How Does Your (Spiritual) Garden Grow?

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"

I remember my grandmother reciting those words to me from the Mother Goose nursery rhymes book she favored. My grandmother was also quite the gardener, which probably explains her love of this particular nursery rhyme. She had two gardens in two counties and canned, froze, and preserved to her heart’s content. Her idea of a good time was teaching young me how to can bread and butter pickles.

Years later, after Grandma Ruth died, my mother and I took up the gardening – but we had a penchant for flowers, preferring to get much of our produce fresh or frozen from the store at bargain prices. Five kids in a busy household in town didn’t quite fill the bill for homesteading.

My love of flower gardening grew and is a remnant of the good memories I have with my mother – now 22 years gone. These days I share that pleasure with my husband and adult daughter. Growing things is an awesome miracle of life. Our Creator certainly knew what he was doing when He gave us an earth filled with seeds and plants and food to grow. His scriptural references to growth – vines, grapes, mustard seeds, and such – show that He loves this aspect of His creation as well.

His favorite ‘crop’, however, is us humans. We grow in love and faith and hope as He tends to our souls. In return, we are asked to bloom where we grow- no matter what the environment, nourishment, or pruning we get. We are asked to blossom into children of God, with an eye toward Eternity with Him.

To Him be the glory!

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Here we are again, joining Kate Motaung for Five Minute Friday #fmf - a fun way to participate in timed free writing with other bloggers.

Today's #fmf prompt is 'grow'. Follow the link to check out some truly inspirational entries.

Decisions, Decisions

Decisions, decisions. Should I stay or should I go? When you don’t fit a particular blogging niche sometimes you’re your worst enemy. Where do I fit? What shall I write about? Who is my audience? These are just a few of the questions I ask myself as I sit and stare at that blinking cursor.

Sometimes I’m a reporter with a conscience - like my posts about the collaboration between Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood. Or the time I exposed the ties between the Salvation Army and abortion.

Other times I challenge my spiritual side and post about how Lenten growth doesn’t have to grow stale after Easter has come and gone.

Then there’s the creative side of me. I love photography – putting on paper what my mind’s eye sees. The little drip of drool on my 6 month old granddaughter’s pink lips. Her ocean blue eyes – so different from the chocolate drop eyes of the rest of our family.

I also love to craft, and draw and plant and nurture and cook and sew. These creative endeavors are a big part of me.

How did I become so diversified? What is my niche? Am I the pedantic who never met a rule she didn’t like or am a flitting butterfly, landing on every fragrant flower that comes into view?

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The dog barked (meaning the timer went off on my iPhone) STOP

Note: This is my first effort of linking to with Kate M for  5 Minute Fridays #fmf
What a fun idea! Next Friday set your timer on five minute, type until it goes off, and stop. That's all there is to it. You might find it as enjoyable as I did.

Ridiculously Easy Tomato Paste - Plus 2 Recipes Using It

If you're like me, you either have a flood of ripe tomatoes right now - or your neighbors do. So what to do with this onslaught of 'love apples'? Make tomato paste, of course! My husband and I love making our own pizza, spaghetti sauce, and barbecue sauce - so why not make them using free tomatoes from the garden? This is a recipe I developed about four years ago and, I confess, was created out of pure laziness. I'd gone the route of blanching and peeling the tomatoes, but decided there had to be a simpler way. Boy was I right!

Ridiculously Easy Tomato Paste

Ingredients:

Tomatoes

Tools:

Soup Pot and/or Crock Pot
Knife
Cutting Board
Strainer

Process:

• Cut tomatoes into halves or quarters - don't peel or core, just remove stems.

• Place into soup pot or crock pot and simmer until they fall apart. I cook 12 quarts at a time and it takes 24 hours.

• Use the soup pot lid until liquid begins to form, then uncover to enhance evaporation.

• Run stewed tomatoes through a colander or strainer, making sure to leave only the skins behind.

• Pour tomato meat and juice into crock pot and simmer, uncovered, on 'low' setting until desired consistency. This might take longer than you'd expect - don't hurry the process.

• Allow to cool.

• If you want a smoother paste, run through a food processor or Ninja at 'high' speed.

