You are from a pink and purple bedroom with bluebell photos on the wall,
from a tiny but still too big pumpkin hat on the day you were born,
from handmade dresses and sentimental sweaters, patchwork Toms and special Hannas.
You are from a red brick house that smells like blessed candles, from icons on the walls, and the many voices of big brothers and sisters echoing off hardwood floors.
You are from the tulips and the stinky pear tree in the spring, from pansies and mums in the fall-- the front porch welcoming committees that smile at you as you come and go.
You are from American Girl dolls and shelves crammed with picture books
from Foss & MacDonald, Grzymala & DeMell
from athletes and dancers and thoughtful writers
from passionate politicos, media pioneers, and quiet crafters.
You are from soccering on weekends, dancing all day every day
from writing it all down and taking lots of pictures.
You are from handmade rosaries, the Angelus at noon, and a tiny medal around your neck
from Chick-Fil-A and sushi and eggs-and-toast-and-toast-to-dip-in (but not all at the same time)
from three grandpas in the Navy and road trips to Charlottesville and Ponte Vedra.
You are from Disney World with the best brothers and sisters, who made it all magic just for you; from Bluebell Week every year in dear, familiar woods
from a Daddy who lights up at the mere whisper of your name, scoops you up into giant hugs, and snuggles you through the night.
You are from a mama who has held every moment captive, cupped your sweet face in her hands a dozen times a day, and thanked God again and again for the gift of you.
You are from a family that reminds you daily that you are a miracle and we are so grateful for the grace and joy you bring to our lives.
You are the littlest of the girlies, still a wee bit fragile, ever darling, always loved beyond measure.
Our friend and mentor, Barbara Curtis, died this afternoon, surrounded by her family. She will be so missed.
Eternal rest, grant unto her O Lord
and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace
May her soul and the soul of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated for Barbara Curtis on Saturday, November 3rd, at 12:30pm at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Purcellville, Virginia. There will be a reception in the hall following Mass. The family will leave after about an hour for a private burial, but visitors are welcome to stay longer at the reception. There will not be a viewing. Please continue to pray for the family while they grieve and heal.
We are working on a PO Box for Mass cards and notes of sympathy. I'll update here tomorrow with those details.
Four years ago (almost to the day) Barbara Curtis and I crossed paths, quite literally. She was at Loudoun Hospital while her husband Tripp was recovering from surgery. I was there with a baby in the NICU. Barbara had just come into the Church and she told me how she longed to bring its traditions alive in her home for her children. Hers was a family in crisis then--Tripp's healing was complicated; their finances were burdensome; they had just lost their home. After I arrived home with my new baby, I wrote to you all and told you about Barbara. I asked you then to help her to celebrate Advent. And help you did! You volunteered to send care packages to the Curtis family, packages full of faith! You sent Advent in boxes from all over the country.
I wish I were here to ask for Advent boxes today. I'm not. I'm here with a very heavy heart to share a little of the Curtis family's pain. Barbara suffered a massive stroke yesterday. Her condition is grave. Barbara is not conscious and will not regain consciousness. We grieve.
Because this is a very real community, as soon as you heard, you wanted to help. To give. And, like me, you felt a bit helpless. We pray together for Barbara, and Tripp, and all twelve children. We want to do something more.
Before she was stricken, Barbara was struggling with a huge challenge. She had just learned she was unable to re-enroll Maddy at Catholic University for the spring semester because the family had not been able to make adequate payments for tuition. In order register, Maddy has to raise $5000. Barbara was working so hard to make that happen! In her words,
Please let them know what a serious student Maddy is, how serious a future Maddy has in opera.
Even as a freshman, she was cast in the fall opera with a solo part and in the spring opera. This fall she also has a background part, and in the spring she has the fifth lead in Gounoud's Romeo and Juliet. This is incredible for someone her age (19).
I know it was a stretch for us to send her here, but the education she is receiving is so solid and she adores Catholic University...
When I called financial aid and asked about emergency funds, they said money is very tight. ...I know someday CUA will be so proud to have nurtured Maddy.
Believe me, this isn't just a stage mother or anyone starry-eyed. I have 12 kids and that gives me a lot of objectivity. Some of my kids are gifted. But Maddy not only had the greatest gift, she has worked so hard! And she is so filled with joy. It reminds me of Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, when he says " When I run, I feel his pleasure."
Also, Maddy lives very simply, buying her clothes at thrift stores and getting around on Metro. She sold her car when she left for her senior year for spending money.
Yes, I would so appreciate your prayers and any other way you can help. Thank you.
Barbara is not the starry-eyed type. Barbara knows how formidable the task of raising a family like hers is and she is faithful to that task, grateful for that great joy. Please let's help her! As Tripp and the family gather, can we let them know that this is a true community of faith? Can we show them how far Barbara has reached and how much we, too, love her children? Can we please send Maddy back to school in the spring, so that part of her world is safe and sound and there for her? Please wrap your arms and your hearts and your prayers around this family now. And, then, please take a moment to send the link on so someone else can be blessed with the opportunity to give.
