This post was originally written in 2012. I have made updates and substantial changes that reflect my own family’s growth, as well as changes in my own experiences and outlook.

In March of 2011, the arrival of a beautiful little girl, daughter of my youngest son and his wife, made me a grandmother for the first time. A little over a year later we welcomed her younger brother, and a few years after that, another little brother.

About the time of the youngest grandson’s birth my middle son introduced us to his future wife, and our soon to be new grandson, who was five when we met him first. A few years after that we welcomed our now youngest grandson into the family.

Along the way, my oldest son met and married a young lady with three more children who became ours to love and enjoy. So, for those who’ve lost count, we now have eight grandchildren.

We adults tend to reflect on this day about our older moms, perhaps even mothers or grandmothers gone from us now, a picture specific to our grown selves, a mature and experienced mother we see in the now moment. I have been thinking of motherhood, the stages of it, for some time now, reflecting on the changes that happened to me as I had each child, as our family grew up, as they left the nest and grandchildren came along, as I watch my daughters in law and sons with their own families, the mothers who struggle so hard with the demands only a young family faces.

So, I would like to write about the stages of motherhood, and perhaps, for the sake of coherence and the story, I will make assumptions about families that may not match everyone’s experience. That does not mean I value your experience less. Families come in a lot of shapes and sizes these days, from foster families, step children, and those made up of “honorary” mom or grandmother who might have stepped into the role to help  a child in need. (more…)

Gospel
Jn 20:1-9
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.

Please, no political content here. I don’t care how much you just know your current events comments are related to these religious posts, don’t do it. You have numerous posts every day for politics. Use those.

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Please, no political content here. I don’t care how much you just know your current events comments are related to these religious posts, don’t do it. You have numerous posts every day for politics. Use those.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and today is Autism Awareness Day. That might not even be on my radar if I wasn’t the grandmother of two fantastic little boys who have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Old timers here might remember praying for our family and our grandson Conner in 2015 when he had heart surgery at Vanderbilt when he was only two months old. He and his older brother Mason are very special, very normal, and very different, but they both face the challenge of a life lived with some challenges that most of us do not have to live with.

Our friend and frequent contributor John Spiropoulos sent in this video, and I am so grateful to him. It showcases the struggles that autistic children have faced this past year as their schools were closed and the resources they relied on were denied them.

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Today we observe Good Friday, the day of the death of Jesus. Many Christian Churches have different ways of observation, to prepare us for the coming resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. Today, the sacrifices we have made during Lent culminate in our internalization of the great offering of Christ’s life. If we have been diligent in our Lenten preparations, Good Friday hits us with a power and force that brings us, literally and figuratively, to our knees with the grasp of what Jesus poured out for us. It becomes personal, a tiny sliver of the cross is buried in our heart. And so each year, we find that we give ourselves over to Christ just a little more through this time of penance and reflection.

It is our wish here in the Tree that you all, so dear to us, and to each other, have a blessed and holy weekend, this most holy time of the year. May the Lamb’s Good Friday sacrifice lead you to the joy we rightfully claim on Easter Sunday. This post mentions some things from my Catholic “language” or viewpoint, if you will.  Please share some of the traditions and customs from your church or family with us. Are there special observations and services at your church this weekend?

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On this day Catholics celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, as well as the establishment of the Sacrament of the priesthood. Jesus willingly offers himself up at the Last Supper.

After sundown, the Holy Thursday Liturgy takes place, the beginning of the sacred Triduum, the three holiest days we observe as Christians. No Mass will be celebrated again until the Easter Vigil Mass, when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.

Last year we Christians had just been deprived of our right to worship together in our churches. The priests celebrated this mass alone, and we watched from home, heartbroken and also alone.

This year we return to our churches, and Christians will joyfully celebrate the Resurrection. I invite you now to spend these three days in deeper preparation and longing, opening your heart, readying yourself for Christ.

In these next days can we be better models of Christ? Can we take extra time to offer kindness, help someone in need, pray for our fellow man, reach out to someone who might like to go to Easter services with us?

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MK 11:1-10

“When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem,
to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples and said to them,
“Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately on entering it,
you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone should say to you,
‘Why are you doing this?’ reply,
‘The Master has need of it
and will send it back here at once.’”
So they went off
and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street,
and they untied it.

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Please share old favorites, new recipes you’ve found and plan to try, and your favorite ways you will be celebrating Easter Sunday.

Do you have small children who will be dyeing and hunting eggs, or is a surprise filled candy egg your favorite way to go?

When I was a child my mother made our Easter baskets very special. She found great big woven baskets and filled them with colorful grass, and then the most wonderful candies and bunnies. Our bunny was never the beautiful foil ones because she found the largest chocolate ones they made, and only the hollow bunnies were wrapped and beautiful. We made that candy last for months.

The most memorable year from my own sons’ Easter treat days is not a fun one, unfortunately. Money was always tight for us, and I had to plan ahead to have treat filled Easter baskets for my three boys. One year they found the stash, and when I found it I was equally outraged and so disappointed. I wanted to rush out last minute and buy all the things again, which they probably counted on, but I knew I could not do that. So, Easter morning they had mostly empty baskets, probably a toy and a book, and what few candies remained. (more…)