• Place into containers for freezing. I use 4 oz. plastic baby food containers (for pizza) and Zip-Lock sandwich baggies, containing 2 cups of paste (for barbecue or spaghetti sauce).

While this process may take some time, it couldn't be easier to carry out. I occasionally stir, as I'm walking through the kitchen from time to time. No need to babysit the paste, it will continue to simmer, unattended, quite nicely!

I've been using this process for four years now and am amazed at how fresh the paste remains - even after an entire year in the freezer.

NOTE: to prevent discoloration (which doesn't affect flavor), add a few drops of lemon juice.

RJ's Tangy Barbecue Sauce

2 cups tomato paste
3/4 cups brown sugar or Splenda (for low carb version)
1/4 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoons hickory-flavored liquid smoke
1 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

• Pour tomato paste into a non-reactive sauce pan (I use stainless), on low/medium heat. Add butter and begin to simmer. 

• Add all other ingredients and simmer until desired consistency is obtained, stirring frequently. 

Serve immediately or allow to cool and store. I use an old, squeeze ketchup bottle. I'm a MasterPiece Barbecue Sauce lover, and this is just as good. If you use Splenda, this recipe is good for low carb diets. 

Will be good to use for several weeks - but probably won't last that long!

RJ's Artisan Pizza

Your favorite white bread recipe (will make two pizzas)

For each pizza:

1/2 recipe of bread dough, ready to bake

6 oz. tomato paste

Toppings as desired

Seasonings as desired

Mozzarella cheese (we make our own)

Roll out dough and place on pizza stone. Add paste and spread evenly. If you use raw vegetables add them as well. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven. Add other ingredients and layer as desired. Make sure fresh herbs and seasonings are beneath other ingredients, including cheese. Bake for an additional 6-7 minutes and then kick up to high heat broil, until golden brown. Allow to rest, then cut and serve.

This pizza dough is light, tender and thin. If you have a favorite recipe for pizza dough or prefer a thicker dough, use your own recipe. We sometimes bake it in a large cast iron skillet as well.

What type of homemade foods do you make? Ketchup? Cheese? Breads? Share your recipes in the combox!

5 Ways Facebook Can Bless Your Life

Facebook - some love it, some hate it - but it's all really a matter of how it's used.

We’ve all read stories of mothers neglecting their children to play some inane game. Dinners burn or go uncooked and families fall apart because a virtual ‘relationship’ got in the way. Other, smaller, proofs of the downside of extreme usage are most likely evident on a daily basis, somewhere in the world. There’s another, more worthy side to the Facebook coin, however. As with all pleasures, moderation is key. We are in control of how many hours we spend on Facebook or any activity, for that matter. Also within our power is the amount of food, alcohol, and leisure activity in which we indulge. To everything available to us here on earth, there is a need for temperance. There can definitely be too much of a good thing – but that’s more a reflection of our choices than it is on the activity itself. Although, I’d be remiss to claim Facebook usage perfection, I can share the boundaries I have set in place in an attempt to make my own virtual social interaction healthily balanced.

Facebook Pen Pals

With Facebook, the number of virtual pen pals available is limited only by our keystrokes – and time allotted. The examples are plentiful. Emily understands about your daughter’s neuropathy – because she’s living it too. Erika can give terrific tips about homeschooling because she’s a certified teacher who now teaches her own children. A side bonus is that her husband is a computer whiz. As a Canon Lawyer, Fr. V gives church-sanctioned advice on how to handle a relative’s upcoming illicit wedding. Other friends share recipes, organic weed killing concoctions, and child rearing tips. I’ve traded flowers with other avid gardeners and set up First Friday gatherings with other homeschool families – all courtesy of Facebook. All this is available at the tips of your fingers – spend as much, or as little, time as you desire.

Increase the Reach of Prayer Through Facebook

Who can’t use more prayers? I know I need all I can get – and some days we are thrust into an emergency situation when the quick response of friends is a huge blessing. Facebook is the perfect place to garner the assistance of some fierce prayer warriors. It’s also much more efficient than trying to make individual calls. Once you’ve honed your list of friends to a fine demographic, you’re golden when it comes to prayers – both for your benefit and for the benefit of others. What better way to demonstrate the spiritual power of the Body of Christ? I know my family has benefitted greatly from these connections.

