First Communion...Only the Beginning

Although most people don't realize it, I have a charismatic side that I occasionally let out. This only happens 2-3 times a year, but today was definitely one of them. I decided to visit my former choir (the praise and worship group) and it just happened to be the day where all of the children in the area were being confirmed and received their first communion. I haven't personally attended a first communion for about 10 years, so I was really excited to see the 50 children. On top of this, the bishop was there.

While all of these seven and eight year olds were being confirmed, there were so many things I was thinking about. Of course I was looking at each of the dresses in hopes of seeing something I would like for a flower girl, but don't worry I had many other things on my mind. As I continue to approach my vocation to marriage, I was thinking and praying for each of these children. Each has a vocation that God intends for them, but how many parents will continue bringing them to mass and nurture their faith. I prayed that they continue on this path towards holiness and that each is able to discover their own vocation. Of the 20 or so boys who were confirmed, how many will be called to the priesthood? It amazed me just to think that there were future priests walking among us and one day they will do wonderful things for our church.

The Proposal

On May 16, 2007 around noon, Nathan asked me to marry him. The answer was obviously a huge "yes," but for those who have been extremely curious and can no longer contain their excitement, here are the details and the story that goes along with it.

We have been on a pilgrimage in Canada for a week now and are heading home today. Nathan and I have been planning this trip for the majority of the last year for USM's Catholic Newman Club. It has been a huge task for the both of us, but a great thing for us to do together. Thankfully, he took care of all of the actual arrangements like hotels and I was in charge of the money portion. We began in Quebec City where we went to visit St. Anne de Beaupre. After spending two days there, we moved on to Trois Rivieres to stay at Notre Dame du Cap. It was a beautiful place to be and I had never previously heard of it before. Upon walking into the basilica (as seen in the picture), I was amazed at how large the church was. It was much more modern than the majority of churches I have seen, but I found it to be beautiful.

I am a huge creature of habit and Nathan definitely knows that. Whenever walking into a church, the first thing I do is find Jesus. I genuflect and then begin looking around. I quickly spot the statue of Mary and make my way over. I walked around for a bit and like I always do, I knelt in front of Mary. It is here that I always pray for her guidance; that I may become more like her. At this point, Nathan knelt next to me. This is completely typical of us, so I had yet to expect anything. When we pray together, whether in front of the Blessed Mother or the tabernacle, we always pray individually first about our own intentions and then we hold hands and pray with each other. At this point, he started talking to me. We have this cute little game that I'm sure others find to be completely obnoxious if they ever hear us where we ask the other to "guess what." He proceeded to ask me to "guess what" and he said that he loved me. After another guessing, he said that he was going to marry me. He then moved his arm, which I expected would be placed around me, but instead it went for his pocket. The next thing I knew, he was off the little ledge that we were kneeling on, was on one knee, and had a ring in his hand. He then asked if I would be his wife. At this point, we aren't actually sure if I said yes or not. I was in complete shock, had a huge smile on my face, and hugged him as fast as possible. I barely remember the ring being slipped on my finger since I was floating so high in the sky.

We then turned back to prayer, obviously with a completely new intention. All the while, I keep turning my gaze between him, my hand, and the Blessed Mother. I don't know if I have ever been so happy, excited, content, and had so many other feelings at the same time before. We then got up and lit a candle together in front of the Blessed Mother (obviously a blue one). Finally, we went to kneel once again and Nathan wrote a prayer intention that we left there (I was still in too much shock to think straight). He asked for Our Lady's intercession in our relationship. That I may continue to grow closer to her and model my own life after her.

It was a beautiful time for both of us and I wouldn't change any of it. For those who are curious, I know it was one of my mother's first questions, we are planning to take part in the Sacrament of Marriage next summer. We are praying that we can be married on July 26, 2008 which is the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim (Mary's parents) and also my late grandfather's birthday. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue along our path.

Sts. Anne and Joachim, pray for us. Our Lady of the Cape, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us.

You Never Know What's Inside

I am currently in Canada on a pilgrimage with other students from USM. Today we spent the day in Quebec City in search of churches. I absolutely love walking into new churches and discovering what history can be found inside. This city is a little different than some of the other cities I have been to on pilgrimages. In the middle of streets of shops, Catholic churches can be found all around. It's amazing how they are nestled into corners and nearly out of site. Upon first seeing them, there isn't anything special about the outside. Most have a simple steeple, peeling paint, and a wooden door. From the outside, there isn't anything too exciting. However, when walking in, it is amazing to discover the surprises inside each one. Some are covered in gold, relics are everywhere, the paintings are incredible, and not a single one is anything but magnificent.

