+ Requiescat in Pace +
Update: There will be a wake at the funeral home 6 – 10 pm Sunday, June 11th and funeral mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Nogales, at 10 am Monday, June 12th. Please say a prayer for the safety of all those who are traveling to attend, including my husband and our five oldest children.
Murphy Family Reunion
All of my siblings are in town this weekend for a Murphy family reunion! It’s the first time all 12 of us have been together at the same time in over 13 YEARS! I figured this would be the day I’d go into labor… #murphyslaw … but I made it and we were even able to get some family photos including a fun reenactment of one from 21 years ago! #ilovemycrazyfamily #firstbornoftwelve #sixgirlssixboys
While the cameras were out we got a family picture too! Sean and our oldest son have arrived back home again after spending 2 1/2 weeks in Arizona caring for my father-in-law, who is currently suffering greatly due to rapid stage 4 cancer. I’m so sad he had to leave, but also relieved that he will be here for the birth of our little girl whenever she decides to arrive.
Pregnancy Pictures & Online Baby Pool
Happy Feast of the Visitation (OF) and the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (EF)!
It has been so much easier to share little updates and pictures over on Instagram this pregnancy, but I wanted to go back and record some more of those memories here on the blog too. It’s hard to believe that our “baby” will turn six this year, it’s been nearly three years (June 13, 2014) since our last miscarriage, and that we have been blessed with another baby to love. We are so excited to meet her whenever she decides to arrive! Thank you all for the encouragement and prayers!
#icanfinallysaynextmonth #mayday #stjosephtheworker #orapronobis #32weekspregnant #butshesmeasuringover34 #countingthedaystojune24
My ultrasound and doctor’s appointments went well yesterday. Due to the issues I’m having with my hips and lower back, and the likelihood of re-breaking my tailbone during delivery, my doctor has recommended scheduling an induction for June 17th, when I am 39 weeks pregnant, rather than waiting to see if I go to my due date on June 24th. I have never made it to my due date and have only made it to 39 weeks a few times. I’m guessing it will be sooner. After seeing my chiropractor/physical therapist today, she thinks the baby has dropped since last week and is wondering if I’ll even make it to next weeks appointment. We’ll see! Sean and our oldest son started the drive home today and should be back home by tomorrow night. Hopefully I can at least make it until then.
For reference, here are the past stats:
Captain: 5 days early, 10:24 am, 7 pounds 2 ounces, 20 inches
Rascal: 7 days early, 11:19 am, 7 pounds 11 ounces, 19 inches
Twinkle Toes: 10 days early, 12:55 am, 7 pounds 4 ounces, 19 1/4 inches
Chiquita: 21 days early, 9:54 pm, 7 pounds 4 ounces, 18 1/2 inches
Snuggles: 3 days early, 10:37 pm, 8 pounds 5 ounces, 20 1/2 inches (He was also due on June 24th, 10 years ago, just after I started this blog!)
Rose: 10 days early, 11:49 pm, 8 pounds 1 ounce, 19 inches
Bud: 6 or 16 days early (depending on which due date you went with – cycle or early ultrasound), 10:02 am, 7 pounds 5 ounces, 20 inches
Update: Congratulations to the winner!
A Baby Shower in May
Our Godson’s Baptism and Pregnancy Blessings
We ended up being able to deliver that Spiritual Bouquet to JOY{filled}family in person and hold our darling (two-day old) Godson during his baptism on May 10th! I didn’t think it was going to be possible, between my husband camping over at the coast with our five older children May 7th-9th (for our older boys’ High School Regional Golf Tournament) and my own pregnancy complications and challenges, but Sean was able to take another day off work and my doctors said the long 11-12+ hour round trip drive would be ok, as long as we stopped every 1-2 hours to walk and stretch. It was such a beautiful day filled with so many blessings!
After the baptism I was able to receive the Blessing of an Expectant Mother and our baby girl and I were also blessed with a relic of St. Gerard by this faithful and holy priest.