Gathering Information Via Facebook

Don’t know the difference between Discipline and Dogma? Join a good, faithful Catholic group and the official definitions will become readily available. Want to know more about the Latin Mass? When you make good Catholic friends from all over the world, you are gifted with photos, videos, and information on an almost daily basis. If you’ve been wondering what difference there is between the Second Vatican Council and the ‘spirit’ of Vatican II, the official Church documents can be shared by someone who just happens to have links to all of them and is more than willing to share.

The goings on in this complex world of ours can be overwhelming. Even more overwhelming, are the many self serving slants by which we are accosted by today’s media. How to dig through all of the fabrications and distortions? I’ve found that a finely tuned Facebook account can be just the ticket. Much like a personalized Drudge Report, with snippets of news and links to the rest of the story, Facebook provides a way to filter sources of information. At this point almost anyone who is anyone, as far as information goes, has a Facebook page. All we have to do is ‘follow’ the ones whose information we trust. National Catholic Register, Church Militant TV, and EWTN gather Catholic information for me – while I rely on like-minded friends to fill my feed (and message box) with articles about news – both secular and spiritual – from all sorts of other reliable sources.

Facebook Evangelization

There are few more effective ways for individuals to reach a large group of like-minded others – all over the world – than through electronic media. Whether through blogging, email, or Facebook, the number of lives we can touch is astounding. Of these options, Facebook provides a platform like no other. I relish learning about my faith and sharing what I\’ve learned via the various aspects of Facebook, whether through my wall, fan page, or through the myriad of groups to which I belong. Are you discerning the devotion of veiling? There\’s a group for that. Is pro-life advocacy your passion? There are so many pro-life pages it\’s difficult to keep up. I\’ve personally shared my 200+ pro-life memes with other pro-life advocates from all over the world. How about praying a Novena? Look no further than the posts from your friends; someone is always praying a Novena. Not only will they remind you every day, they’ll add your intention to theirs as well. I’ve had friends go to Mass, Adoration, and even Lourdes – and remember my intentions while there. Our five little grandchildren, who are saints in Heaven, have had prayers said for them at national shrines. So, you see, the benefit is a two-way street. The faithful generosity of my Facebook friends is awe-inspiring!

Laughter: the Best Medicine

Have you ever been home alone and had a really bad day? There you are, about to embark on a pity-party of astronomical proportions. Then you see a random posting from someone who’s having a similar day. ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys’ – an old Polish proverb. Inexplicably, you laugh out loud. The mood is lightened and you feel better equipped to just let go of your sour mood. Then there are the ‘kid quotes’ that are the daily fare of mothers on Facebook. Who can remain annoyed when Junior just saw a commercial and asked if his turtle could be affected by ‘reptile dysfunction’?

So while some folks out there might think that social media of any type is a big waste of time, some of us garner some rather tangible blessings. It’s another example of the wonderful multiplicity God’s children display. What works for me, might not work for you; but don’t discount the very real benefits I’ve reaped. I’ve contacted a group of cloistered nuns, who helped pray for a miracle that was realized. There have been many blessings from people who are undergoing similar trials – both spiritually and physically. Sometimes groups of Facebook friends even meet IRL (in real life), as was the case when our daughter traveled to Houston for cancer treatment. All in all, Facebook can help us to realize that we are not in this world alone. We really are little frogs in a big pond. The priest from Nigeria, my Catholic friend from the Philippines, and a couple gals in Alaska all help me learn a bit about other ways of life. And the ‘other’ Birgit in Germany helps me retrieve childhood memories of nursery rhymes, prayers, and festivals.

As with all things in this world, one man’s garbage can be another man’s treasure and we are wise to limit our Facebook interactions to a reasonable consumption. Temperance in all things, our mother used to warn. ‘Don’t be too extreme in any of your emotions or actions or activities, because any good thing can be overdone.’ What can be a helpful resource is also very capable of becoming sinful, if we are excessive. As for me, I include Facebook usage in my daily examination of conscience. It can be a powerful tool or a deadly distraction. The side of the Facebook coin on which you land is up to your own discretion and conscience. There are so many more examples to share. What are yours?


