The Holy Land

Chris, Theresa and I are going to the Holy Land! We're SO excited. It will be a pilgrimage led by a scripture scholar and Fr. Kastl from our parish. We attended our first preparation meeting today and came away convinced that this will be a beautiful, life-changing experience. Will tell you more as we progress...

Try Again

I'm trying again, but this time will save every 30 seconds :)! We had a wonderful time last weekend when Theresa and her postulant friends, along with Sr. Rebecca, their formator, came to visit (the picture includes all + two other sisters who didn't visit - I really need to take and upload pics!!). They stayed on their way back to St. Louis from Texas and sold books at our parish.

They arrived very tired on Saturday and went to sell books at the 5:00 Mass, which we also attended. We got home pretty late and ate a wonderful meal that Chris had made. On Sunday they left to sell books at the 8 and 10:30 Masses. I went to hear Theresa speak at the end of the 10:30 - she called up all the postulants and very dynamically told us about the sacrifices they had made (one PhD, a nurse, a violist who played with Yo Yo Ma, a web developer). Then she said they weren't the only ones who were called to give their lives to God in a dramatic way - we all were. Hmmmm... When folks were talking later about the number of people buying books Fr. Kastl said it was due to Theresa making them all feel like slackers! :)

We ate a brunch of calzone (that's right, Shea family, and it's NOT Easter!) and fruit salad. In true family tradition, no one was allowed seconds unless they LOVED it! Later we went to see The King's Speech (save! - almost forgot!) that afternoon and then came home for an Oscar party. Dinner included Elizabeth Taylor's chicken simmered in wine, Ronald Reagan's macaroni and cheese, Robert Redford's olive salad, followed by brownies and ice cream with Jeff Bridges' (he was nominated!) hot fudge sauce. Then we watched the show while playing Oscar bingo, with cells marked off for things like "winner interrupted by music". Such Fun!!

Unfortunately, they left the next morning and we miss them all! BUT Fr. Kastl told them he would like them to return twice each year!

$%@#$!@

SAVE BLOGS! I just lost a looonnnggg one when the site shut down. And now I'm heading to Mass, so will re-write later :).