Wordless Wednesday: Fishing Days

Gift of our Fathers

God our Father,

we give you thanks and praise for fathers young and old.

We pray for young fathers, newly embracing their vocation;

may they find courage and perseverance

to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice.

We pray for fathers around the world

whose children are lost or suffering;

may they know that the God of compassion

walks with them in their sorrow.

We pray for men who are not fathers

but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and advice.

We remember fathers, grandfather, and great grandfathers

who are no longer with us

but who live forever in our memory

and nourish us with their love. 

Amen.

(prayer found here)

CSJ Boys Camp 2016 - "Whatever You Do"

Two weeks ago today, I waved goodbye to my hubs and two oldest sons (and two nephews who rode with) as they drove away for a campout with the Community of St. John.  With a few tears in my eyes.  When you are married and completely one in your marriage, a parting such as this is hard.  But so worth it, because of the amazing opportunity that comes with it.

So what is Boys Camp and what do they do?

**CAMP**

**LEARNING TIME**

(Look at that cutie in the top left!!  Can I admit how my heart skipped a beat EVERY time I saw him in the video - see below....)

**GAMES/SWIMMING/ACTIVITIES**

**FIELD TRIP**

**SKITS**

**WORK**

(father of 8 - soon to be 9 - has the gift of delegation down perfectly.  Don't you love his pointed finger in giving direction?!)

**PRAYER/ADORATION/MASS**

Here's this year's video of pictures from the camp....
(which some of the pictures from above were taken from it, so I apologize for any blurriness)

++Thank you, God, for the Community of St. John for leading this wonderful camp every summer for our boys and giving the boys such a beautiful experience on what living their Catholic faith is like. Thank you for your Body of Christ, living and present and shining so brightly on retreats like this!!++

CSJ Boys Camp - "Love one another"

I have three boys, well two boys and one big boy (hubby), who have been recovering the last couple days from an exhausting, spiritually overwhelming and inspiring four night camp with the Community of St. John.  This is THE highlight of their summer and I'm so grateful to have such a loving, generous husband who has taken vacation days the last four years to take part in and help lead this great opportunity for our boys.  Gotta love a daddy that is as involved as he is - I am one blessed gal!!

This year's theme was "Love One Another".  Last year's theme was "Go and Make Disciples".  Here's the t-shirt design that my husband helped create and order for the boys....     (good job, babe!!)

One thing I look forward to every year is watching the camp video, because I get to see all the fun the boys had during the camp-out.  You can see that it involves many fun outdoorsy activities (sports games, swimming, treasure hunt....), but also many great faith-filled opportunities as well (confession, Mass adoration, Marian procession....).

Another added fun element from this year's campout was a couple of the young adult helpers and some boys posed as pirates and snuck up on the larger group of boys while they were out swimming at the lake.  I had tears in my eyes, I was laughing so hard at times!!  With goofey adventures like this, it's no wonder the boys LOVE this camp....

++Thank you, God, for the Community of St. John for leading this wonderful camp every summer for our boys and giving the boys such a beautiful experience on what living their Catholic faith is like. Thank you for your Body of Christ, living and present and shining so brightly on retreats like this!!++

A "like father - like son" Wordless Wednesday

Father's Day 2014

I have three really great fathers in my life, whom I adore and love and am greatly blessed by....

First, my own daddy!!!  He worked his tail off when I was a little girl and gave his all for us four girls and my mom.  I never saw him enough, but that was because he was working hard and taking overtime hours to feed and support his wife (my momma) so she could stay home and bring us girls up. This was one of the greatest gifts he could have given me.... the gift of a mom who was present to me daily to teach me, love me, correct me, etc... and it meant so much to me, that Neil and I wanted to give this same gift to our own family.  How blessed I am from his great example of working and loving us through this sacrifice that it now affects and blesses our daily life.  I never knew that I would get all this wonderful time with him now!!  He calls me many times a week just to say "hi", jumps when something breaks or needs fixed here, helps do regular work on our Big Red, and just got done remodeling our basement for us with one of his buddies, and so much more!!!  As an adult, I appreciate this time so much more NOW that I ever would have as a child. Happy Father's Day, Dad, and I love you more than you know!!!!

Second, Neil's great dad!!!  I love him for the man he created and the support and love he has given Neil and I and our big bunch of kids.  He taught Neil that he will someday have a family to support and that he needs to get a good degree, good job and work hard to maintain that job.  What a success this has been - all because of his example, support and encouragement.  Neil went to the U of I and graduated with a degree in computer science, works at Deere and Co, and works his tail off now for our kiddos and I.  Neil's Dad also jumps and helps out around our house too, and is our regular donut delivery man - the kids LOVE this part!!  Having only two sons himself, he has graciously accepted the 16 (and growing number) of grandkids that God keeps sending his way and as silly as it seems, I think he is more calm now than when the first few arrived.  Happy Father's Day - love you bunches, Ken!!!