NOTE: This post first appeared on Catholic Stand

When God Knows What You Don’t Need

Yesterday, the beautiful springtime weather found me sitting out in our garden listening to the chirping birds and drinking in the glorious new life – flowers, butterflies, and such. As I sat, pondering on the random things that popped into my head, I was led to reminisce about a time when my husband and I had our hearts set on adopting a baby. As a pro-life advocate I had made our openness to adoption known for years and now, this mother had chosen us to be the parents of her son. Although we had three older children of our own, cancer had cost me my fertility and halted the expansion of our family. As one of those women who craves children like lungs crave oxygen, I had struggled with the unplanned cap on our family size – so when this opportunity presented itself, we jumped at the chance. We had a home study done and passed all of the prerequisite criteria for a private adoption. And we waited in joyful anticipation.

Unfortunately, we received the call that we dreaded, telling us that the mother had changed her mind at eight months pregnant – she would keep her baby after all. Jackson (we would have named him Luke) came into the world without our attendance. He was full term and healthy. Sadly, 3 months later he was placed in the ‘system’ due to maternal neglect. Even as we, once again, took classes and became an approved home – this time for fostering and state adoption – we knew that this renewed effort was a long shot. But we persisted. The outcome was not what we had hoped and we found out later that he had been adopted by the instructor of our parenting class. Our hearts were heavy because we knew that this had been our final chance – there were no more babies in our future.

Fast forward to present time and what was once a bitter disappointment has become a bittersweet blessing. Don’t misunderstand – we wouldn’t have regretted adopting Luke and adding him to our family, but life dealt us some unexpected blows and the idyllic expanded family of which we dreamed would have added an element of hardship. You see, 7 years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer – not your run-of-the-mill breast cancer either. The diagnosis for the BRAC-1 gene had been a death knell for several women on my maternal side – beginning (as far as we know) with my great-grandmother (who died in her 40’s), my grandmother (who died at 42), and my mother (who died at 58 after a 5 year battle). I, myself was diagnosed at 48 and then our 28 year old daughter was diagnosed at 20 weeks pregnant. I shudder to think of the turmoil this type of situation would have had on a young child – it was taxing enough on our 16, 24, and 27 year olds.

In addition, during the past 9 years we have been blessed with 7 grandchildren. They play a very vital role in our lives and we in theirs. Since we live close to all of them, they share a vast amount of time with us. As I frequently revel in their company – including occasional sleepovers for medical or business reasons – I realize that I’m not that energetic 31 year old mom of three anymore. I get tired. As much as I love those little kiddos of ours, there are times when I have a hard time imagining not being able to send them home. It’s been a bittersweet revelation to find that, what I wanted so fervently just a few years ago, would now be quite the marathon. At 55 years old, I have begun to rethink many things that I thought I wanted at one time or another. The boyfriends my mother rejected, the homes we wanted, the material things we couldn’t afford…the country song about thanking God for unanswered prayers comes to mind.

As the Bible tells us, for everything under the sun there is a season…. my husband and I have been blessed with many seasons in our 38 year marriage. We married young (17 and 18), were blessed with three exceptional children as well as 7 grandchildren, we’ve enjoyed a reasonably healthy life so far (7 years cancer free for me). Somehow God has always provided for us – even during periods of financial duress. We’ve tearfully said goodbye to homes we loved, job opportunities have passed us by, and more than a few family members have left this earth. But all in all, I couldn’t think of a better life. I wouldn’t trade with anyone I know or can imagine. Each one of the blessings, as well as the hardships, has shaped who we are – to ourselves and to each other. Cancer has shown me the unconditional love of a good man and other family members. Loss has shown me the beauty of relationships in the here and now. Disappointment has shown me that there’s a silver lining behind those stormy clouds – sometimes even better than what we thought we wanted. All in all, I have found that being one of God’s sparrows – totally under His care – is just where I want to be. What have I gathered from all of this? That when God knows what you don’t need – He knows what He’s talking about!

Walking Away From Pride

Pride sometimes keeps us tied to things from which we need to walk away. I've encountered that reality several times in my life but have really been assaulted by it lately. Often we just go on, in auto-pilot, long after an activity has played out its usefulness in our lives. We simply like how it makes us feel - important, liked and listened to - able to share our own thoughts.