Please pray for Barbara Curtis--a neighbor, a blogger, a friend--who has suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. Her condition is very grave. Pray for her family and for her doctors. Pray, pray, pray.
I admit that storms fascinate me. I really do love weather. This storm is awesome in the truest meaning of the word. Right now, it's just a rainy morning. We shall see what the day brings...
::listening to
The Weather Channel. I'm resisting the urge to switch to Fox News. Election news, Benghazi news, and political advertising has seeped deep into me. It's makes me cranky and sad. I'm going to try a news fast. That "First Time" ad was my undoing. I'm so sad for my kids. We have become a culture where political ads are totally inappropriate for school-aged children.
about how different life looks at this stage than the way I envisioned it.
::pondering prayerfully
"Raise [your children] with great care in the holy fear of God, because on this depends their health and blessings for your house."
- Don Bosco
::carefully cultivating rhythm
I watch footage of the surf in Virginia Beach right now and I can't help but feel like that's how I have felt for several months. Up and over and crash and then recede. There has been so little rhythm. I have almost no control over the rhythms of the lives of my big kids, but they live here, and so I am at the mercy of what to me seems like a chaotic way of life with them. On the other hand, my little ones desperately need rhythm and I'm nearly exhausted trying to protect it for them.
But that's the kids. I need rhythm. And I need silence. When I have neither, I truly feel it physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There is a fine line between being available to my children and meeting their needs and setting myself up for devastating burnout. The careful cultivation of healthy rhythm has to be a priority. I'm revisiting this post over and over and over again, with the hope that I can truly live it and truly heal.
::creating by hand
I've been knitting away on my California shawl. It's slow going, but I'm taking the bag everywhere I go and trying to knit a few rows many times a day. Knitting has a rhythm of its own and if I can settle myself into it throughout the day, I find it helps me to be peaceful.
The drapery fabric has arrived and hopefully, if Sandy allows, my friend Cari will come at the end of the week and we can start sewing. The fabric is just beautiful and I'm so excited by the prospect of draping it around my windows.
::learning lessons in
children.
::encouraging learning
School is canceled today for public school students and my college students, as well. We will build a fire and listen to the wind and proceed with our lessons.
::begging prayers
for my peace of heart and others' gentle forgiveness as I try to catch up on things let go during the firestorm of the last couple weeks. I let more than a couple people down and I'm going to need a huge infusion of grace to regain equilibrium.
::keeping house
I'm trying a new (to me) app. It's very much like FlyLady, but it's on my phone. It's been a long while since I gave Fly Lady a sincere effort. Perhaps she has an app, too. This app lays out the chores and there is a way to tailor it, but for now, I'm just doing the next thing. There doesn't seem to be a way to make kids' chores assignments, so I'm just going to delegate as I go for now. Speaking of kids' chores, I've noticed that most of my children's friends don't have chores. When my kids discover this, there are lots of quesitons. I've got answers. I think chores are super important. (Oh, look, I didn't know it but here's something I wrote ages ago. I just googled my name and chores. Maybe I'll take this piece and blog it. Or maybe I'll just sit here with my tea and try to be amused at my confident 28-year-old self.)
::crafting in the kitchen
We are so stocked up for this storm! Nick had a soccer game in Maryland yesterday. I felt the temperature drop significantly and the winds pick up during the game. The children could sense it, too. We made a quick stop at Trader Joe's on the way home. The plan was to get lunch. But we all seemed to feel this need to stockpile baking supplies. I had already done my storm shopping, so this was just icing on the cake. Or more cake, as the case might be. I had already made it clear that much of this food was not to be touched before the storm. Needless to say, there was great delight last night when it began to rain just before bedtime. Daddy complied with pleas for a fire and s'mores. Let the hurricane party begin!
::loving the moments
when I awaken early enough to enjoy the sounds of wind and rain before the house fills with the noise of children trapped inside.
::giving thanks
for a big, strong house; buried power lines, good books, lovely fabric, and plenty of yarn.
Incidentally, I love All Sants Day. This is one I want to live fully every year. One of my dearest internet memories is a friendship begun with a blog post on All Saints Day.
And...I'm doing a happy dance. Our mission has relocated daily Mass (again, I know). This time, it's five minutes away with no chance of traffic. Happy, happy, happy! This my friends, is truly living liturgy!
::picture thoughts
come from my iPhone. Mary Beth took some beautiful pictures with the "real" camera. I don't want to risk waking children to find said camera and cord. These are my calm before the storm pictures.
::planning for the week ahead
Sarah will turn four on Wednesday. Seems like little else is important enough to note.
~~~~~~~~~~
My children surprised me with this video a few years ago. They decided to offer our All Saints litany to our family's special saints. This one's a keeper--those dear voices do me in every time. (Apparently, even Karoline's favorite doll has a patron saint.)
I'm Elizabeth. I'm a happy wife and the mother of nine children. I grab grace with both hands and write to encourage myself and others to seize and nurture the joy of every day. I blog here with my daughter, Mary Beth, a wholehearted young lady on the brink of adulthood.
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