Today is the first anniversary of the death/new life of my second Mother, Dorothy.  Really though she was more like a real Mother to me. 

I first met her and her husband Arnold (Bax) when I became friends with their daughter Linda.  Linda and I had seen each other at Church.  We didn't really become friends though until we started going to a Catholic Singles Group Meeting at the Cathedral back in the 1970's.  Linda and I were in our twenties then.  I had asked Linda if she sang in the folk group at Church.  She said yes and asked if I want to join because the group needed more singers.  I joined immediately.  I loved to sing and still do.  We had our practices at church, but once in a while we would practice at Linda's house.  Her parents were always very hospitable and fun to be around.  They supported all their children in all of their endeavors.  Linda has three brothers and all of them sing.  I started to become a regular visitor to their home.  I was always welcomed with open arms, loving smiles and hugs.  I was always treated with respect.  After a while, I was invited to family parties.  Mom and Dad (as I call them) would introduce me as their other daughter.  As the years went on I grow to love them very much.  Tom and I were invited to all of the family events.  We were at all of their children's weddings.  We were at all of their grandchildren's weddings.  We were at their fiftieth wedding anniversary mass and party.

Over the years, Mom and Dad would always give me support.  When I met my husband, Tom, I took him home to met my own parents.  Then I took  him over to met my second parents.  My parents didn't like Tom.  My own mother still does not like Tom and we have been married now for thirty-four years.  My other parents like him immediately.  When we got married Mom and Dad were at our wedding.  When we started having our children they came to see our babies.  When I miscarried our fourth baby, Mom and Dad were there with us to pray.  They always had Christmas presents for our children.  We have four, one son and three daughters.  When our oldest daughter Marie was eight, she was diagnosed with Leukemia, Mom helped me take care of her.  When Marie was healed of her Cancer, Mom and Dad  celebrated with us.  When Marie got married, they were at her wedding.  Over the years my own Mother has disowned me, for what reason I do not know.  When I ask her what I did to offend her, she says go ask your sister.  My other Mom and Dad loved me unconditionally.  They have loved me for over thirty years.  My own mom who has known me since birth some sixty-three years ago, can't be bothered with me.  She is eighty-six now.  I am not sure if she will ever forgive me.  I have forgiven her.  I'm not sure if I will ever see her again.  I'm not sure if I want to see her again.  I do wish that I could see my Mom Dorothy again.  I wish that I could hear her voice and see her beautiful smile.  I know that I will see her again in Heaven.

Last June, my Mom, Dorothy C. was diagnosed with a rare form of Cancer that is found in Native Americans.  None of the family, including her, knew that there was any Native Americans in the family.  The doctor started treatment on her at once.  It seemed to work for a while, but then it quit working.  By September she was in really bad shape.  She was home until the last week in September.  Her family had to put her in the hospital.  Tom and I went down to see her, but by then she was in and out of sleep.  At one point though she opened her eyes and asked me, "honey, do you know when I am going home"?  I told her, "I don't know Mom".  Looking back, now, I think that she wanted to know when she would see her Lord and Savior.  My response should have been, soon.

On September 29th, she was taken to the local Hospice.  The next day Linda called me to asked if Tom and I could come to the Hospice to sing with the rest of her children.  We were going to serenade her to Heaven.  There wasn't any hestitation in our coming.  We got in the car and went to Casa Grande.  That is where her and Dad had their home for quite sometime.  When we got there, all of her family and friends were gathered around her bed.    Her son Michael and Tom and I sang all of her favorite songs.  We tried to keep the music going.  I'm not sure if she really heard us, but I hope that she did.  Family would join in singing if they could.  The last song that we sang was On Eagles Wings.  Soon as the song was over, she took her last breath.  She died at 8:30 p.m. on September 30, 2009.  She and Dad were married for over fifty years.  Their love for each other never died.   

Her funeral was on October 6th.  All of her friends and children sang at her funeral, me included.  I miss her very much.  I loved her very much. 

This Sunday our family is getting together to celebrate Dad's 80th birthday.  It will be bitter sweet.

Thank you Mom for loving me.  You are in my thoughts and prayers everyday.

Thank you God for my Mother and for my wonderful family!

Yesterday was Sunday, September 26th.  The day started at 4:00 a.m.  We got up that early because we had to take our daughter Marie to work early again.  She had to be at work by 6:00 a.m.  We had to shower and be ready to go by 5:25 a.m. 

We got Marie to work on time.  Then we headed to the Franciscan Renewal Center, to Our Lady of the Angels Chapel for Mass.  Mass doesn't start until 7:30.  We knew that we were going to be early, so we brought our Prayer Books so that we could pray our morning prayers there on the grounds.

After Mass we hurried to St. Mary's Basilica for the 9:00 a.m. Mass.  Father Vince, who is the Pastor was going to bless all of the Religious Education Catechists.  Tom and I are currently teaching fourth, fifth and sixth graders.

It seems funny to me, but when I was at the Mass at St. Mary's, I became very emotional during Eucharist.  I could feel the presence of Jesus very strongly.  The choir was singing Ave Verum Corpus.  I used to sing that song when I was in the Diocesan Chorale.  It is a beautiful old Latin song.  Maybe I was getting sentimental, but I don't think so.  I could feel God's Love very strongly.  My heart felt like it was going to explode.  It was so full of Love.  Jesus is very present in me.  He is a Present, a very special Gift.