But what kind of motivation is that? Shouldn't our motives be more pure? Shouldn't we be seeking to serve without strings, instead of serving because of what we receive in return? Without measuring in numbers or accolades? That type of thought has been echoing in my consciousness lately. Yet pride kept me firmly attached. Today I finally gave in to the niggling doubts, the persistent murmurs and allowed my mind's eye to be open to unadulterated truth. I let go of an obligation I loved. Walked away from something to which I have been willingly tied for many months.

Yet my fear of feeling empty was purged and instead I walked away with a weight lifted from my shoulders. You see, I had taken this prideful attitude toward the task and allowed it to take precedence over those things which should have held more importance. Relief has washed over me and the negative entanglements that accompanied my persistence to hold on can, at long last, be cast aside.

Now I am free and find that I have multiple directions to pursue. The oft neglected support that needs to be given to those who truly depend on me - those to whom I am tied by love and family - will take precedence  There will also be more readily available time to devote to creative pursuits. Most important of all, I will make much more time for some badly needed communing with nature and its awesome Creator. That, after all, is the purpose for which we, ourselves, were made!

Homeschool Garden to Kitchen

Day two of All Saints Catholic Home School and we are falling into a nice pattern. With a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old, I am not going to be overly rigid, so I set out a plan of what to accomplish on any given day and then find the most opportune times to fit it into our day.

Fresh from the garden!

As rural folk, we grow much of our own food and have also attempted to almost completely eliminate anything processed from our diet. My ex-farmer husband turned biomass energy engineering guru, still has the urge to grow a 'crop' so we always have WAAAAAY too many tomatoes and other produce. One way to remedy this situation is for me to make my own spaghetti sauce and tomato paste. Here's where practical learning comes in once again.

The kids have been involved from the very first seed planted this spring. When we jump on the 4-wheeler to check the mail down our 1/4 mile driveway, we always come up the back way and 'check Papa's crops'. Yesterday, Papa (on a break from his home office) took the kids out to the tomato patch just outside our back door. They picked a LOT of tomatoes! That meant it was time to preserve them before there was any waste - waste not, want not!

The 'recipe' is easy:

Straining out skins and cores.

• Cut tomatoes into quarters - don't worry about peeling or coring
• Place into a large stock pot (low heat/simmer) - or crock pot (high) and cover with lid
• Cook all day and then strain to remove seeds, skin, and ends.
• Return to pot and reduce to desired concentration - no lid.
• If you are making paste - reduce until a thick, pasty consistency is achieved.
• If you are making spaghetti sauce - allow to thicken to desired consistency.
• Some batches are made plain and some batches also have additions of fresh garlic and basil added.

Botany class - weeds vs. flowers identification.

• I never add salt or sugar.

Tomato paste stored in re-purposed baby food containers.

Number printables - FREE

We also worked on the letter A and the number 0 (zero).

Do you pray and say the pledge of allegiance before class?

We do!

The One Where I'm Featured on Catholic Sistas 7 Quick Takes Friday

Catholic Sistas periodically does a blog post called 7 Quick Takes Friday, in an interview type format. As one of their 'Ink Slingers', I was honored to be invited to participate this week. The gist is to choose 7 questions and to write a brief response to them. Here is one of the questions and my answer...

Hope Memorial at Brescia University - dedication.

What volunteer activities are you involved in?

I have been involved with the pro-life movement since Roe vs. Wade was decided while I was in high school. I chose the pro-life side in a current events debate, and my heart simply caught fire for the cause. This passion has taken me many places, from the halls of the capitol to marches and rallies. I have served as an executive director, vice-president, newsletter editor, and board member of several pro-life organizations. Presently, I serve as a member of our diocesan Gospel of Life committee. As a passionate pro-life advocate, I can also be found “freelancing” by initiating rallies. Once I read about a fundraiser for a pro-abortion candidate planned at a local Catholic parish hall. Within four hours, there were more than 60 people assembled, holding pro-life signs, to protest the use of church property. A happy surprise? We were joined by the pastor of the parish in question!

Find the six other questions and answers at 7 Quick Takes Friday, no. 4

What do you do on Sunday?

