Kade Joseph

From the moment you hold your first born in your arms you feel a love unlike anything you have every felt before. You immediately become superhuman and your only goal in life is to love, nurture and protect this little being from anything that may cause the slightest harm. You no longer think in terms of “I” or even “we” as a couple. Instead your thoughts are all about “him/her”. What does the baby need? What does he want? Will this be good for him? Will this hurt him? No decision, no matter how small, is made without this baby’s welfare in mind. It is a lifelong relationship that will change you forever. When the second child comes along, miraculously you have the ability to love him/her just as much as you did the first. How can this be? All you had to give was taken up already so where did this additional love come from? And just when you thought you could not love anything more than you love your children along comes your first grandchild. You know you are going to love them as much as you love your own children. You will have all the same desires to nurture and protect. You will be a grandparent but the parent in you will shine through as bright as the shining sun. Everyone tells you that you will feel a love that you have never known before and it will be so bountiful that you can not measure it. I thought I knew exactly what they were talking about..... ....And then Kade arrived. The love in my heart is unlike anything I have ever felt before or even could have imagined. It is the same love you have for your own children but magnified by 1000. I was overwhelmed with love for my son and daughter in law and so happy for them that they now have this angel to share their lives with. I was excited to see the face that would belong to the little boy who would call me Oma. I wept as I held his feet in my hands and caressed his fingers knowing these would be the hands that would help his Papa Louie build things and the feet that would run through our house when he comes to visit. Even now almost 8 weeks later, I can not get enough of looking at him and holding him and wanting everything in the world to be his. God gave us a heart to love our children but he built an extra door that only opens when you hold your grandchildren for the first time. Behind this door is a continuous outpour of so much love that it can not be contained or described by humanly words. It is like God has sent a part of himself to you so that you may get a glimpse of what heaven is like. Welcome to this world Kade Joseph. You are much loved.

Spring has arrived...

Spring is an exciting time of year. The weather usually gets warmer, trees are blooming, small creatures are raising their heads and songs of the birds fill the air. As a Catholic, Spring reminds me of Lent since we are smack dab in the middle of the Lenten season when the first day of Spring arrives. I never give it deep thought since I know spring is coming and I welcome it and I usually know what to expect. This year it has new meaning to me. These past few weeks have been heavy on the heart and soul of who I am. My family is trying to dig out of the winter of our lives and seek hope in the new beginnings Spring promises. We have had our share of the winter blahs by way of car wrecks, house floods, yard leaks, things needing repairs, heartaches and illnesses. We were waiting for a flash of light that reminds us that it will all be okay....and then today we awoke by the glorious light of the sun on a day known as "Spring" and I knew .....it will all be okay. I am reminded that is it time to do Spring Cleaning which usually means to clean out the closets, take the rugs outside and beat them, throw away all the things that bog you down or that have no place in your life anymore. Is it just a coincidence that this is also what we need to do with our hearts and souls during Lent? Isn't this what Lent is about; Cleansing the soul to be rid of the things that keep you from focusing on the true importance of the Easter season? Today as I start my cleaning out of sock drawers, hall closets and kitchen cabinets, I will purge my soul of things that have weighed me down. I will fill that void with prayer and thanks to God for his generous blessings. It will be a slow process and will probably take me until Easter weekend but I can assure you when I am doing my final chore of washing all the windows, not only will I see the light shining through the panes of glass but I will feel the warmth of the light He has placed within me. Enjoy the spring and know there is a much stronger light on the way.