Our little friend Cody has his heart surgery today, please join me in praying the Memorare for this brave little boy.
His mom's specific prayer requests after talking with the doctors are these.
Here are the specific prayer requests: No issues/accidents while cutting through all the scar tissue. That is part of the greatest risk. No problems with anesthesia / breathing / respiratory function. NO clots - NO air bubbles - NO stroke. Clear decision making in each moment. Steady hands. Right amount of time actually operating on bypass - long enough to do the best job but short enough that Cody's system bounces back. This is all hurdle #1. After this, post op is hurdle #2. Thank you for praying!
Cody with Baby sister at her baptism
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
Prayer To Our Lady of Providence
Let us ask Our Lady of Providence, Mary most holy, who is the refuge of sinners, the consolation of the afflicted, and the help of Christians, to assist us in all our necessities.
Litany of Our Lady of Providence
God the Creator of heaven and earth, have mercy on us. God the son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Most Holy Trinity, Divine Providence, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Providence, mother of grace and mercy, pray for us. Our Lady of Providence, help of the sick, pray for us. Our Lady of Providence, hope of the oppressed, pray for us. Our Lady of Providence, star of the sea, pray for us. Our Lady of Providence, tower of David, pray for us. Our Lady of Providence, queen of the home, pray for us. Our Lady of Providence, model of disciples, pray for us. Our Lady of Providence, mother of the Church, pray for us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, hear us O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Pray for us, Our lady of Providence, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
O God, whose ever-watchful Providence rules all things, we humbly implore you through the prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of your son, to remove from us whatever is harmful and to bestow on us only that which will be helpful. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Adapted for a novena prior to the Feast of Our Lady of Providence (Saturday preceding the third Sunday in November). Ecclesiastical approval 1983.
In August, the big girls attended a super neat sacred art camp at the Holy Spirit Center. During the class, they explored sacred art with a professional art restorer. She introduced them to all sorts of great techniques and styles of sacred art. This fit in perfectly with our Middle Ages studies this year and introduced them to art forms that we will never have a chance to try at home.
During the week, they started with a study of Byzantine style icons. Using the traditional forms of large eyes and precious metals of gold and silver, the children drew their icons free hand using a patron saint, Jesus or Mary as their subject.
Rose's "Blessed Kateri", age 10
Daisy's "GESU", age 8
The next form they explored was stained glass. They started by tracing a line drawing onto a piece of glass and then used glass paint to color in the glass areas. The pieces were then framed.
Daisy's "Lamb of God", age 8
Rose's "Blessed Mother", age 10
The last form they tried was fresco tondo. The students traced their drawings onto a round wooden tablet coated with wet plaster. They traced it using a wooden stick then painted over the traced lines with green paint. Once that was complete they finished the painting with the colors of their choice.
Rose's "Madonna and Child", age 10
Daisy's "Beautiful Mother", age 8
At the end of the class, the students and their families were invited to an art show displaying all of the sacred works. All of their works were beautiful and inspiring, especially considering they were created by children between the ages of 6 and 13. Well done!
After watching this beautiful process this week, I may be inspired to just try some of these techniques at home. I think they did a beautiful job. How about you?
A new post for my blog will begin this month, when we will recall the special intentions and prayers for the month. A friend just shared that she keeps a running email list of intentions that she prays for every day. She can quickly refer to the list and remind herself of the special intentions she will be praying for that day. Someone mentioned it also would be a great way to keep a log and look back at how prayers were answered, as we all know sometimes answers to prayers are not always evident at the time of the need or request.
If I figure out how to do a link up I will add that later. But until then, feel free to comment and add your prayers for the month or update the situation as needed!
SO, for September 2011, our family's special intentions to prayer will include the following:
For my cousin's baby Caleb. Here is a link to the info.
Caleb is 4 months old and is underwent surgery yesterday for craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis is a condition in which one or more of the fibrous sutures in an infant's skull prematurely fuses by ossification. Post surgery Caleb is expected to be in the ICU for at least one week.
Please keep Caleb, his mother and father and family in your prayers. I will send an update as soon as I get it.