The King’s Prey: Saint Dymphna of Ireland {Sponsored Giveaway}
Happy Feast of St. Dymphna!
To celebrate her feast this year I wanted to introduce you all to the brand new book that has just been written and released by author Susan Peek about this holy saint and give away a copy to one of my visitors!
During our correspondence the author shared:
“I really, really feel Saint Dymphna needs to be known in this day and age of such widespread depression and stress. She is the patron saint of so many things: mental illness, emotional disorders, depression, nervous ailments, autism, intellectually handicapped, runaways, victims of family and sexual violence, the list goes on and on. So I would love to spread devotion to her in my own little way. I timed the book to release in time for her feast day, so now I just have to get the word out there!”
Let’s help her spread the word and increase devotion to this little-known Irish princess saint!
This new addition to the God’s Forgotten Friends series recently received the following endorsement from The National Shrine of St. Dymphna in Ohio:
“I work at the Shrine of St Dymphna. The King’s Prey is great. A very good story. True to the facts, with excitement to thrill the young. I am looking forward to selling it at our gift shop.”
An insane king. His fleeing daughter. Estranged brothers, with a scarred past, risking everything to save her from a fate worse than death. Toss in a holy priest and a lovable wolfhound, and get ready for a wild race across Ireland. Will Dymphna escape her deranged father and his sinful desires?
For the first time ever, the story of Saint Dymphna is brought to life in this dramatic novel for older teens. With raw adventure, gripping action, and even humor in the midst of dark mental turmoil, Susan Peek’s newest novel will introduce you to a saint you will love forever! Teenage girls will see that Dymphna was just like them, a real girl, while young men will thrill at the heart-stopping danger and meet heroes they can easily relate to. If ever a Heavenly friend was needed in these times of widespread depression and emotional instability, this forgotten Irish saint is it!
I have really enjoyed reading some of the other titles in the series and am looking forward to reading The King’s Prey: Saint Dymphna of Ireland this summer, learning more about Saint Dymphna, and possibly sharing it with our teens once they are a little older and ready for the mature themes.
In addition to The King’s Prey: Saint Dymphna of Ireland, Susan Peek has also written Saint Magnus, The Last Viking (the first volume in her series God’s Forgotten Friends: Lives of Little-known Saints, which was awarded the Catholic Writers’ Guild Seal of Approval in June 2015!), A Soldier Surrenders: The Conversion of Saint Camillus de Lellis (recommend for ages 15 and up), and Crusader King: A Novel of Baldwin IV and the Crusades (which made it onto the list of the Top 50 Most Popular Homeschooling Books in 2013).
She has also written a number of great Catholic books for children including Animals of God Volume 1 and Volume 2 as well as the titles in her God’s Forgotten Friends: Little-known Saints for Children series: Small for the Glory of God: Saint John the Dwarf, The Man God Kept Surprising: Saint William of Bourges, and The Forgotten Christmas Saint: Saint Anastasia.
Congratulations JOY{filled} Family
Easter Baskets On Easter Sunday
I always look forward to filling our children’s Easter baskets each year with books and gifts that incorporate our beautiful Catholic faith! I also love incorporating the various Easter Symbols and filling a basket with various gifts for the whole family to enjoy. You can read more about the various Easter Symbols here and find many gift ideas here. Easter Sunday has already passed this year, but perhaps this post will give you some gift ideas for upcoming sacraments, birthdays, or even next Easter!
All of the wooden animals and figures came from The Wooden Wagon. Like all hand carved wooden toys, they aren’t cheap, but I did get a discount on them using a promo code they sent out in January. We started our children’s collection last year on their birthdays and Christmas and look forward to adding to it little by little over time. Our five year old plays with all of his wooden animals on a daily basis. Wish I would have started collecting these years ago to go along with the rest of our wooden blocks and saint dolls!
