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The Manhattan Declaration

Theodore's Memorial Video

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Divine Mercy


God’s mercy is at the center of all things, even of being guillotined.

"Oh praise the Lord all ye nations!

Praise him all ye people!

For His mercy is confirmed upon us

And the truth of the Lord remaineth forever!

Praise the Lord!"


Laudate Dominum omnes gentes, Psalm 117


- from the book To Quell the Terror, by William Bush.

Find a brief review of it HERE.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Broadway Night Feature

Oldest Daughter Noisykid sings 'Without You' from the movie musical 'My Fair Lady.' She is accompanied by a friend. Enjoy:

Friday, April 25, 2008

What is 'Facebook?'

My children(well some of them) have a Facebook page.

What is Facebook?

I think this little musical number sums it up better than I could:

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Tribulation

"Tribulation is a gift from God - one that He especially gives his special friends."

- St. Thomas More (a friend sent us this)

Wifeofdadwithnoisykids raised the concern that some of the prayers I have included in recent posts seem to be asking for suffering. This is correct. However, I am in no way asking for any more sacrifices at this time - in fact, I pray that our sorrows be taken away if possible. Every waking moment is full of pain for our son, and now even my dreams are included.

My thought is that the prayers from a few posts ago would serve as a source of consolation and strength to us(and you if you need it). When one considers how we can unite ourselves closer to Christ through our sufferings, or that sacrifices are pleasing to God, it helps us as we deal with whatever sorrow we are experiencing.

Does that make sense?

It has been a long day, and I think it is time to go to sleep. The teenage children are practicing musical numbers from 'My Fair Lady' for a talent show this weekend. Some of the singing is great, but if I have to listen to another teenage boy try to imitate Rex Harrison......

...but that is a different type of suffering.


I have not heard THIS one, though:




This video reminds me of courtship and dating issues. I got a foreshadowing of things to come years ago, when a sister-in-law first moved to Texas and stayed with us for a while. I got to see what it could be like if I don't function as the gatekeeper for boys who want to get to know my daughters. anyways, some annoying young man started calling on sister-in-law day and night, asking her out and wanting to go on long walks in the hot San Antonio sun(when I used to make the kids do this, they became known as the 'dadwithnoisykid death marches').

But I digress. This annoying young man seemed determined to win the favor of my sister-in-law. He would go to any extreme of change just to be pleasing to her. I started to call him 'The Love Gumby.' He was willing to turn into anything to try to win her heart.

The Love Gumby:



Note the inspiration for The Terminator there, where a whole bunch of little gumbies become the one gumby again.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Jesus, Love of My Soul


"Jesus, love of my Soul, center of my heart! Why am I not more eager to endure pains and tribulations for love of You, when You, my God, have suffered so many for me?

Come, then, every sort of trial in the world, for this is my delight, to suffer for Jesus.

This is my joy, to follow my Savior, and to find my consolation with my consoler on the cross.

This is my happiness, this my pleasure, to live with Jesus, to walk with Jesus, to converse with Jesus; to suffer with and for Him, this is my treasure."


- by St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

For the shorter version of this prayer, just say:

Bring it on, Lord!

Such serious posts must be touched with a bit of levity. Here is an upbeat video, guaranteed to stick in your mind:

Monday, April 21, 2008

Homily from Theodore's Funeral


The whole reason for this blog, ie., a venue for presenting my own bad poetry, wandering stories, bad book reviews of books nobody else would read, and somewhat tasteless anecdotes - all 'in union with the Magesterium of the Holy Catholic Church' - has been hijacked for the time being. I don't mean to be a bore, but this family tragedy does bring things to mind which are worth passing along.
The video of the bobble head Pope is not included in the preceding statement.

But here is something worth reading - or hearing, if you go to THIS link:

Homily
Funeral Mass for Theodore Gerard
Fr. Paul W.
April 9, 2008

"And Jesus wept."

+ In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. +

We have no control over the day we come into this world and we have no control over the day we depart. To see the beauty of God’s providence in all of this, one has only to study some of those things, which occurred in connection with Theodore. A chronology if you will.

The day before Theodore passed away was the 3rd Anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II, the pope who brought us the Sunday after Easter, which is now called Divine Mercy Sunday. The Holy Father is identified with that devotion. There is that beautiful picture of the graces streaming from the heart of Jesus and at the bottom it says, “Jesus I Trust In You.” The Holy Father died on the Vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday and the following day was Divine Mercy Sunday.

Theodore died the day after the pope, three years later of course. The day before he died was also the National Day for Autism Awareness in this country. I know, just a coincidence. Theodore was autistic and he just happened to die the day after National Autism Awareness day. If Theodore had been told that, he would have told you that it was National Awareness day; he never forgot a date.

Theodore passed away on the first Thursday of the month, which is the day before the First Friday. The First Thursday of the month is always in honor of the Blessed Sacrament and that is where I first met Theodore.[Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Dallas] The First Friday is always in remembrance of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the source of Divine Mercy. And of course, let us not forget Our Lady and the First Saturday.

