Welcome to the World

Please join Michael and I in welcoming our sweet miracle...

Peter Matthew

born Monday, March 2, 2015

4:09 p.m.

7 lbs. 8 oz.

21 inches long

Our lives have been turned upside down over the past couple weeks as our little man came into the world over two weeks early. I guess he just couldn't wait to get here. :)

We are totally smitten with our little man. What a gift he is. Pure gift. Thank you, God.

More (hopefully) soon...

xo

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10 in 2014 {looking back}

It may be January 22, but it's still January...which means it's not too late to do a recap of 2014, right?

2014 was quite a year for our little family. We certainly had our share of highs and lows. Here are ten pictures to help remember the year:

{1}

In January 2014 I chose the word quiet as my word for the year. I wrote about my desire to be still and listen more. Looking back over the year as a whole, there were times I succeeded, and many more times I failed with this. But the times of greatest peace in my heart were - surprise, surprise - the times when I was spending the most time in the quiet with the Lord. Let's hope I can carry that lesson with me into this new year and always.

{2}

Also in January was my sweet husband's birthday. I love this picture of the two of us. It was taken before we entered into some crazy seasons of our marriage, all of which we got through together. As a team. I don't know how I would have made it without this man.

{3}

On Valentine's Day 2014 we found out we were expecting our first baby. Our joy was overwhelming. After our first ultrasound in March we found out our sweet baby had a weak heartbeat, and on St. Patrick's Day 2014 we found out our Thomas Gianna had been born into eternal life. The physical, emotional and spiritual cross of miscarriage sent me into the darkest season of my life thus far. But, praise God, you all prayed for us. Oh, the power of prayer! With the love and support of our dearest family and friends, we found hope.

{4}

In April many of you joined me in praying a novena to Saint Gianna. These were some of my most popular posts of 2014. St. Gianna is a saint I grew to know and love well after our miscarriage, as she suffered two miscarriages herself. She is a great saint for life - the gift we celebrate and honor in a special way today on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. St. Gianna, pray for us! 

{5}

Summer was spent in the heat and humidity of Houston, Texas. We celebrated our two-year anniversary with a little getaway to Austin, which is where this picture was taken. I also wrote my second most-viewed post of the year over the summer: Father's Day with a Child in Heaven.

{6}

In the fall we raised over $2,000 for the National Gianna Center for Women in honor of our Thomas Gianna. I have never done anything like this before, and it was such a special way to remember our baby and to give back to those who gave so much to Michael and I when we were going through our miscarriage. We couldn't have done this without your help, generosity and prayerful support. 

{7}

In September we shared our joy with you that we are expecting our second child. What a gift and blessing to be just over 32 weeks pregnant with our son today! We are so grateful for the gift his life already is to us.

{8}

Y'all loved seeing pictures from our gender reveal party {it's a boy!} - and I loved sharing with you!

{9}

One of the greatest blessings of 2014 was getting to be a part of the beautiful Blessed is She ministry. I love writing a reflection each month, and reading the other devotionals has been an inspiration to my prayer life. {Side note - have you seen the new Lent journals yet? So exciting.}

I also expanded my etsy shop to include some inspirational prints, which is something I had wanted to do for some time. The "Blessed is She who believed" print above is one of my favorites.

{10}

The last picture in my collection of ten sums up my year perfectly: gift.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father..."

{James 1:17}

While our year had ups and downs, laughter and tears, trials and triumphs, each and every day was a gift and a blessing. And I am so very grateful.

*   *   *

Thanks for reflecting back on the year with me. If you haven't already, be sure to click on over to see more 10 12 in 2014 posts! Thanks so much for hosting us, Dwija! And thanks for leaving your linkup live for slowpokes like me. :)

•    •    •    •    •

And on another note - somehow, even with my lack of blogging as of late, at least three of you dear readers nominated me for a Sheenazing Award! Thank you so much. That was so sweet of you!

