Now blooming...

...plum trees!

bus stop at Edgren High School

on the street looking away from the high school

bowling alley and library

outside the high school

Edgren bus stop side view

over the bus stop roof

close up of the blossoms

May crowning

"Bring flowers of the fairest,
Bring flowers of the rarest,
From garden and woodland
and hillside and dale;

Our full hearts are swelling,
Our glad voices telling
The praise of the lovliest
Rose of the vale."

St. Jude's has never had a May crowning before, so when the religious education director, who is also in my women's Bible study group, said she wanted to do one this year, I enthusiastically volunteered to help. She appreciated copies of programs from Holy Family in Yakima and our home school group there.


Then she asked Katie and me to make a crown for the statue of Mary. This was a new challenge. We wanted to use fresh flowers, but the wreath needed to be very tiny, which requires tinier, and more fragile flowers. So we made a basic wreath of silk flowers and on Sunday morning, Katie picked some fresh violets, double violets, and other tiny flowers out of our flowerpots and yard. I wove them into the wreath as we rode in the car, then we misted the wreath a few times during Mass. Miraculously, we kept Matthew from playing with it or sitting on it, and it survived until the celebration.

The procession began with the youngest and oldest g irls from Joseph's First Communion class carrying in and placing the wreath. Unfortunately, I missed getting a photo of them. They looked very sweet in their First Communion dresses.

"O, Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today,

Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May."

"Hail Holy Queen enthroned above...

....Salve. Salve. Salve, Regina."

The new diapers are here!

Hooray!

They feel so soft and nice. I'm washing them now and can't wait to put them all away in their basket ready for the baby's arrival.

We ended up buying 2 dozen fitted diapers in a hemp/organic cotton blend, and 1 dozen unbleached Chinese prefolds. The company I ordered from had very personal customer service. I needed to exchange a few emails with them before ordering to ask questions and figure out the shipping situation to our APO address. They were extremely helpful and kept me very well informed of the status of my order.

I am so happy to be finished with disposables. I have really not enjoyed using them for Matthew since we got over here.

Laundry musings

I'm washing the baby clothes today. And it seems that each little sweater and cap have brought memories of people.

The beautiful zip-up-the-back white sweater that Aunt Connie and Uncle Wilfred gave to Tommy. How I miss Aunt Connie!

The lovely blue and white one with matching hat that Ann gave Patrick.

Two sweet caps hand- knit by Taryn for Matthew.

White hat and booties from friends we met in Turkey.

A multi-colored, tassled hat from dear Yakima friends, Brenda and Greg. We continue to pray for Brenda's return to full health.

Socks that Nancy sent to Joseph.

Funny, there's very little pink in these piles. ;-) Lots of white, restful pale green, and lovely baby blue.

So many memories of sweet smelling little ones making little o's with their mouths and yawning those stretchy, eyes-scrunched-up yawns.

Not long now until a new little one fills these clothes...

s/he's already filling our hearts.

Guess it's mother's week....

Pregnancy Prayer to Our Lady of La Leche

O Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of Your tender Mother, Our Lady of La Leche, who bore You close to her heart during those long months before Your birth, I place my baby and myself entirely in Your Hands. Free me, I beseech You, from useless and consuming worry. Accept the sacrifice of my aches and pains, which I unite to Your sufferings on the Cross. Above all, most merciful and loving Jesus, protect this child You have given to me from all harm, bestowing the health and vigor every baby needs. Implant in my heart and on my lips the words and prayers of Your Mother and mine, our Lovely Lady of La Leche. All this I ask that my child and I may live to praise forever Your Holy Name. Amen.


Thanks: Elizabeth Foss's blog and the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche.

Another motherhood post

from Holy Experience.

