Prayer Buddy Reveal

We are having a wonderful Christmas in Nebraska with my husband's family. It has been so special to celebrate all the beautiful traditions with Tommy for the first time! I don't have much time, so I will have to blog about it later. But I wanted to get online quickly to reveal my prayer buddy.

I had the honor of praying for E from A Martha Trying to be Mary. I must confess that even though I had exchanged emails with her around the time of Tommy's adoption, I didn't know that she had a blog. I started reading her posts during Advent and was afraid that if I commented or added her to my blogroll she would suspect I was her buddy. Hee hee... :)

She has a great devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and I was excited that I could pray a novena to OLOG for E's intentions. I prayed the St. Andrew Christmas novena daily for her and thought of her a lot during these weeks of Advent. If you follow her blog you know she's had a lot going on. I felt a strong connection to E through prayer even though she had no idea who her buddy was.

E, I will continue to pray for your health, fertility and vocation as a wife and mother. You are such a sweet soul and I know that we both have a great love for Our Lady. I would love to make a pilgrimage to Mexico City one day and meet you.

I hope everyone has a very blessed Christmas!

January 28

Yesterday we FINALLY heard from the court about our adoption finalization hearing. Our date is January 28th. It's later than we had hoped, but we are so excited to have this final step behind us.

About 30 minutes after I got off the phone with the court I realized that January 28 is the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas!! I couldn't believe it. I love the Lord and His mysterious ways.

Tis the Season

Here are some pictures of what we've been up to lately...

My hubby and I attended the annual Gala for his work last weekend. It was fun to get dressed up and have a night out. It was held in the beautiful Building Museum downtown.



Tommy's legs are finally long enough to play in this toy. He loves to spin around and play at each of the "stations." It's great because it keeps him occupied long enough for me to get a few things done.
I finally got him a winter coat since it has been FREEZING here! Our temps haven't gotten out of the 30s all week. I went with a size bigger hoping that he could grow into it, but it looks a little too big.
Our Advent wreath is on the coffee table in our dining room and I have enjoyed lighting the candles during my morning prayer each day. (They are the same candles from last year, in case you were wondering why they have all been lit.)
My parents sent their gifts early since we will be with my husband's family for Christmas. It's getting pretty full underneath our tree!
My table centerpiece is a bowl full of ornaments
One ornament says "joy"
Fireplace and mantle

Even though our season was disappointing, I still hang my USC stocking with pride!

Decorations around the house

We went to the mall last weekend to visit Santa. I wonder what Tommy asked for??

Our Lady of Guadalupe Novena

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on December 12. I'm going to start this novena tomorrow and thought I'd share it in case you'd like to join me in prayer.

Did you know that Our Lady is pregnant in this image? The sash at her waist was worn by pregnant women in Aztec culture, so she is pregnant with Our Lord in this image. She is the patroness of the unborn and is closely linked with the pro-life movement and with women trying to conceive. My novena will be offered for all women trying to conceive and especially for my prayer buddy.

Here is the novena:
Day One – Dec 4
Dearest Lady of Guadalupe, fruitful Mother of holiness, teach me your ways of gentleness and strength. Hear my humble prayer offered with heartfelt confidence to beg this favor… Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day Two – Dec 5
O Mary, conceived without sin, I come to your throne of grace to share the fervent devotion of your faithful Mexican children who call to you under the glorious Aztec title of Guadalupe. Obtain for me a lively faith to do your Son’s holy will always: May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven… Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day Three – Dec 6
O Mary, whose Immaculate Heart was pierced by seven swords of grief, help me to walk valiantly amid the sharp thorns strewn across my pathway. Obtain for me the strength to be a true imitator of you. This I ask you, my dear Mother… Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day Four – Dec 7
Dearest Mother of Guadalupe, I beg you for a fortified will to imitate your divine Son’s charity, to always seek the good of others in need. Grant me this, I humbly ask of you... Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day Five – Dec 8
O most holy Mother, I beg you to obtain for me pardon of all my sins, abundant graces to serve your Son more faithfully from now on, and lastly, the grace to praise Him with you forever in heaven... Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day Six – Dec 9
Mary, Mother of vocations, multiply priestly vocations and fill the earth with religious houses which will be light and warmth for the world, safety in stormy nights. Beg your Son to send us many priests and religious. This we ask of you, O Mother... Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day Seven – Dec 10
O Lady of Guadalupe, we beg you that parents live a holy life and educate their children in a Christian manner; that children obey and follow the directions of their parents; that all members of the family pray and worship together. This we ask of you, O Mother... Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day Eight – Dec 11
With my heart full of the most sincere veneration, I prostrate myself before you, O Mother, to ask you to obtain for me the grace to fulfill the duties of my state in life with faithfulness and constancy... Our father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day Nine – Dec 12
O God, You have been pleased to bestow upon us unceasing favors by having placed us under the special protection of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. Grant us, your humble servants, who rejoice in honoring her today upon earth, the happiness of seeing her face to face in heaven... Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Praying Advent

I wanted to share with you a great resource for praying this Advent. If you follow this link it will take you to the Creigh.ton Online Ministries. They have great little reflections every day of the year, but during Advent and Lent they have more in-depth meditations and prayers. I think it's a great resource! Just one of the many good things to come from Nebraska. :)