This had me thinking. With these treasures being found with only a small amount of searching, what else are we missing in everyday life? I wonder how many people in this world look normal and nothing out of the ordinary, yet once you get to know what's inside, they're incredible people with amazing stories. If only we would stop for a moment and take the time to discover the inside beauty of those around us.

My Little Sister

My sister, "Lizzy," doing what she does best; playing softball. She's the catcher, too bad she didn't get the ball in time.

Who Says it Isn't a Career...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - If the typical stay-at-home mother in the United States were paid for her work as a housekeeper, cook and psychologist among other roles, she would earn $138,095 a year, according to research released on Wednesday.
This reflected a 3 percent raise from last year's $134,121, according to Salary.com Inc, Waltham, Massachusetts-based compensation experts.
The 10 jobs listed as comprising a mother's work were housekeeper, cook, day care center teacher, laundry machine operator, van driver, facilities manager, janitor, computer operator, chief executive officer and psychologist, it said.
The typical mother puts in a 92-hour work week, it said, working 40 hours at base pay and 52 hours overtime.
A mother who holds full-time job outside the home would earn an additional $85,939 for the work she does at home, Salary.com.
Last year she would have earned $85,876 for her at-home work, it said.
Salary.com compiled the online responses of 26,000 stay-at-home mothers and 14,000 mothers who also work outside the home.

Crazy, Yet True

LEWISTON - Val Gregoire's widow and children all knew the story: On a day in 1951, Val was hit over the head in Boston and woke without his wallet or his pants.

Now, they have proof. His wallet has returned.

On April 11 - 56 years to the day after Gregoire lost it - the wallet was discovered by a demolition worker at Boston's Paramount Theatre.

"I was stunned," said Jeannette Gregoire, 75, of Lewiston, after receiving a call from the worker's wife, Kathy Bagen. "How could this have survived?"

More than a dozen photos, a copy of Val's Augusta birth certificate and a pair of identification cards seemed preserved inside the Boston landmark.

Richard Bagen of East Weymouth, Mass., was tearing down a wall when the wallet spilled out, said his wife. He brought it home, and she insisted on finding the owner.

The wallet had disintegrated, but the contents were still perfectly readable. One of the IDs, the Armed Forces Liberty Pass, was dated, "April 11, 1951." That was the same day it was found.

"The date was what freaked me out," Kathy Bagen said. "Maybe it was meant to be found."

Bagen searched the Internet and started calling Gregoires in Maine. One family suggested calling Lewiston and soon she called Jeannette."

At first, I thought she was a solicitor," Jeannette said. Then, she recalled the mugging story. Last week, she received Bagen's envelope with the contents.

"Course, there was no money," she said.

There were several pictures of Val, an 18-year-old Navy sailor at the time. There were images of his mom, friends and a laminated photo of Jeannette, then his best girl.

But there also were two pictures - seemingly taken from a photo booth - of Val and another girl.

"Mine was laminated," Jeannette said of her photo, a pretty young girl in pearls. "Maybe that meant something."

Not that she has worried about the other face in the photos.

When Val died in 2003, following complications due to a kidney transplant, they were just six months shy of their 50th wedding anniversary.

On Monday, Jeannette cherished the mementos from her late husband, a Lewiston firefighter best known in the area as the namesake for Val's Root Beer, a drive-in burger spot on Sabattus Street.

"If he were here, he'd have a lot to say," said his daughter, Gail Lawrence. "He was a storyteller."

The story about the day he lost the wallet is part of family legend, something he would describe to all five of the couple's children.

Jeannette remembered the day, too.

She recalled getting into an old car and heading down to Boston with her mother for a visit with her beau.

Val was serving aboard the cruiser USS Macon, which was tied up in Boston Harbor. The couple spent the day together. They said goodbye while there was still daylight. Then, Jeannette and her mom headed home.

As the story goes, somebody slugged Val a short time later. When he woke, his pants and his wallet were gone.

Why did they take his pants, too?

"He was wearing those sailor bell-bottoms," Jeannette said. "Maybe they liked the buttons.

"It left him a bit exposed as he tried to return to his ship."

He tried to hide behind trees and telephone poles," Jeannette said.

When he finally reached his ship, he had trouble getting aboard without identification. A shipmate finally vouched for him, but the loss of the card still got him in trouble."

He spent one night in the brig," Gail said.

Apparently, the Navy was strict about that stuff even then, she said.

Although this story is absolutely crazy, it gets even more weird. The woman, Jeannette Gregoire and her husband were good friends with my grandparents. While looking at the photo on the paper of the belongings found in the wallet, my grandmother spotted a picture of my grandfather who passed away four years ago. He's the one in the army uniform in the top left corner.