Please join me: “God the Father, have mercy on the Caleb. God the Son, have mercy on Caleb. God the Holy Spirit, grant Caleb and his family peace. Bless Caleb Your beloved child, as he enters surgery, so that, no matter what happens, he is secure in Your love. Comfort all who wait for news of Caleb’s surgery, and remind them they are not alone in You. Amen.”
For my friend's son Cody. Here is a link to his caring bridge page.
Cody just turned 3! Cody was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect on July 2 (week 28 in the pregnancy). Cody was diagnosed with Double Inlet Left Ventricle, L-Transposition of the Great Arteries, and Hypoplastic Right Syndrome. All of that basically means that Cody had three chambers in his heart instead of four, and the "plumbing" was in the wrong places.
The purpose of the cath will be to see what is going on inside so that there are no surprises when Cody is opened up. Also, they can measure the venous blood pressure into the lungs which will help with other decisions that are too complicated to write about.
The plan was made. Cody needed to be born at UVA Hospital in Charlottesville, and have his first surgery within a week or so. The operation would be the first of a series of three surgeries - one after birth, one around 4-6 months, and another around 3 years old. Basically after some complications, surprises and changes, Cody will need another surgery this year. From his mom, "The purpose of the surgery will be twofold:
1) to remove the stent that has the clot inside of it
2) to put in a new and 3rd fenestration (opening between the tube and right atrium)
This surgery of course will require bypass, but it will also require the surgeon to stop Cody's heart from beating. This is what they had to do for his first surgery. (For Cody's 2nd and 3rd heart surgeries he was on bypass but the heart was still beating.)This definitely does not get easier the more you go through it. In fact, this is harder. Cody is older and more aware of what is going on. During our previous times in the hospital my eyes were opened to way more complications and deaths. The three older boys are in school during the day, but now there is a baby I will have to leave at home. Prayers are appreciated and truly make a difference as we can only handle all of this again by the grace of God."
Cody's heart cath has been set for Tuesday September 20, and his heart surgery will be Friday September 30.
Please pray that in a house full of kiddos, he can remain healthy and in top form prior to his cath and surgery, and that they can keep sickness out of their house!
To Saint Peregrine O great St. Peregrine, you have been called "The Mighty," "The Wonder-Worker," because of the numerous miracles which you have obtained from God for those who have had recourse to you. For so many years you bore in your own flesh this cancerous disease that destroys the very fiber of our being, and who had recourse to the source of all grace when the power of man could do no more. You were favored with the vision of Jesus coming down from His Cross to heal your affliction. Ask of God and Our Lady, the cure of the sick whom we entrust to you. Caleb and Cody.
Aided in this way by your powerful intercession, we shall sing to God, now and for all eternity, a song of gratitude for His great goodness and mercy. Amen.
Everyone has a
story. Those of us in the blog world
share our stories everyday. Today we share
the stories of two people ordinary in many ways and extraordinary too, both in
deed and circumstance.
Brian Williams, age 29
Brian Williams, native of Edgewood, KY, has become a legend in in my hometown. A graduate of St. Pius X grade school and Covington Catholic High School, Brian was well liked and respected by his classmates and many friends. Some thoughts shared about him include:
“Brian was such a great guy, I don't think there was ever a time when there was not a smile on his face!”
“I remember going to the Williams house for Kenny's famous chili! Brian will always hold a very special place in my heart! The day my sister died Brian called me from Columbia University to let me know he was thinking about me and praying for me. It touched me so much! He was such a great friend!!”
“Brian really had a zest for life,” his father said. “He worked very, very hard, but he also was able to enjoy life. He really cared about other people.” Williams recalled the first weekend of Brian’s freshman year. “My wife and I got up and went downstairs about 7:30 on a Saturday morning and there’s Brian studying already and he’d only been in high school.”
Brian excelled in academics and athletics and was a "That's My Boy" award winner, given by northern Kentucky football coaches to the best scholar-player- leader (a prize now named after him). Brian was a 3 sport athlete in high school and the football team captain. Back when Williams played for Cov-Cath, a little 9-year-old boy named Joe Danneman was in the stands, to witness Williams, make a huge play.
