Sunday Meditation: Cherish Family and Go Camping!

Huge family party to celebrate the 55th wedding anniversary of Shirley (Larry’s cousin) and
Charlie, What a joyful reunion with so many relatives and friends. 

If you want a big dose of hope in the future, go camping. I’m not talking about snowbird camping which is fun, but usually will find you camping with a lot of lovable seniors, but few children. I’m talking about family camping like we found this weekend on a Halloween-themed event complete with trick-or-treaters visiting the campsites by the score. We gave out about 200 pieces of candy and enjoyed all the little ones from babies in strollers to teens carrying a “Trump in 2024 sign” and another reading “You know Trump Won!” There were dozens of children in the morning bike parade. 

Celebrate Family: The Challenge to Keep on Living a Full Life!

By the way, before I begin, "Masks don't control viruses; they control you!" Follow the science, as Joe Biden and his Democrat tyrants always say while they throw scientific facts out the window! With regard to masks, the growing group of Frontline Physicians say:

"The big deal is, they may be soft, and they may look okay, but this is George Orwell’s boot on a human face forever...." 

And now to the subject of my post....

Yesterday was a Great Day for the Kreitzers!

We welcomed a new baby, our twenty-third grandchild. Fr. Paul Marx always said if you want to do something pro-life, have another baby. I'm not sure who said the best gift you can give your children are brothers and sisters.

Well, our children are generous in the life-giving department and we are ecstatic over the new little flower in Gramma's garden.

Take a look at him. I think he is a marigold fresh from the Blessed Mother's treasury.

Back to (Quiet) Normal -- After a Memory-Making Week

As you may have noticed by my posts today, all our grandchildren have gone home and we are back to our (too) quiet normal. We waved off our Pittsburgh family early this afternoon. This evening I wanted to post the photos of our princess (and little prince) tea party. If you'd like to see them visit Camp Kreitzer. 

Family times are sacred times. We pray together and play together, and, as parents and grandparents, we create memories. Hopefully they are happy ones. When I read about children who are abused and neglected I want even more to embrace my grandchildren and create for them and for my children and their spouses joyful times with family.

We moved around so much when I was a child and our relatives lived so far away that I had almost no relationship with any of my cousins or my grandparents. I don't want that to be the case for our grandchildren. And so, when they visit Camp Kreitzer, we consider it memory-making time. I think this summer we will buy some extra bee veils so the next time our grandchildren visit we can give them the memory of "playing" with the bees.

And speaking of memories, our oldest (We call her "Julie" after the Love Boat activity director because she always thinks of great activities during family gatherings.) on Easter separated us all into groups (adults and children mixed) and we had to come up with questions to ask our partners and then report back. Some shared what they like best about Camp Kreitzer, some asked what super power you'd choose if you could. The questions and answers were serious, funny, and imaginative and we all learned a little more about each other. It was great fun! Thanks, Alice.

And after we were done we all said night prayers together with everyone articulating what they were thankful for. I am certainly thankful for our five children, their spouses and our 23 grandchildren living and the six little angels in heaven. God has certainly richly fulfilled the blessing of the marriage covenant that we might see our children and our children's children. Thank you, Lord.

What memories are you making with your children or grandchildren this week?

Sunday Meditation: Focus on Families, Your Nuclear and Parish Families!

I love Sunday and today is a double dose of fantastic family fun. The Knights of Columbus just resumed their pancake breakfasts after the summer break and I enjoy going over after Mass to visit with friends while I enjoy a breakfast I didn't cook. Since Larry was working, I caught up with a few girlfriends I don't visit with that often. We talked about people who need prayers, our own health challenges (Don't old folks always end up there? LOL!), and what our kids are doing. It was a delight.

From there I came home to wait for two little granddaughters to come over and play. Our youngest and her husband just celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary and didn't have a chance to go out yet, so we offered to babysit while they spend an afternoon doing whatever they like. The girls and I did a puzzle,