I'm nominated in the Best Under-Appreciated Blog category, along with some other wonderful women. If you'd like to cast a vote all you have to do is click over to visit our gracious & sheenazing host, Bonnie. :) Voting ends Friday (tomorrow!), so don't delay!

Wishing you a beautiful day, friends...and here's to a blessed 2015!

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7 Quick Takes {no. 36}On Advent, Art, St. Nick & Thanksgiving

It's Friday, which means it's #7QT time - linking up with our new host, Kelly!

{1}
How's your first week of Advent going? I shared how we are preparing our home on Saturday. While it's been a crazy week, I have found peace in making time for daily Mass as often as possible, and reflecting with my Blessed is She Advent Journal, which has been such a blessing.

{2}
One of the projects that's been keeping me busiest this week is my etsy shop. I have several new downloadable, printable designs available. This is probably my favorite new one:

{also available for download in black, purple or pink ink}

You may have seen my Fiat print on a handful of blogs this week that have so kindly shared my shop. You even have a chance to win one for yourself in two places right now!

{3}
First, there's Jenna's independent artists giveaway. My shop is included on the giveaway along with eleven other wonderful artists. You could win twelve gifts! Don't miss it.

{4}
Secondly, a print is included in Kendra's amazing giveaway (which is second to her super, super exciting news!). Click on over to enter!

{5}
Or, you could just visit the shop and purchase a print yourself (the downloadable ones are less than $10 - less than $8, in fact!). The Blessed is She and the Fiat prints are especially fitting for this Monday's Feast of the Immaculate Conception (and all year long, for that matter). Thank you for letting me share, and for supporting my small business! I so appreciate it.

{6}
Speaking of upcoming feast days, St. Nicholas's Day is tomorrow! Do you and your family celebrate? Even though we don't have any children's shoes or stockings to fill just yet, we plan to fill each other's shoes with a couple little treats. Somehow I have an inkling that St. Nicholas will be bringing Michael

Scott Hahn's Joy to the World: How Christ's Coming Changed Everything (and Still Does),

and

Laura's Everyday Sacrament: The Messy Grace of Parenting

for me. 

Fingers crossed! :)

And while we're talking about St. Nicholas - have you seen Kendra, Bonnie, & Jenny's posts about him? I loved hearing how each of these women talk about St. Nicholas/Santa Claus in their homes.

{7}
We had a great time this Thanksgiving with my in-laws who came to visit us. One of the highlights was going to the Macy's Parade on Thanksgiving morning.

We also went to Radio City to see the Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular, which was so much fun!

So, so much to be thankful for this year (and every year). Praising God in a special way for our sweet baby boy who is now 25 weeks, and enjoying this second trimester energy while it lasts...

Praying you have a blessed weekend, friends.

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5 Favorites {no. 14} Thanksgiving Dinner Edition

I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is next week! Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Or bringing a dish to share? For today's edition of five favorites, I wanted to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes - beyond the turkey! {Linking up with Jenna - thanks for hosting!} {updated: linking up with Nell, too!}

This picture is from Thanksgiving 2012 - our first married Thanksgiving. I hosted my in-laws for Thanksgiving in NYC and made the meal. You can see pictures of my first two recipes in this picture - both are above the flowers.

{1} garlic mashed red potatoes // Michael requests these instead of traditional mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving. To make, cut red potatoes in half and boil until tender. {I love that you don't have to peel potatoes for this recipe!} Drain water from pot. Add ~1/4 stick of butter, 2-4 cloves minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Re-cover with lid to let butter begin melting. When ready to mash, pour in some half & half and beat with an electric mixer. Keep in mind that it's better to start with too little half & half and add more than to over-pour - it takes less than you might imagine to make creamy potatoes! Add more half & half if necessary and mix until potatoes reach desired consistency.