"1989 he was a star tight end at Covington Catholic High School," said Danneman, recounting the game as if it was yesterday. "It was a Friday night, traditional season opener, it was always Cov-Cath versus Boone County, Cov-Cath's down a point late in the game, they have one person to go to, it's Brian Williams, the star tight end, catches a pass, goes 30 or 40 yards to the following end zone, the south end zone at Boone County High School. It was a rainy night and Brian Williams was the hero."
The school honored his number 81 Friday night at their football game versus Boone County.
Columbia University recruited him for football. In New York, he acted as unofficial tourist bureau for visiting Kentuckians.
As a college senior, Brian Williams used his was given a credit card by his father for emergencies. Brian used the card to pay a bar bill for three cash-strapped buddies. He sent a check to repay his father, with a note explaining the charge. "Three of us walked into a bar and none of us had any money. I figured that was an emergency," the note said.
In September 2001, Brian Williams, 29, worked as a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald, with the ultimate plan of returning to the Cincinnati area near his family's home in Edgewood.
As the Williams family got Brian's affairs in order, they also discovered that he'd been very generous to a number of charitable organizations in the New York area.
"One was a Native American school for Native American children and then the other was an organization that sent inner-city kids down in Manhattan out to camps for a week of summer fun outside of Manhattan," Williams said. "He had been doing that for several years."
Some tributes from Legacy.com for Brian:
“I just wanted to let you know how much I looked up to you for your ability to handle yourself so well. Moreover, you always treated everyone you came across with kindness and respect. I am glad I chose someone like you as a role model...I am a better person for knowing you. Please look after all of us down here, because we look up to you now more than ever!”
~ Jim Danneman
“I, like many others, met Willy during my brief time at Columbia University. As football teammates, we had many good times on the field (even if we weren't often victorious); but I was blessed to share many good times off the field with Brian as well.
After I transferred from Columbia, I returned to the campus and coincidentally ran into a group of guys that included Brian. Even after two years away, Brian's friendship shone through as we chatted about all that had happened in the interim. At one point, as others in the group sought to leave (as all of them were headed to catch a plane), Brian softly reminded them that "there'll be other flights." My girlfriend at the time remarked specifically about what a fantastic guy Brian was. I met many terrific people at Columbia, but few (if any) were as genuinely friendly and caring as Brian. I mourn his death, but celebrate his life and all that it stands for.
Brian will never be forgotten. “
-Mike Murray San Antonio, TX
Kenneth Williams Sr., a man who has lost two sons — Kenneth Jr., who died in 1994 after three years in a coma caused by a fall, and Brian, now, with the 9/11 memorial completed Williams wishes he had one more chance to see and talk to his sons.
He said he'd give Kenny a bear hug and tell him he loved him. The same goes for Brian, but the father would like to ask the son what happened in the chaos that followed the plane hitting the North Tower.
"I would like to know how he felt and how he was," Williams said.
Now that 10 years have come and gone, some people fear America has become complacent about homeland security. To counter that possibility, Williams said he wishes that video of the towers being attacked was shown every morning as a reminder that the people who perpetrated the act are still out there.
“They want to do that again,” he said. “I think sometimes we need to look at that film – that and the Pentagon and Pennsylvania -- and say, ‘Hey! Look at what they tried to do and they’re going to try it again and again and again.’”
“We ought to wake up to it every day,” Williams stated.
Out of respect for Brian’s father’s wishes, here is a video of footage from that day.
Sandra Waugh Bradshaw
Last month, my family visited the flight 93 memorial. We were moved by the heroism of the men and women of flight 93. Sandy Bradshaw’s story particularly touched me as a mother.
Just a few years before 2001, Sandra Waugh Bradshaw was juggling dual careers -- flight attendant and mother. She was home in Greensboro, N.C. with her year-old daughter, Alexandria. In the coming year, her son Nathan would arrive.
