Rally! From Mary Beth.....

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Dsc04926Today at 6:00, I was awakened by Mom saying to wake up because we're (Christian, Paddy, and I) leaving at 7:00 with the Beardsleys. Why? The rally in Fairfax of course! Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. John McCain were going to be speaking in VA's own Fairfax county and I got to watch!! How cool is that? After stopping at Sheetz to meet some friends, driving through a mix of people trying to get to work and people trying to get to the rally, finding a parking spot next to McDonalds, walking to get to the end of an mile and a half long line, and going through security, we were finally there! And so were around 15,000 other people. Dsc04916_2The excitement, the Republicans, and of course the noise/shouting (not to leave out the protesters)! Mackenzie and I went over to the fence near the bathrooms and there almost right in front of us was her! Mother of five, pro-life supporter, and beautiful Gov. Sarah Palin getting ready to walk up on stage with Sen. McCain. We ran back over to our group and started chanting the same tune as everyone else. SARAH, SARAH, SARAH. Dsc04935 Then she came out followed by our next president, Cindy McCain, and Todd Palin! Everyone started shouting and waving signs (Mine saying Homeschoolers for McCain and Palin). It was an AMAZING day! Was it worth waking at 6:00? YES!

 

A Life Well Lived

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Yesterday, some of my favorite little boys were here to play while the moms "had a meeting." Maryan's cell phone was incessant--and insistent. Amidst our teasing that she rivaled Sarah Palin--what with two calls coming in at the same time--she took the call and walked into the next room. And then, we heard her wail. There is no sound so unmistakable as that of anguish. A tragedy was unfolding at the Vander Woude farm. And a hero and a saint was being taken from a family who was blessed beyond words by his life.

Thomas Vander Woude has just begun to bless the rest of us. We enlisted the big girls to keep the little ones outside as we got organized and got Maryan on her way. Then, we brought the children inside to pray the rosary as Maryan and her precious boys traveled towards the hospital and home. Later, when the word came officially that "Papa" had died saving Joseph, it was with remarkable ease and assurance that my seven-year-old told me, huge brown eyes, brimming, "That's a very holy way to die.He gave his whole life for his boy."

That's a holy way to live too. And he did that as well.

Later that evening, three of my children came to me separately to ask if we could gather one more time before bed to offer prayers for the Vander Woude family. In death, as in life, Tom Vander Woude's example brought children to God.

Today, without a doubt, every candle in the house will stay lit all day and our hearts and prayers will be constantly with that huge family with the huge faith. May our Lord and His Blessed Mother console them as they live the first day with a huge hole in their midst.