One other tip: try to keep the potatoes covered and hot until ready to serve. NOTE: These amounts are for one large pot of potatoes, but you can alter the amounts of butter, garlic and S+P depending upon how many people you are feeding. :)

{2} made-from-scratch stuffing // This is my mom's version of my grandmother's recipe. My mom knows how to make it by heart, so one Thanksgiving I watched her and wrote it down as she went. There's a printable recipe card at the end of this post if you are interested in trying this super delicious recipe. In my opinion, way better than the boxed stuff, and it's really not that difficult! Promise! TIP: Tearing the bread into one inch pieces is a great chance for kids to help. My sister and I always loved doing that part.

{3} not your average cranberries // Even if you think you don't like cranberries, you should try this recipe at least once. I actually like the canned whole cranberries, but this fresh recipe is an absolute delight. Michael never ate cranberries until I started making this recipe and now he loves them. Again, a printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post!

{4} pumpkin pie // Thanksgiving isn't complete without a slice of pumpkin pie (preferably with homemade whipped cream!). I shared this recipe last year. Hope you enjoy!

{5} dinner decor // So this isn't a recipe, but I love setting a beautiful table for any holiday. It's one of my very favorite parts. Click here to see the table details at our family Thanksgiving in 2013.

Do you have a favorite or traditional recipe for Thanksgiving dinner? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Most importantly, let us remember:

"In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

{1 Thessalonians 5:18}

Click here to print.

Click here to print.

{Have you printed your free Advent calendar and entered the giveaway? Click here!}

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Happy 1st birthday, dear blog!{a gift for YOU + a giveaway}

I can hardly believe it. Today is my blog's first birthday. When I started my blog and sent my first post out into the wide internet world, I really had no idea what to expect. I had been reading blogs for a while and felt a tug on my heart to participate a little more actively. Oh, I am so very glad I did.

Blogging has been such a gift to me. It has blessed me in many ways I could never have imagined. You prayerfully supported me through a most difficult season and rejoiced with me in times of delight. But there is no question in my mind what the very best part of this whole blogging thing is: It is the gift of connecting with so many wonderful, beautiful women {bloggers and readers alike} who are on this journey, too. And for you I am so very thankful.

So let's celebrate!

First, I want to give a gift to each and every one of you, dear readers, because you help make this place special. So here is an Advent printable calendar, designed with love, especially for you!

You can download and print a copy (or three) for your own personal use by clicking here. And feel free to share it with your friends & family, too! As you can see in the photos above, I plan on using my calendar as a meal planner for the season. You could also use it to keep track of your schedule, to make a special plan for your Advent prayer life, or if you're a blogger, to plan your posts for the season. I do hope you enjoy your gift!

Secondly, I am hosting my very first giveaway! The winner will receive three gifts:

{No. 1} your choice of a print from my etsy shop, {with joy calligraphy} // Pick one of the designs in the shop or have a custom design made just for you.

{No. 2} Advent pendant banner // just a little something fun to hang in your home
as a reminder of this beautiful church season

{No. 3} Blessed is She Advent Journal // such a special way to prepare your heart and soul
for our Lord's birth on Christmas Day

There are many ways to enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter at the end of this post. It will be open for entries through the end of the day this Saturday, November 22, so the winner will be sure to receive her (or his!) Advent treats in time for the season. Good luck!! I wish each of you could win!

*    *    *

As you may remember, "in endless song" is part of a lyric from one of my favorite hymns, "How Can I Keep from Singing?" As I reflect upon my first year of blogging and look forward to the future, I know this verse will always hold true:

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing;
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?

Happy first birthday, dear blog.  Here's to many more!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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7QT {no. 33}babymooning, thanking you & preparing for advent

{1}
We had a great babymoon to Vermont last weekend! It was so nice to get out of the city and have some special time together as husband and wife.

{2}
Vermont is absolutely beautiful. I just adore the New England area. Even though the leaves were past peak that far north, we saw some beautiful foliage on our drive from NYC (we took the scenic route - so fun!). And the views in VT were not bad either, as you can see:

{3}
One of the trip highlights was lots of delicious food. ;) We tasted Cabot cheese, went to a cider mill for hot cider and donuts, and ate at yummy restaurants. We also went on the Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour, which meant ice cream at 10:45 a.m. - but it's never too early for ice cream on a babymoon, right?