Going to Mass is a given but then after that....what? For this family it comes down to the pursuit of leisure activities and keeping company with those we love. This rainy Sunday found me home alone so after Mass I fought the urge to steam clean the tile (day of rest and all) and decided to bake. As a bonus, Erika and Simon showed up at just the right time to help me critique my new recipe...a Nutella Ring, made with the Artisan bread recipe I've posted about in the past. So here we go...a pictorial recreation of my delicious project for this day:





Lightly dust top of a 1 1b. ball of your Artisan bread dough with flour (see past blog entry for recipe). Stretch sides and pull under to form a ball. Place on a flour dusted sheet of parchment paper and roll into a 9'' x 14'' rectangle.

Add 1/2 cup of Nutella hazelnut spread to the dough and spread within 1/2'' of the edges. If the Nutella seems too stiff, heat it for a few seconds in the microwave to thin its consistency.






Carefully roll up the filled dough, starting at the long end and then pinch the edges together. Stretch the roll to about 18'' in length and then bring around into a circle, again pinching the edges together.

Lightly cover and allow to rise for 1 hour.

Whisk one egg and lightly brush onto the dough. Sprinkle liberally with coarse sugar. Snip 1/4'' deep every 2'' with kitchen scissors. Place in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or  until golden brown.










Remove your Nutella Ring from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let set for 30 minutes and serve warm or let cool completely. Slice and serve...yum!





Now on to other pursuits...how about photography in the rain?

Spring always finds me musing about new beginnings and starting over. We've suffered through the cold and tried to make the best out of the short, dark days of Winter by casting a positive eye at the beauty of the snow as it affords a pristine white powdery covering for the otherwise dreary earth. The mind numbing hibernation phase we abhor is being overtaken by an exciting tension in the air...even the wind whistling around the eaves of the house can't quell the optimism blowing around like so much confetti.

As a gardener, my first foray outdoors is always in the direction of the flower beds. These beds that are covered by fall leaves, when brushed aside, give us a glimpse of chartreuse new growth swelling from the powdery earth. The decay of old plant matter has enriched the soil and made it even more hospitable to the tender shoots straining for a fleeting glimpse of the February sun.

So, too, it is with life. We go through dark times when all is dreary and forsaken. These are times when we fall from grace and simply rely on our instinctive drive to survive. Sometimes we just don't like our lives and don't find much gratitude in our weary souls but occasionally a friend or loved one enters into the darkness and gives us a pristine new perspective. These 'angels among us' remind us of the optimism that should be ever-present in our souls. This too shall pass, as they say.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to call a family member, friend, have a double helping of joy. That's how it was with Mom. Sure, we were mother and daughter, but there was so much more. We had evolved beyond the parent and child state and had traversed the treacherous waters of adolescence and had landed on the solid, rich soil of friendship. My brother, Michael, was her youngest child and was only 5 years older than our oldest child, Rowan. So we attacked life with the joy of companionship and mutual interests. Gardening was one of those interests and together we learned through trial and error. We established a hard and fast partnership in beautifying our surroundings and spent all year 'round looking for the green spring buds of life.

After Mom died too early, at 58 years old, my joy went dormant. Gardening held no charm for me, only a somber reminder of who it was I missed. This Winter in my soul lasted for 5 years or so. I raised my family, sometimes on autopilot, but I could never quite approach 'our' pastime. Time is the ultimate healer, however, and with the love of a devoted husband and children I began my rebirth...the new Springtime of my soul.

I still think of Mom with every spadeful of dirt, every blossom and shiny leaf but now it's with a fond remembrance. I see her in the bright, shining stars late on a clear summery night and I envision her smile at the things I've learned since she's been gone. The one thing that she has left me with is the warm knowledge that your loved ones are with you forever...sometimes you just don't see them in bodily form.

Now I have my own mother/daughter bond and life marches on. Erika, our daughter has developed into quite the friend and I take great pride in that...because it is a priceless blessing to have such a bond.

The last words Mom said to me right before she died were, 'now you're me'...I take this to heart and as the greatest compliment. As the oldest female of my family I now enjoy the continuation of the legacy which started years before me. Mom was but a lovely link in this priceless chain we call family. Hold your mothers tight and hug your daughters daily.

Life and love - they are precious gifts from God to be enjoyed and nurtured!