Third, is this great man - my husband and father of our children!!!  How can I tell of this man and his greatness as a father?  I know I will never come close!  Sweet Bridget did a great job describing the job of a father of many and almost everything she said applies to Neil as well - thanks Bridget for all your help!  ;-)    What a sacrifice these dads must make when they have more than the average number of kids - what is that - 2 kids?? Come October, we are going to be four times that amount!!  Neil loves his job as a father of many and does it so beautifully and gracefully. Like Bridget mentioned, most large family fathers - just like Neil give up a nice family vacation every other year for a hospital stay to bring home the next bundle of joy God has sent our way.  He comes home from work and doesn't sit on the couch with his feet kicked up and favorite sports team playing, shooing kids away - instead, he comes home and helps a little girl with her phonics lesson or changes a dirty diaper or whips up a fast easy dinner to feed us (instead of asking and demanding "what's for dinner").  Of course, that meal is always lukewarm - feeding kids always comes first which means the two of us get to eat lukewarm meals on a regular basis.  His "activities" always revolve around his family - he takes TKD lessons with all 5 big kids and earned his black belt with our two oldest last year, gets to go fishing and enjoy that hobby with his family and if he's lucky, gets to throw his own pole in the lake a few times, enjoys the outdoors and goes on walks with all of us, wrestles little kids and almost always loses, reads kids books to kids, watches his sports programs very rarely and always with all kinds of noises and questions and interruptions (he was so sweet and patient last night watching the USA win their most recent game in the World Cup), takes us all to Mass every weekend and helps feed and dress kids to get us there on time, and his list truly never ends...  His life IS his kids and family and faith!!!  Neil, I love you so much and fall in love with you more and more daily as you give your all for our children and I!!  Thank you, dear!!

Called to Serve Our Ladies

This was the invitation I received from Fone to come to a Girl's Night Out with fellowship, snacks & refreshments, and entertainment.  Fone's ConQuest group had been working hard and planning for this special night for all the special ladies in their lives.  What is even more sweet is that when this idea was brought up, there was no specific group suggested for them to invite - it was the boys who decided on their own to treat their moms, aunts, grandma's, and sisters.  Just warms a momma's heart!!  We all know how much our kids love piano, so of course, Fone was going to treat us to a little of his talent.  Fone also served as the MC and he did a fabulous job!  I was so proud of him.  And, what a lovely night it was.  Here are pictures of all the fun....

 (the junior's group snuck in to watch entertainment - who's that handsome man in black and that sweet kid in glasses?)

++Thank you, God, for boys who know how to treat the ladies in their lives, faith-filled friends, great Dads who are great examples to their boys, and an awesome program to help the boys learn about and grow in virtue!++

What is ConQuest??

"Conquest is based on Catholic principles of spiritual development. Its programs are designed to instill virtue, develop character and encourage spiritual growth, while offering its participants challenging physical, intellectual and spiritual activities within an atmosphere of adventure."  (from the ConQuest website)

Our boys have been in ConQuest since Fone (who is now a 7th grader) was in Kindergarten.  Once each week, Neil and all three big boys eat a quick dinner and take off to their weekly ConQuest meeting at a local church.  What once started as a group for homeschool boys and their dads, has branched out to now include all the local parishes.  It has been a wonderful experience for our boys in virtue training and forming good, holy friendships.  How blessed we are to have such an active group!!

Max is in the Father/Son division, which is for ages 5-7.  He tells me each week his favorite part is playing dodgeball, but mostly I think he loves running around with his buddies.

"The Father & Son Program provides an opportunity for fathers to participate in their sons' formation and to introduce young boys to God the Creator and Father. Stories of Biblical heroes demonstrate how God's heroes assist Him in His work. The boy is thereby motivated to become one of God's heroes."  (from the ConQuest website)

  Mario is in the Junior division, which includes ages 8-10...

"In the Junior Boys Program, the theme of Jesus as our Brother and Friend is used to inspire each boy to establish a natural relationship with Christ. Christ taught us how to love through his example of obedience to his Father. Using this example, the boy learns that obedience is good and that being obedient out of love for God will help him to become a better person. The program reinforces basic elements of friendship, such as trust, loyalty and sincerity."  (from the ConQuest website)

 Lastly, Fone's group is called the ConQuest Club, and this group is for boys 11 on up....

"The Conquest Club Program uses a very unique methodology (ECyD) that provides the boys with Experiences, which help them form deeper Convictions, which finally will help them make good Decisions the rest of their lives. In the Club, the adolescent finds a happy, healthy and attractive environment, where they will form themselves in the fundamental aspects of their personality. In order to complement the family, the Club Program develops an internal dynamic of intensive team life, made up of a youth group of friends. Through this environment they develop Catholic leadership and project themselves in works of social and cultural volunteerism, according to their age."

(from the ConQuest website)

FORGING IN VIRTUE

LIGHT THE FIRE WITHIN

CALLED TO SERVE

 ++Thank you, God, for faithfilled groups like ConQuest that help lead our boys closer to you and teach them how to love and serve you in their daily lives!++