By 2001, Bradshaw, 38, had cut back her workload and her husband, Phil, had urged her quit. She had 2 small children and a 16-year-old stepdaughter. Sandy loved to fly and had been an attendant for 11 years. Her personnel file was filled with glowing reviews for happy passengers.
"She just liked the one-on-one that you have with people up there," Phil Bradshaw said. She ordinarily worked first class as it was a great fit for her friendly attitude, but on Flight 93 she was in economy as a late-addition to the flight.
As Sandy Bradshaw made an urgent call to her husband to tell him her flight had been hijacked, she began filling coffee pitchers with boiling hot water. A plan was brewing. "Everyone's running to first class," Sandy Bradshaw told her husband. "I've got to go. Bye."
Instead of reaching its intended target in Washington, D.C., United Flight 93 crashed in an empty Pennsylvania field after passengers and crew tried to wrest control of the commercial jet from hijackers.
Sandy’s mother remembers her as a bubbly daughter who loved gardening and animals. She sees bits of that in Sandy’s children. Alexandria, 12 and a sixth-grader, loves animals. And Nathan, 10 and a fourth-grader, shares Sandy’s bubbly personality.
“I hate it that she’s not here to be a mother to them,” Waugh said.
Sandy Bradshaw would have turned 48 this June.
Sandy Bradshaw was the second-oldest of Waugh’s five children.
“It’s not easy losing a child. That’s the hardest loss I’ve had,” she said. “You have to cope and go on. You have to do what you have to do.”
“Maybe Sandy was chosen to do this job that day because she was a strong person and a fighter, and she could do what she had to do that day,” Waugh said.
Over the years she has visited the site in Pennsylvania for quiet contemplation.
2,996 people perished in the attacks on September 11, 2001. Each one has their own story. Some short, some long, some extraordinary, some ordinary. Each priceless and precious in their own way. Share their stories today, honor their lives. If you have a tribute to make, post it at the2996 Project.
Brian Williams, native of Edgewood, KY, has
become a legend in in my hometown. A
graduate of St. Pius X grade school and Covington Catholic High School, Brian
was well liked and respected by his classmates and many friends. Some thoughts shared about him include:
“Brian was such a great guy, I don't think there
was ever a time when there was not a smile on his face!”
“I remember going to the Williams
house for Kenny's famous chili! Brian will always hold a very special place in
my heart! The day my sister died Brian called me from Columbia University to
let me know he was thinking about me and praying for me. It touched me so much!
He was such a great friend!!”
“Brian
really had a zest for life,” his father said. “He worked very, very hard, but
he also was able to enjoy life. He really cared about other people.” Williams recalled the first weekend of
Brian’s freshman year. “My wife and I
got up and went downstairs about 7:30 on a Saturday morning and there’s Brian
studying already and he’d only been in high school.”
Brian excelled in
academics and athletics and was a "That's My Boy" award winner, given
by northern Kentucky football coaches to the best scholar-player- leader (a
prize now named after him). Brian was a 3 sport athlete in high school and the
football team captain. Back when
Williams played for Cov-Cath, a little 9-year-old boy named Joe Danneman was in
the stands, to witness Williams, make a huge play.
"1989 he was a star tight end at Covington Catholic High
School," said Danneman, recounting the game as if it was yesterday.
"It was a Friday night, traditional season opener, it was always Cov-Cath
versus Boone County, Cov-Cath's down a point late in the game, they have one
person to go to, it's Brian Williams, the star tight end, catches a pass, goes
30 or 40 yards to the following end zone, the south end zone at Boone County
High School. It was a rainy night and Brian Williams was the hero."
The
school honored his number 81 Friday night at their football game versus Boone
County.
Columbia
University recruited him for football. In New York, he acted as unofficial
tourist bureau for visiting Kentuckians.
As a college
senior, Brian Williams used his was given a credit card by his father for
emergencies. Brian used the card to pay
a bar bill for three cash-strapped buddies. He sent a check to repay his
father, with a note explaining the charge. "Three of us walked into a bar
and none of us had any money. I figured
that was an emergency," the note said.