This Friday, Tom and I will be making a Contemplative Silent Retreat.  Father Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam., will be our Retreat Master.  I am looking forward to being with my God all weekend.  I will be opened to His Spirit especially this weekend. 

Come Lord Jesus,  fill me with your Love, Patience and Peace!

By the way, God healed my hip and toe.  I didn't have any pain at all yesterday all day long.

Today, everything is in God's Hands!

My right hip is hurting really bad.  It was very difficult to walk.  It started acting up yesterday.  On top of that, I broke my wee, wee, wee all the way home toe on my right foot at 4:00 a.m. this morning.  Now, I really can't walk at all. 

Sunday, our Father Vince is going to be commissioning all the Religious Education Teachers at 9:00 a.m. Mass.  I am trying to figure out how I am going to get my shoe on.

Okay God, I am in Your Hands, now and forever more!

"I abandoned myself to Your will, do with me whatever You want". 

I have been listening to the music of John Michael Talbot.  The above words are from one of his songs. 

I do want to abandoned myself to Your will Lord.  I want to listen and obey. 

Help me to follow You always and to obey Your commands.  Never permit me to be separated from You.

I Love You!

Hi, it is me (JoAnne) again.  Today I received an e-mail from one of my dear Franciscan sisters.  She and her husband are always praying for everyone.  They don't usually ask for prayers for themselves.  So for her to ask for prayers for them is what I consider serious.  I wrote her back and reassured her that the prayers would be coming her way.

Praying is very important to me.  It is my private conversation and time to be with my Father.  I can go to Him for anything and everything anytime of the day or night.  He is always listening.  Sometimes though I get really impatient with Him to give me an answer quickly.  I have got to remember that my time is not my Father's time.  He is God and I am not.  So I have got to learn how to be patient.

Yesterday, I had what I call an allergic reaction to something that I have been eating.  My husband, Tom and I have been trying for a few months to pinpoint what it is that is making me feel very sick, out of breath and panicky.  I went to the doctor and he put my on two medicines.  One is suppose to reduce the acid in my stomach.  The other is suppose to relax me.  Really, it makes me feel like a zombie.  I feel like I am in la la land.  I have asked my Father to heal me soon.  I don't like to feel out of control.  Then I remember that God is in Control of my life, not me.  So I will just have to wait for a healing and keep talking to my God and Father.  When He is ready, then I will be healed.

Until then I will be patient and wait.

Today I am kind of weepy!  It could be that I have had to much coffee with week already.  I don't think I have had that much.  I feel so much love right now for my Lord, that everything gets me emotional.  I was looking on St. Mary's Basilica website for this weeks bulletin.  I saw a picture of St. Francis and burst into tears.  He was so in tune with Jesus.  That is how I want to be.  I want to be buried in Jesus' arms.  He is my Brother, my Savior, my All.  I want to live with Him forever!

By the way, I think that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are helping me with my journaling.  I would not be doing this journal at all  if I didn't have Them in my life.

Sundays are always very busy for my husband Tom and I.  We usually go to 7:30 Mass.  We get up really early on Sundays.  We usually are up at 4:30.  Yesterday, though, we had to get up at 4:00.  We needed to take our oldest daughter to work.  She had to be there at 6:00 a.m.  By the time we shower and get ourselves together, it is 5:15 and we have to leave the house by 5:25.  We did not get to eat breakfast. 

After Mass we grabbed a cup of coffee and a bagel.  Now it is time to head to St. Mary's to teach Religious Education.  This is the first day of classes.  I haven't taught Religion Classes for a long time.  We were going to meet our students for the first time.  I was very anxious and excited.  We were going to teach fourth, fifth and sixth graders.  I had some preconceived ideas that they were going to be a hard class to deal with.  Boy, was I wrong.  First of all they were kind of scared about coming.  I was pleasantly surprise to find that they were really very polite and respectful.  There was one young boy, who was about ten or eleven.  He is going to be our star student.  He is so smart.  He knows all his prayers and can name all the sacraments.  He has a beautiful smile that can melt your heart.  The class went off very smoothly, thanks to all of the helpers and extra teachers that were there.  Class started at 10:30 and was over by 11:30.

Now it was time for our Formation Classes for the Secular Franciscans.  They start and noon.  These classes are the third Sunday of every month.  So once a month, we will be living at Church.  The class was ok.  We were all just visiting and catching up on what we did during the Summer.  Then we were hit with a bomb.  We were told that we had to journal everyday.  I do not like to write at all.  But I have made up my mind to do it.  It is part of my formation as a Secular Franciscan.  It is going to be a hard exercise for me to accomplish, but I am determined to do my best.  I love God and I want to be the best Franciscan that I can be.  After class, we had our regular Fraternity meeting.  It was so good to see all of our Franciscan Brothers and Sisters again.  We have allot of new people inquiring about our Fraternity.  It will be so nice to have new Brothers and Sisters to share our love and service with.  I know that this is going to be a year filled with blessings.

First Day

Today was a good day. It's also the first day of my blog. I don't really like journalling. But I decided to do it because our Fraternity says it's a good idea.