Tessie's Confirmation

I flew home on Columbus Day weekend for Tessie's Confirmation, since she asked me to be her confirmation sponsor. It was a really fun and relaxing visit, and a beautiful Confirmation Mass.
She chose two confirmation saints: St. Faustina and St. Martin de Porres. She needed to give one name for the bishop to say during the ceremony, so she chose Martina -- which she told me may be the feminine form of Martin, or may be a mash-up of Martin and Faustina. Who knows. It's cool because my aunt Nina, whom Mom and I visited at her abbey in Germany last year, has the religious name of Sr. Martina after St. Martin de Porres. So she and Tessie are saint twins now!
I feel so blessed to be Tessie's sponsor; it gives us an extra connection over the miles.

Love you, Tessie!

Matt & Isabel's Wedding

At last, the long-awaited day arrived! I don't have very many pictures, but here are the few I took.

Things That Have Happened

The second half of May is always super busy for us. 

The twins came home from college and our first friend outing was the BHS Pops Concert last Monday. It was really fun to watch, and Tessie's solo was great!

Afterwards we had a little bonfire at home. We are so happy to be together again for the summer.

On Tuesday the sunset was gorgeous. We were driving home and took a detour to take pictures at the Veteran Memorial on the edge of town.

Isabel's college graduation was on Saturday. She now has a degree in Music Education!

Sunday was the senior Mass at church. We decided to count it as my "official" graduation.

 I got one of the church scholarships because I'm going to a Catholic college.

Maren's graduation party was tons of fun, and we recreated an old picture on her trampoline!

This past Monday was the beginning of summer jobs for Susannah and me. We are both working as research assistants in Dad's center. Lots of copying and pasting and reading scientific abstracts. Mom and Tessie brought us coffee to celebrate the first day!

Two Recitals

     This weekend was a busy one: special Mass for the 100th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions on Saturday morning, then a voice recital Saturday afternoon. Mother's Day Mass and brunch on Sunday morning, then my last studio piano recital on Sunday afternoon. A little tiring, but good practice for my senior recital, which is in less than two weeks!

I sang "Intorno All'idol Mio" by Antonio Cesti and Tessie and I did a duet of Franck's Panis Angelicus.

Seven kids at Mothers Day brunch!

For the studio recital I played the fantasia from Bach's Partita III in A minor.

I got a special trophy and pin for being a senior.

Mothers' Day and Flowers

After singing at Mass, we went to McCrory Gardens for a Mothers' Day brunch. It was raining when we got there, but not long after the sun came out and we walked around the gardens after eating.

Mostly tulips out for TuliPalooza. 

This one still had rainwater inside it.

New growth, kinda felt like a toothbrush.

Cool tunnel #1

anemones

Cool tunnel #2

Cool sister #1 

Cool sister #2

Easter

He is risen as He said! Alleluia!

The reason for the lack of Triduum posts is that we were so busy--Tessie and I sang for Holy Thursday Mass, Good Friday Stations, Good Friday Liturgy, Easter Vigil, and Easter Morning Mass. Now that it's all done, we can catch our breaths...and post pictures.
Tessie and I once again documented our church-singing via snapchat, but we were so busy that I forgot to save most of the pictures.
Holy Thursday Mass, as I've said before, is my favorite Mass of the year. As usual, I had to blink back tears as we began the Pange Lingua and processed with the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose. What a gift to mankind.
Good Friday liturgy was beautiful. It is so profound: the priests prostrating themselves before the altar after entering in silence, the solemn intercessions, the Passion reading, the veneration of the Cross. Every year I appreciate it more. Tessie and I sang a cappella the original Pange Lingua Gloriosi by Venantius Fortunatus. "Sing my tongue the glorious battle, sing the last, the dread afray..." ending with the Crux Fidelis verse.
The choir sings every Easter Vigil, and because of the scale of the Mass, we have several different cantors take turns. Tessie and I were one of those, so we were in and out all night, on our feet a lot. There were three baptisms and four first Communions and Confirmations. What a special celebration to be a part of--basically a 2.5-hour party. The part that always gives me chills is the Exsultet. The words get me every time. And the Litany of the Saints is wonderful, too.
Our church had three Masses on Easter morning, and Tessie and I were cantors for the last one. After Mass we ate brunch as a family and took it easy for the rest of the day.
It's a dream of mine to experience the Holy Triduum in a monastic setting. One day...

I'll gather up some more pictures and post them later in the week. Happy Easter!

Kitten Pictures!

With the recent beautiful weather, we've been spending more time in the garage with the new kittens.

Little Haley's eyes haven't fully opened yet, so she always looks sleepy.

Brendan tries to climb out of the box even though he can barely walk.

We also have two three-day-old kittens! Our other mama cat had them a couple weeks after the first ones were born.

So much fluff and cuteness!

We have so much fun with the littles!