In September 2001, Brian
Williams, 29, worked as a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald, with the ultimate
plan of returning to the Cincinnati area near his family's home in Edgewood.
As
the Williams family got Brian's affairs in order, they also discovered that
he'd been very generous to a number of charitable organizations in the New York
area.
"One
was a Native American school for Native American children and then the other
was an organization that sent inner-city kids down in Manhattan out to camps
for a week of summer fun outside of Manhattan," Williams said. "He
had been doing that for several years."
Some
tributes from Legacy.com for Brian:
“I
just wanted to let you know how much I looked up to you for your ability to
handle yourself so well. Moreover, you always treated everyone you came across
with kindness and respect. I am glad I chose someone like you as a role
model...I am a better person for knowing you.
Please look after all of us down here, because we look up to you now
more than ever!”
~ Jim
Danneman
“I,
like many others, met Willy during my brief time at Columbia University. As
football teammates, we had many good times on the field (even if we weren't
often victorious); but I was blessed to share many good times off the field
with Brian as well.
After I transferred from Columbia, I returned to the campus and coincidentally
ran into a group of guys that included Brian. Even after two years away,
Brian's friendship shone through as we chatted about all that had happened in
the interim. At one point, as others in the group sought to leave (as all of
them were headed to catch a plane), Brian softly reminded them that
"there'll be other flights." My girlfriend at the time remarked
specifically about what a fantastic guy Brian was.
I met many terrific people at Columbia, but few (if any) were as genuinely
friendly and caring as Brian. I mourn his death, but celebrate his life and all
that it stands for.
Brian
will never be forgotten. “
-Mike
Murray
San Antonio, TX
Kenneth
Williams Sr., a man who has lost two sons — Kenneth Jr., who died in 1994 after
three years in a coma caused by a fall, and Brian, now, with the 9/11 memorial
completed Williams wishes he had one more chance to see and talk to his sons.
He
said he'd give Kenny a bear hug and tell him he loved him. The same goes for
Brian, but the father would like to ask the son what happened in the chaos that
followed the plane hitting the North Tower.
"I
would like to know how he felt and how he was," Williams said.
Now
that 10 years have come and gone, some people fear America has become
complacent about homeland security. To
counter that possibility, Williams said he wishes that video of the towers
being attacked was shown every morning as a reminder that the people who
perpetrated the act are still out there.
“They
want to do that again,” he said. “I think sometimes we need to look at that
film – that and the Pentagon and Pennsylvania -- and say, ‘Hey! Look at what
they tried to do and they’re going to try it again and again and again.’”
“We
ought to wake up to it every day,” Williams stated.
Out of respect for Brian’s father’s wishes, here
is a video of footage from that day.
2,996 people perished in the attacks on September 11, 2001. Each one has their own story. Some short, some long, some extraordinary, some ordinary. Each priceless and precious in their own way. Share their stories today, honor their lives. If you have a tribute to make, post it at the 2996 Project.
Last month, my family visited the flight 93 memorial. We were moved by the heroism of the men and
women of flight 93. Sandy Bradshaw’s
story particularly touched me as a mother.
Just a few years before 2001, Sandra Waugh Bradshaw was juggling
dual careers -- flight attendant and mother. She was home in Greensboro, N.C.
with her year-old daughter, Alexandria. In the coming year, her son Nathan
would arrive.
By 2001, Bradshaw, 38, had cut back her workload and her
husband, Phil, had urged her quit. She had 2 small children and a 16-year-old
stepdaughter. Sandy loved to fly and had
been an attendant for 11 years. Her
personnel file was filled with glowing reviews for happy passengers.
"She just liked the one-on-one that you have with people
up there," Phil Bradshaw said. She
ordinarily worked first class as it was a great fit for her friendly attitude,
but on Flight 93 she was in economy as a late-addition to the flight.
As Sandy Bradshaw made an urgent call to her husband to tell
him her flight had been hijacked, she began filling coffee pitchers with
boiling hot water. A plan was brewing. "Everyone's running to first
class," Sandy Bradshaw told her husband. "I've got to go. Bye."