This year, in addition to their books, all of our older children were excited to receive Catholic and/or Pro-Life T-shirts which we had ordered from a couple different online websites along with new missal or bible covers from MissalCovers.com purchased with that credit I mentioned in yesterday’s post. I don’t think a day has passed when I haven’t seen at least one of the t-shirts on one of our children. The older boys had gotten a couple Catholic T-shirts last year as well, along with some fun t-shirts for Christmas, so I knew they’d love them. They are also really enjoying their subscription to the Catholic T-Shirt Club!
- Manual for Spiritual Warfare (with his name embossed on the front)
- A Man Cleansed by God: A Novel Based on the Life of Saint Patrick
- A Shepherd in Combat Boots: Chaplain Emil Kapaun of the 1st Cavalry Division
- Scripture Illuminated
- OSU Beavers themed golf ball marker Cap Clips
- Get Holy or Die Tryin’ T-Shirt from Catholic to the Max (features some of his favorite saints including St. Isaac Jogues and St. Maximilian Kolbe)
- Celtic Cross T-Shirt which was also from Catholic to the Max
- Dominican Shield Missal Cover custom made to fit his beautiful Leather Bound Catholic Bible (pictured in this post) with his initials on the back
- Chocolate Cross, Eggs, and a few other little treats
- Manual for Spiritual Warfare (with his name embossed on the front)
- A Man Born Again: A Novel Basked on the Life of Saint Thomas More (He has almost finished reading this story and has brought it up to me a number of times. Sounds really great!)
- Nice Going, Red: The Story of a Boy who “Couldn’t Take It” (also available directly from St. Augustine Academy Press)
- Windows Into Christ: A Coloring Book for Prayer and Meditation
- OSU Beavers themed golf driver cover
- Spiritual Warfare T-Shirt from Totally Catholic Tees (Seemed appropriate as he prepares for the sacrament of Confirmation and to be a Soldier of Christ!)
- I Can Do All Things T-Shirt (in Apple Green) which was also from Totally Catholic Tees
- St. John the Evangelist Symbol Custom Cover made to fit his beautiful Leather Bound Catholic Bible (pictured in this post) with his name embroidered on the back
- Chocolate Cross, Eggs, and a few other little treats
- Prayers and Heavenly Promises
- Brigid and the Butter
- The Shadow of the Bear: A Fairy Tale Retold (She had finished this book by the day after Easter!)
- Our Lady’s Garden: A Coloring Book for Prayer and Meditation
- Rain Cover for her golf bag
- Who’s your hero? “Heart” Girly T-Shirt (on sale for only $10!) from Totally Catholic Tees
- Life T-Shirt (in Deep Heather Teal) which was also from Totally Catholic Tees
- St. Rita Missal Cover (white vinyl) made to fit her copy of Jesus, Make Me Worthy with her name embroidered on the back and a pocket for a favorite holy card
- Easter Note Sheets, Immaculate Heart Note Sheets, and Our Lady of Fatima Note Cards (purchased during a clearance sale from Trademark Catholic Stationary)
- Chocolate Cross, Eggs, and a few other little treats
- The Costly Cookie Chronicles
- The Chestertons and the Golden Key
- Saint Clare of Assisi: Runaway Rich Girl
- 32 Days: A Story of Faith and Courage
- Life Girly T-Shirt (in Light Blue) from Totally Catholic Tees
- Guadalupe T-Shirt which was also from Totally Catholic Tees
- Floral Lace Mantilla in Lilac
- Custom Floral IHS Missal Cover (white vinyl with purple IHS and pink flowers) made to fit her First Holy Communion Bible with her name embroidered on the back and a pocket for a favorite holy card
- Two packages of Sts. Francis and Clare Note Sheets (one with envelopes) and Our Lady of Fatima Note Cards (purchased during a clearance sale from Trademark Catholic Stationary)
- Chocolate Cross, Eggs, and a few other little treats
Note: She loved all four of her books and had read them by the end of the week following Easter Sunday… Her comment after reading 32 Days: A Story of Faith and Courage? “It was SOOOOO good, but I wept BUCKETS!” ❤
- A Young Catholic’s Daily Missal
- Will Wilder #2: The Lost Staff of Wonders
- The Shadow of His Wings: A Graphic Biography of Fr. Gereon Goldmann
- Wind In the Willows
- St. Michael Kid’s T-Shirt from Catholic to the Max
- Custom St. Michael Archangel Missal Cover made to fit A Young Catholic’s Daily Missal with his name embroidered on the back
- Baseball Gloves
- Chocolate Cross, Eggs, and a few other little treats
- St. Therese Wooden Saint from Naturally Catholic
- King and Lady-in-Waiting Wooden Figures (to add to her Fairy Tale collection from her last birthday – I ordered a number of Ostheimer figures from The Wooden Wagon during an after Christmas sale to use as gifts this year!)