This one might just get me through the next three or four weeks (if I can stop the pregnancy-induced tears) ;)

More on Mother's Day

The Most Important Person

on earth is a mother. She
cannot claim the honor of

having built Notre Dame
Cathedral. She need not. She

has built something more

magnificent than any
cathedral-a dwelling for an
immortal soul, the tiny
perfection of her baby's
body…The angels have not

been blessed with such a
grace. They cannot share in

God's creative miracle to bring

new saints to Heaven. Only a

human mother can. Mothers

are closer to God the Creator

than any other creature; God

joins forces with mothers in

performing this act of

creation…What on God's

good earth is more glorious

than this: to be a mother?

-Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

Thanks to Danielle Bean's blog and the Cardinal Mindszenty Foundation

which sells a lovely card with this text and picture on it.

Happy Mother's Day!

We cordially invite all the moms in our family and among our friends to join us...

for a virtual celebration.

There is plenty of coffee and cake for all!

With much love,

The Riordon Family

The more things change....

...the more they stay the same ;)

April, 1989





May, 2008

Happy Birthday, Tommy!

Can you really be 19?!

You bring so much joy and laughter to our family. Dad and I are proud to see you using your many gifts to bring that joy to others, too.

May God grant you many years!

We love you!

First Communion Day

"So Jesus said to them, 'Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his b lood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my b lood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my b lood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my b lood abide in me, and I in them.'" -John 6: 53-56

Joseph received his First Holy Communion on Saturday morning, May 3rd. He has been working hard all year to get ready for this big day. We prepared at home, and he participated in some activities with the religious education class at St. Jude's Parish on base. Last weekend, the religious education program held a preparatory retreat, in which Joseph was included.

Saturday morning, he, and all the other children, were very excited before Mass started. They were also very reverent and sweetly solemn throughout the Mass.

At first, Joseph wished his First Communion would be at Sunday Mass, but in the end, he thought it was very special to be able to receive Holy Communion two days in a row this weekend. Another nice thing about having the Mass on a Saturday morning was that the RE director and Fr. Jose could choose the readings. They chose John 6: 47-59 for the Gospel, and Father took the opportunity to give an excellent homily on the Real Presence. Very nice for both the children and their parents and guests.

Some photos from the day:

a blessing from Daddy before Mass



on the altar at the chapel


First Communion class with Fr. Jose del Toro


Joseph in the group photo


everyone made a banner at the retreat last weekend

After Mass, there was a reception at the Officer's Club on base. While we waited in line for the professional photos, the kids provided me a few more candid photo ops.

Cheese!


The only way to take a photo of Katie lately, is to catch her by surprise ;)


Doesn't seem that long ago when it was First Communion day for the boys at left and center


Free drinks! Cool!


Cake!



with Fr. Jose after lunch

After Mass on Sunday, which Joseph happily called his "Second Holy Communion", we had a celebratory brunch at home. He chose brown sugar pound cake for his First Communion cake. Notice that he also chose waffles and sparkling cider for breakfast. Luckily, Daddy made eggs and bacon, too, so we weren't completely without nutrition.

Congratulations, Joseph Dominic!

With love from
Mom, Dad, Tommy, Patrick, Katie, Matthew, and the baby

Sakura

It's cherry blossom time in Misawa. When the sakura bloom, it is the time for picnics, outdoor walks, and looking at blossoms, or hana mi (literally, "flower eye"). What a relief after the long winter to get outdoors and enjoy the spring!

the entry drive

BX parking area

entry drive past BX and commissary

past the furniture store towards the club

driving toward the high school (tower apts. in background)

Mokuteki Community Center

Reisner Circle

base chapel

chapel grounds...

exiting the base

at the "train park" in central Misawa

Congratulations, Tommy!

He's one of ten winners (out of over 200 applicants) of Credit Union Foundation of Maryland and DC scholarships this year.

John and I truly appreciate his willingness to put in the work to apply for scholarships this spring. Every little bit helps. :-)

To read Tommy's 2nd place essay, click here and scroll down to "Voted #2 by our judges-".