Instead of reaching its intended target in
Washington, D.C., United Flight 93 crashed in an empty Pennsylvania field after
passengers and crew tried to wrest control of the commercial jet from
hijackers.
Sandy’s mother remembers her as a bubbly daughter
who loved gardening and animals. She sees bits of that in Sandy’s children.
Alexandria, 12 and a sixth-grader, loves animals. And Nathan, 10 and a
fourth-grader, shares Sandy’s bubbly personality.
“I hate it that she’s not here to be a mother to
them,” Waugh said.
Sandy Bradshaw would have turned 48 this June.
Sandy Bradshaw was the second-oldest of Waugh’s
five children.
“It’s not easy losing a child. That’s the hardest
loss I’ve had,” she said. “You have to cope and go on. You have to do what you
have to do.”
“Maybe
Sandy was chosen to do this job that day because she was a strong person and a
fighter, and she could do what she had to do that day,” Waugh said.
Over the years she has visited the site in
Pennsylvania for quiet contemplation.
2,996 people perished in the attacks on September 11, 2001. Each one has their own story. Some short, some long, some extraordinary,
some ordinary. Each priceless and
precious in their own way. Share their
stories today, honor their lives. If you
have a tribute to make, post it at the 2996 Project.
this post is reposted from Evann at Homeschool Goodies. Thanks Evann for sharing the inspiration and the idea!
August 28th,2011
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Project 2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11 and your help is needed. The idea behind Project 2,996 is to remember each and every victim. Not only is this a great project for bloggers,it’s also a great assignment for older students.
I will be preparing two tributes this week, both for my blogpage. The first will be for Sandra Bradshaw, a flight attendant on Flight 93. We chose her since we had just been to Shanksville, PA to the Flight 93 memorial. The second will be for Brian Williams, a stockbroker in the World Trade Center. We chose him because his previous tribute had expired and he is from my hometown.
Here are some details from Project 2,996 to get you started:
On September 11,2001 almost 3,000 of the world’s citizens were brutally,and publicly,murdered. We all cried,and we all swore that we’d never forget. But a few years later I realized that I knew nothing about those people who were doing nothing more than living their lives. In 2006 I asked other bloggers if they thought it would be a good idea to take the time to learn about the victims and try to keep their individual memories alive. The response I got was overwhelming. And Project 2,996 is the result.
Victims with No Tributes Through the first four years of Project 2,996,every victim has been assigned,and each name has received at least one online tribute. However,with the malleable nature of the internet,many of those tributes have disappeared.
The primary way to participate,and the best way to help,is to pick one of the names below. Then do some online research,and post a tribute to your own blog or website. In this way you will learn a little bit about one of the victims of 9/11,and you will help keep their memories alive.
Here is what you need to do to participate: 1. Check here. Near the bottom of the page are the people with no online tributes –pick one. 2. Write a new tribute. Be sure to send the URL of a page or permalink,instead of the main URL of your blog/site. (use the comment box to send in this info) 3. Keep your old tributes online. Remember,the goal is to get at least 1 for every name on the list. 4. Make sure the Current List includes your past tributes. It’s certainly possible that I’ll mark a link as dead,by accident. If I’m wrong,tell me! 5. On,9/11,make sure your tributes are on the front page of your site. But don’t change links you’ve already given me. Many participants,simply repost the same information in a new post.
I wanted to plan something for next week when we remember the 10th anniversary of this national tragedy. I will definitely be using (and sharing) her ideas.
Elizabeth Foss over at Real Learning also posted some great ideas and books that I have requested at the library. Unfortunately The Little Chapel that Stood is not in our system, but as Elizabeth mentions, you can read the book online here too!
It is a funny, easy to watch but thought provoking talk by Sir Ken Robinson on the future of education and creativity for our children. Particularly to the point with school districts cutting art and music and gym as unnecessary expenses to education.
It looks a little dull, but really he is quite witty and added many chuckles to my morning. It also made me appreciate that even though all we did was history and art yesterday, my children's needs are still being met.