow myself to get caught up in personal drama (ok, still human, I try not to focus for very long on things that are negative in my life).

I shall, of course, continue posting here hopefully for a long while... This year though I am going to invite all of you to leave me a message or send me an email (disappearingrose@yahoo.com) and I will send you a personal holiday note.  Please let me know what holiday you are celebrating, or if you would prefer the more generic Season's Greetings : )  Also I want to thank all of you, because most if not all of you have been sharing your lives with me via the online world and I really appreciate it.

Halfway through the Advent Wreath -- this week I shall be sure to pray extra for all of my social network friends!! ::HUGS::

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

Planned on posting this yesterday, but then Baby K was sick : (
However today he is better!! Plus you get more photos

Slowly but surely Christmas decorations are being put into place!  Started with little things (dishtowels, the same plastic wreath that hangs outside the screen door so it works in any weather, this year's Advent wreath, two cute stuffed snowmen sitting on a window sill, the ADORABLE miniature Christmas tree with it's own assortment of mini ornaments)... Now the boxes of ornaments are out of the attic, the tree has been put up, and tonight the lights were put on!  Photos to share (and more to come as decorating continues)

Advent Wreath 2013

Outdoor Christmas Wreath
(yes fake - but good for all weather!)

Miniature Tree in powder room
decorated with miniature
ornaments and tree skirt!

Craft - Christmas trees made by gluing together wine corks!

Annual Christmas Manger centered on the mantle
(Yes, we add Baby Jesus early)

Christmas Tree with just lights
in family room 2013

Ornaments down from the attic!
(Trust me, took YEARS to finally
buy "proper" ornament boxes!)

Looking forward to seeing/reading about all of your holiday decorations (whatever holidays you celebrate!)

Advent Week One

Advent Week One - December 2013

December 1st has arrived again! How fast the years fly by; I am so thankful that I am able to appreciate and enjoy every holiday, particularly CHRISTMAS! I have so many thoughts and things I want to share -- today however, I have decided to share the story of my first college Advent wreath.

I had moved into a campus dorm room in Turlock, CA back in 2001 and while having a private bedroom was one of the many perks of my college, the room was not large enough (nor safe enough!) to have candles going for a solid month.

My crafty/creative solution? A pack of colored paper, scissors, tape, and markers! Looking back it was actually one of the most personal and special Advent wreaths I have ever made, and I looked for the pieces to post a photo of here but cannot find them.

Green paper became green leaves, each with a different loved ones name on it (family, friends) - or something I was thankful for.  The candles were cut from purple (three) and pink (one) paper and all were taped to my dorm room wall.  (Another advantage to being in a college dorm room -- the walls had some sort of "shiny" aspect which allowed clear tape to stick for months but never ruin the wall when finally pulled off -- UNLIKE regular walls growing up).

Once I had my unique wreath in place I added the candles, then made "flames" from colored paper and the markers. Every Sunday during Advent I would "light" the candle for that week by taping up the "flame" above the correct candle : )  Glad that this is one of many memories that come back to me particularly during the holiday season!

Other posts to come: my cousin R. got married; my nephew K. was baptized; favorite authors have been re-read; the farmer's market has been visited; an aunt who has been engaged is getting married in a couple months; Christmas decorations are being put up; am going to a cookie exchange party this weekend; etc etc.  Welcome to December!!

Thankful

Thankful Full Of Gratitude

Today I am so very, very thankful for many things... okay, a small part of me is still selfish and grumpy at the computer/internet/blogger for NOT allowing me to post Thanksgiving photos... Yet I am overwhelmingly blessed and am taking the opportunity to write a brief THANK YOU message.

God, my parents, my sister, family friends, extended family, people who I have not seen or spoken to in ages, those whom I have spoken with in the past few days... I might get into negative "spots" and have trouble seeing all that I have to be thankful for in that moment, but looking at my whole life, the last nine years, the last two days, the last sixty seconds -- I am more blessed than I could ever deserve, and I am very deeply thankful for everything good and bad and in-between that has brought me to this moment in life.

Dear God, I want to take a minute,
Not to ask for anything from you,
But simply to say THANK YOU,
For all I have.

Note: On Thanksgiving Day (28th) we celebrated with most of my mom's side of the family (four of the five sisters with their significant others and many of the "kids" such as myself)... The day after Thanksgiving, TODAY (Nov. 29th) we had a wonderfully [sort of rare] opportunity to celebrate with three of the four siblings on my dad's side of the family (and their significant others and a few "kids") -- hopefully this Christmas season we can celebrate again with both sides of the family tree, so fun!!