{flavor of choice: salted caramel blondie - yes, please!}

We feel really blessed to have had the time and resources to enjoy our little getaway. What a gift!

{4}
Speaking of gifts, I have to say thank you to each and every one of you who donated or prayed for our birthday gift for Thomas Gianna, a fundraiser for the National Gianna Center for Women. Here is the final total on our gift:

Wow! What a great total. We are blown away by your generosity. I can't wait to give the Gianna Center this gift next week. Thank you for joining us in honoring our first child, and for helping so many other women, children and families here in NYC. You are a blessing, and we are so very grateful for you.

{5}
We had our twenty-week ultrasound this week (even though I am now a little over twenty-one weeks pregnant now). Everything is looking good for the baby at this point - praise God! We do have to go back in a couple weeks for a follow-up because they couldn't get our sweet, stubborn baby to move for a good view of part of the brain. We also know whether our little babe is a he or a she! So exciting! I promise to share with you after we have a gender reveal party next Saturday.

{6}

Proud daughter moment: 

Isn't it lovely? This sweet cross-stitch piece was designed by my mother and her dear friends who own a design company called The Trilogy. To find out where they might carry this nativity design in a cross-stitch shop near you, click here and search for your state. A perfect piece to stitch for your home, or to gift a friend this Christmas.

{7}
Can you believe the first week of November has already come and gone? It seems like time always goes so quickly in this season each year. Advent is right around the corner!

Have you heard about the Blessed is She Advent Journal? It's a beautiful resource that was lovingly created to inspire your heart during this special church season. Included in the journal are the Sunday readings {with room to take notes on homilies}, inspirational saints for each week, a page for every day of advent with the daily readings listed and room for journaling - and more!

{click here}

Click on over to order your journal in time for Advent, and don't forget to share this resource with your friends, family, and members of your Parish community!

Also, Blessed is She will be hosting a twitter chat on prayer this Monday, November 10 at 9pm EST.

Hope to see you there! {be sure to follow @blessedisshe__ &  me, too @inendlesssong}

Wishing you a beautiful weekend. And don't forget to stop by our gracious host Jen's for more takes!

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Father's Day {with a child in heaven}

First I want to wish a very happy Father's Day to my dad and my father-in-law! I count myself so, so blessed to have such an amazing dad. He has always made sure I know I have his endless love and support, and that is a true gift. I also must say just how much I adore my father-in-law. Really. I am a lucky girl.

Today I am also wishing my husband a blessed Father's Day.

Goodness, how I love this man. 

We never imagined our first baby would be in heaven for our first Father's/Mother's Days, but nevertheless, that's where our sweet Thomas Gianna is. At home with our Heavenly Father. Thomas Gianna, pray for us.

Speaking from our experience, the father has a difficult role in the event of a miscarriage, a role I think is often overlooked and undervalued. While the father does not have the physical burden to bear, this is no reason to discount his experience. The reality is, we had a miscarriage. We lost our child. Miscarriage was traumatic not only for me, but us.

Michael has told me how unbelievably helpless he felt throughout the whole experience. Wanting to make it stop, to bring me some relief, to do something - anything.

But I have something to tell you: He may have felt helpless, but he was heroic. Michael never left my side. He jumped at every opportunity to serve me. He prayed for me. He fought for me. He was patient - so, so patient. He held me in our suffering. He was the hands and feet of Christ. He loved me in the bad times, as he does in the good. He loved me in sickness, as he does in health. I would not have made it through that experience without my husband, who is a wonderful father.

Michael, thank you. There is no one else I would rather have as the father of our children. I am praying God blesses you in a special way this day.

Lord, please bless all fathers. Bless those who yearn to be fathers. Bless our spiritual fathers.
And thank you, Our Father, for loving us so very much. Amen.