- Custom made Pearl & Rose Missal Cover for Jesus Make Me Worthy (white vinyl with her name embroidered on the back)
- Flowers for Jesus: A Story of Thérèse of Lisieux as a Young Girl (Hardcover edition)
- Mary and the Little Shepherds of Fatima
- Rapunzel: Based on the Original Story by the Brothers Grimm
- Hershey’s Chocolate Cross and See’s Sweet Surprise Chicks Chocolate Eggs
- Simon of Cyrene and the Legend of the Easter Egg
- Nikola and the Monk
- Adventures in Brambly Hedge
- Wonders of Nature
- Wooden Lion, Baby Elephant, Baby Crocodile, and Running Fox (The lion was me thinking ahead to the upcoming Chronicles of Narnia birthday party!)
- St. Florian from Catholic Folk Toys
- Hershey’s Chocolate Cross and See’s Sweet Surprise Chicks Chocolate Eggs
Last year (March 2016) I had ordered four (two sets of two) Miniature Birettas from Michele Quigley to go along with all his wooden saint dolls. I kept forgetting to give them to him but they finally made it into this year’s Easter basket! He placed on on St. Florian but then decided he needed a more appropriate saint (St. Florian was a soldier, not a priest) and so he ran over to get St. John Paul II.
Maybe someday I’ll get back around to posting pictures from the past couple years…
A First Holy Communion Gift for our Godson
One of my favorite First Holy Communion gifts to give is the Jesus, Make Me Worthy prayer book. I’ve shared many prayers from this sweet and inspiring book here on the blog over the years.
The Blessed Sacrament Gift Wrap, Holy Cards, and First Holy Communion Greeting Card all came from an amazing sale over at Trademark Catholic Stationary & Gifts last January! (I couldn’t believe the prices… The gift wrap was marked down to just 25 cents a package and I ordered four packages for just $1.00! Thanks again for letting me know, Pam! I wish I would have posted a link here on the blog so you all could have taken advantage of the sale too… I was in the midst of recovering from the flu at the time.) I stocked up and was able to give our girls some beautiful note cards and stationary in their Easter baskets!
A Spiritual Bouquet and Baby Gift for Lena
Lena over at JOY{filled} family (also on Instagram here and one of my past contributors over at Catholic Cuisine) is preparing to welcome her newest little boy (baby #8!) on May 8th! If I lived nearby I’d host a baby shower for her, but instead I’m going to try my best to shower her and our soon-to-be newest Godson with prayers!
If you’d like to be included in this spiritual bouquet, please leave me a comment here, over at Instagram, or send me an email by May 7th with the number of rosaries – or Our Fathers, Hail Marys, Glory Be’s, if you can’t commit to one or more complete rosaries – that you will offer for her and her family and their new baby and I’ll include them in this card!
I’m also working on coordinating a group gift to have sent to her family. It’s the one new thing she’d love to purchase for this baby! You can find all the details here if you’d like to consider a small contribution towards this gift as well.
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