 I hope all of you can find at least one single thing/person/thought/etc to be thankful for, today and everyday ::HUGS::

My Godson

 Today, March 19th, is my godsons feast day!
(In case you missed my Pope blog a few days ago, I am Catholic)

LOVE and miss my godson, his twin sister, and their family!

I am so excited and looking forward to their visit this summer!

First Summer Visit 2010

Second Summer Visit 2011

Third Summer Visit 2012

Plus an extra one of him laughing just to hold the place for many future visits and photos!

EDIT: Today is also my 30th birthday -- how lucky I am to have so many wonderful family and friends in my life! Thank God for my parents, my sister, and all of my family and friends! Love from me to you!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

"Irish is just another way to spell awesome"

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

New Pope!

Today the Catholic Church once again has a Pope! The conclave finished voting (see image of white smoke below; white smoke is a confirmation of more than two-thirds majority whereas the previous votes went up in black smoke to indicate that we were still without a spiritual leader here on Earth)

After Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope (he will never again be addressed as such, only addressed by his new name -- for those who are not aware every new Pope chooses their name and his is significant!).... Here is an image from the first public appearance of Pope Francis I

 (Sorry, am not positive who the two individuals standing behind him are)

Found this online as well and while a fake baseball card is amusing it also is a cute "cheat sheet" of facts about the new Pope! Two of the most important facts are that he is the first Pope from South America and that he is also the first Jesuit (the Jesuit priests are a particular order) Pope! Two wonderful firsts! Have to wait and see how his life as Pope will play out -- however he has an amazingly down-to-earth manner apparently. Some examples repeated often about this former cardinal is that he cooked some of his own meals, chose to live in a small and simple location instead of the lavish/larger options, and HE TOOK PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION REGULARLY TO VISIT "BAD" AREAS OF TOWNS TO HELP HOW AND WHERE HE COULD.  Safe, blessed, what an example of living life simply -- hence "Francis" is the perfect (and first time ever chosen) new name of our Pope.

Prayers, positive hopes, and ::HUGS:: to all

When the world sits just right

"EVERY NOW AND THEN, WHEN THE WORLD SITS JUST RIGHT, A GENTLE BREATH OF HEAVEN FILLS MY SOUL WITH DELIGHT." ~Hazelmarie Elliott

Remembering to be thankful for what I have

Christmas Decorations (Belated Post!)

 

Ornamented garlands from living room to dining room to kitchen window

  Kitchen window decorated only with tea and hot chocolate ornaments!

 Miniature tree with miniature ornaments in the powder room

 LOVE THIS
Night view of the living room
(Fireplace white lights and white knit snowflakes with the Nativity)
(Fully lit and decorated Christmas tree by the window)

Attempted close-up of the Christmas tree

Advent and Hanukkah

Sunday tends to be a religious day (even for those who are not religious -- well, okay, I think it is a day when many people enjoy being able to get in some rest and/or partake in religious activities)... Also I had no clue what to post here today.  In keeping with my personal mission to post something daily, and the hope to not bore whomever reads this, I have found photos that represent both centerpieces for those who are Catholic (an Advent Wreath) and those who are Jewish (a Hanukkah Menorah).

The image on the left is an Advent Wreath. It consists of four candles around the circle (three purple, one pink) and a single white candle in the center. (Sometimes all five candles are white, with the appropriate colored ribbon around each one). The wreath is a way to "count down" to Christmas Day, the celebration of Jesus being born (ie the white/center candle). The Advent Wreath is lit clockwise, one candle every Sunday per week during the Advent season: purple, purple, pink (for joy, the halfway point has been reached), purple, then finally the center/white candle on Christmas Day.

The image on the right is a Hanukkah Menorah. It consists of nice candle slots in a straight line, with eight candles/holes at the same height and the center candle/hole making that first candle higher than the others. Most Menorahs I have viewed are similar in shape to the image I have above -- one raised base with a raised center candle and four candles on each side, creating a total of nine candles in a single horizontal line. Please correct me if I am wrong about the candle color -- I have primarily seen all white candles. There are several variations however, both in the shape of the Menorah itself and some have different colored candles -- yet most keep the "highest" the center candle white. The center candle is lit the first night of Hanukkah and the candles (with various special prayers) are lit one per night during the eight nights of Hanukkah, from left to right (when you are the individual lighting the candle).

As mentioned earlier this month, please feel free to always give me more information about holidays celebrated in your religion (particularly in December!) and correct me/teach me about anything I post that is incorrect.  Thank you and I hope everyone has a good weekend!

 (My personal online Advent wreath -- on the left was last week; today is the second Sunday in Advent so the image has changed. Now there are two candles lit.  Next week the lit pink candle shall mark the third Sunday)