Sparkles

Double Digits

June 22, 2013 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Birthday, Sparkles 2 Comments

May God who loves you and fills your life with joy, be with you always.

~~~

Sparkles turned 10 on May 18. We were away on pilgrimage so her party had to wait.

We offer the kids a birthday party with friends, every other year. This is what works for us. It also helps our kids keep things in perspective.

This was Sparkles year for a friend birthday party. We planned her party within a week. She settled on a bowling party that was nearby her friends.

Everyone chipped in to make her party a success! Rose, Dad, and I pulled an all-nighter to complete the finishing touches. We shipped the boys to Papa & Nana’s since they were sick.

Dad and Lil’ Man were the only boys present.

Six of her eleven invited friends were able to attend.

Sweetie was a guest and Rose was the party helper.

The girls bowled, participated in contests, had pizza and cake, enjoyed presents, and wrapped it up with a few arcade games. We pretty much had the whole bowling place to ourselves. It was a blessed celebration!

~~~

Loving God, you created all the people of the world and you know each of us by name. We thank you for Sparkles, who today celebrates her birthday. Bless her with your love and friendship that she may grow in wisdom, knowledge, and grace. May she love her family always and be faithful to her friends.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Chorister

February 4, 2013 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Music, Rose, Sparkles 4 Comments

Rose and Sparkles received a ribbon and medal for their Chorister advancement on the feast of the Purification.

The annual Conferral of Medals and Ribbons of the Royal School of Church Music took place at our parish. Ten new choristers, including Sparkles, received the medal of the Royal School which represents two years of hard work in sight-singing, music theory, voice production and Gregorian Chant. Others received various colored ribbons representing further work and testing in the Chorister Training Program of the Royal School. Rose received her Purple Ribbon, signifying that she has successfully completed the entire training program. Deo Gratias!

Flower bouquet from Sparkles’ Nina

~~~

And by such music we express the spiritual joy of our hearts in this heavenly function, and excite ourselves therein to holy jubilation and devotion. Divine love and praise are the work of the heart, without which all words or exterior signs are hypocrisy and mockery. Yet as we are bound to consecrate to God our voices and all our organs and faculties, and all creatures which we use, so we ought to employ them all in magnifying his sanctity, greatness, and glory, and sometimes to accompany our interior affections of devotion with the most expressive exterior signs. ~Taken from Vol. III of "The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints" by the Rev. Alban Butler

Sweet Pickins

June 12, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: GFG, Sparkles, Summer

6.8.12 – Sparkles arranged a day of cherry picking at her Nino & Nina’s ranch.

nine

May 31, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Birthday, Sparkles

sparkles turned 9 on may 18. she was certain to follow tradition, a birthday date night with mom and dad.

we left in the early afternoon to embark on her birthday plans.

sparkles planned a day of shopping, museum, dinning out, and celebration at home with her siblings.

dad and i took sparkles shopping. she selected a sniff-n-smell t-shirt, flip flops, headband and used her birthday gift card for more goodies.

we spent over an hour at the local science museum. it was the best deal in town. admission was only $4 since dad and I received the teacher’s discount. we had the museum all to ourselves for only $4!!

sparkles selected her regular birthday dinner, mexican food. this is the third time that she has selected to dine out at this restaurant for her birthday. it’s not her fav but she is one for tradition.

she selected her favortie sweet treat – apple pie. she desired to bring a whole pie back home to share with everyone else, only after she stopped once more to pick up ~~gifts~~ party favors for her siblings.

sparkles chose a pirate set for papi, sword for dragonfly, princess set for her and sweetie, and soft sock for her big sis.

papa and nana surprised sparkles with a basketball hoop.

may the good Lord bless our sparkle who brings your joy to all. may you continue to fuel her permanent smile and giving heart. may you be her everything, always!

Youth for Life

January 25, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Pro-Life, Sparkles, Walk For Life

“I walk for life because I love babies and God.” ~Sparkles (8)

Dad arrived early with the girls. They were blessed to see Fr. Frank Provone. He graciously accepted Dad’s invitation for a picture.

I tended to the life that I have been gifted. We had all intended to walk as a family but God had other plans. Dad and I received an early wake-up call, Dragonfly. He was crying hysterically and sitting in pool of vomit. We agreed that I would stay home with Dragonfly and Papi (who had not fully recovered from his cold). My season to Walk for Life will come, for now I will cherish the time I have to nurture the lives that He has given me.

This was Sweetie’s first year on the walk. It was perfect timing, as she is preparing for her First Holy Communion.

Sparkles was in charge of pictures.*

Rose headed to the front of the caravan to walk with the youth and friends from TAC.

Rose noted that this year’s turn out was twice as large as the previous years. She also noted that this year’s opposition was crude, aggressive and outright diabolic. It was clear to all my children that there are many who are lost in the ways of this world and much prayer is needed to protect against the lion who is prowling.

Here is a brief reflection from Sparkles.

“I was excited to go on the Walk for Life WC for the second time. I prayed as I walked. The crowd (opposition) made me sad because they were being mean to God. I prayed for them.

I pray that we all will love God and that He let them know that killing babies is wrong.”

We pray to help build up the culture of life, in whatever way He calls us to. God willing, this will include walking as a complete family in 2013.

*Sparkles took all the pictures posted that do not include her.

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