Our celebration weekend

Yes, I know, April was packed-full of parties. What can I do? Things seem to cluster sometimes. This weekend is somewhat sweeter because, for the most part, it only involves family and close friends so the stress is a lot less.

Friday was the official start of this party. Here was the scene in the AM

Can you tell which is excited and which is sad that school is ending?

It is a lot of work but it's a great blessing to do these portfolios...it's like their own personal yearbook.

Yes, that's right, Friday was Evaluation Day! For those non-homeschoolers among us, I guess it's like the last report card. You see the summation of work for the year and talk to the evaluator about it who, in turn, tells you that you've passed onto the next grade. That last part usually isn't a problem but it's fun to look back at all the things, good and trying, that we accomplished (or attempted) this year.

We watched TRON as a family movie last night because tiny man was with Miss Terri for his birthday outing to see Paw Patrol. I don't think the kids liked our movie choice but dh and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

That's good because TODAY is his special day! Yes, my beloved turned 52 today. That was kind of quick. He was in his 30s when we met ;0) Truly, other than the grey hair, he seems a lot like he did then and as a young father. His energy and dedication are amazing. Take, for example, his willingness to coach a bunch of 4-and5-year-olds on a soccer team. When I was walking up today (I came later with the older kids) I heard him saying, "It seems that most of our players have now quit or are crying so we're going to call it a day." lol. He does have a lot of patience. For that, he deserves a big celebration!

Birthday dinner, in the making

Lots of cool cards

Hugs and kisses for the birthday boy AND the baptism boy (yes, today is special for that reason too!)

Explaining the "free hug" coupon. It never expires :0)

Birthday cupcakes

and a baptism-day kit kat

After soccer but before all those great festivities here, we had one more special stop. Today after all, not to take anything away from dh or the baptism boy, is a really big day in another way. It's the 100th anniversary of the first appearance of Our Lady to the Fatima children. 

Tiny Our Lady of Fatima...cute.

A nearby church was having Mass and rosary in honor of the anniversary so off we went. It was so much better than I could have imagined! The Mass was bi-lingual (first they read the reading in Spanish, then in English; Spanish homily then English homily). Afterward, we all processed outside to pray the rosary while we walked around the building... following the platform with Our Lady of Fatima (carried by boy scouts and Knights of Columbus!) and a giant balloon rosary! The kids were thrilled to take part in holding the rosary. Yes, we also switched off decades, one in Spanish, one in English, etc.

On the fourth mystery, we stopped and the rosary went into a nearby field. As we prayed, it was released into the air. It floated up into the sun (which had appeared for a while on this overcast day!)...such an amazing thing to witness. At one point it hung in the air as if someone was holding it from above. Beautiful.

Blondie got to walk with Father and hold the cross

Best seat in the house! This is how dedicated a father he is :0)

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. We will start with a pancake breakfast at church then chat until Mass. After that, I'll drive my mother an hour each way to see our neighbor, another mother from the neighborhood that herded and guided us while we were growing, who went to her Eternal Reward earlier this week. It will likely be the perfect end to this amazing weekend. Joy, gratitude, and always remembrance of our gifts and our first Mother...the one who will always guide us home.

We are blessed.