The context in which Theodore passed away is so amazing. The day after Theodore passed away, in the Divine Office the Book of Revelation has a beautiful picture of Heaven; the Book of Revelation, chapter four has St. John caught up in an ecstasy:

"A throne was standing there in Heaven and on the throne was seated One, whose appearance had a jet like sparkle as of jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a rainbow as brilliant as emerald. Surrounding this throne were twenty-four other thrones on which were seated twenty-four elders. They were clothed in white garments and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightening and peels of thunder. Before it burned seven flaming torches, the seven Spirits of God. The floor around the throne was like a sea of glass that was crystal clear. At the very center around the throne itself stood four living creatures covered with eyes, front and back. The first creature resembled a lion, the second and ox; the third had the face of a man, while the fourth looked like and eagle in flight. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and eyes all over, inside and out. Day and night without pause they said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty; He who was and who is to come.”

These are the assembled angels and saints in Heaven, whose constant preoccupation is the glory of God and adoration. The second reading from the Divine Office, on the day following Theodore’s death is from a saint who is not featured widely in the Divine Office. We only hear about him once in a while. The second reading on the day after Theodore passed away is from a sermon by St. Theodore the Studite. Now, Theodore was named for St. Theodore Tyro, a soldier, but it is amazing that Saint Theodore the Studite, rarely seen in the Divine Office, just happened to be on the day after Theodore’s death. It is all about a precious gift from God:

"How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light.This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return."

How fitting that someone named Theodore, someone named St. Theodore wrote these words and they just happened to be included in the prayer of the Church, the Liturgy of the Hours the day after Theodore passed away. Further on St. Theodore writes,

"Well might the holy Apostle exclaim: Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world! The supreme wisdom that flowered on the cross has shown the folly of worldly wisdom’s pride. The knowledge of all good, which is the fruit of the cross, has cut away the shoots of wickedness."

Again… The supreme wisdom that flowered on the cross has shown the folly of worldly wisdom’s pride. It would be impossible to find a more apt sentence to describe the life of Theodore. Theodore, who in the light of the “world’s” wisdom is nobody. But the supreme wisdom that flowered on the cross has shown the folly of worldly wisdom’s pride.

If we are honest, today with so many tests being possible before birth, most couples, if they could detect autism would do the “charitable” thing today and abort the child. If we are honest, this is what the culture of death in our country would declare is the “charitable” option. The fact that Theodore lived, Theodore was baptized, he was confirmed, he received Holy Communion and the anointing of the sick, but one thing Theodore never did was sin. The Catholic Church teaches us that whoever is born, is baptized and never sins, upon death they go immediately into the Divine Embrace. They call these people saints. Who knows, if it is God’s will, he may be added to the Canon of Saints officially. But, we can reason from the life of Theodore and the teaching of the Church that one who never sinned, lived, suffered, and died is now in God’s embrace. I am sorry that you too like myself have experienced too many Catholic funerals that give instant canonization of Uncle Joe or Aunt Mary or whoever. That is not possible but this is.

Just days before Theodore’s death Paul Scofield passed away. He played “A Man for All Seasons”, and with a friend of mine I have a running battle about who played St. Thomas More better, Paul Scoflied or Charlton Heston. It is no contest; it is Paul Scofield. He passed away just days before Theodore passed away. Just after Theodore died, Charlton Heston died. So, I guess God has settled it and He too thinks that Paul Scofield did a better job. [Laughter] But, Charlton Heston did a better Moses. One of the lines included in “A Man for All Seasons” shows a battle; it is a battle for truth taking place in England between those who wish to remake the Church in their own image and those who promote the truth of Jesus Christ, Who is the image par excellence of the Church. There is a conversation between St. Thomas More and his daughter, Margaret. Margaret is worried that her father may die and not go to Heaven. St. Thomas More’s reply to his daughter seems very fitting today for this occasion:

"God will not reject one so blithe to go to Him."

You can just imagine how eager Theodore was to walk up to perfect strangers in order to say those beautiful words, “Nice to meets you”, and shake hands with perfect strangers only to look for another perfect stranger; some very miffed about the whole encounter. But think about how eagerly he ran up to perfect strangers and how eagerly this one so blithe to go to God would be running toward his Maker.

Theodore was named for St. Theodore Tyro. How fitting because Theodore’s life was a battle... his goodness in the midst of so much evil. On the back of this program here, if you would look under the Agnus Dei is the “Victimae Pascali Laudes”, which will be chanted during communion. There is a beautiful verse you will hear, “Mors et Vita duello”, “death and life in a battle”, is a decent translation. Victimae Pascali Laudes is a about the battle of Jesus and the strong man of this world and that Jesus has defeated the strong man, so that He could put to death, death. What do they say? There are only two certainties in life, death and taxes, and Theodore’s death and burial actually come before April 15th…just another one of those coincidences. This is a death that had witnesses just as Theodore’s death had witnesses.

Today on the calendar of the Church is the Feast of St. Mary of Cleophas. She was one of the three women, who took spices on the day of the Resurrection to the tomb of Jesus to anoint His body. At the time of Jesus it was very common for the Romans and so many other enlightened people of the world, that upon the death of the individual they would just take the person to the edge of town and leave them there for the birds of the air or the animals. It seemed ecologically sensitive or “green”, as we would say today. Do you notice the care that we take of this vessel, this temple of the Holy Spirit that was Theodore’s body?

The women went to anoint the Body of Jesus but He was not there. The angels told them that He had risen and they went on to tell the apostles. The Divine Mercy of God was poured out for us through the person of Jesus Christ and witnessed by so many people. It sounds too good to be true, but it is true. This is why we are here today; death and life have come together in a war, in a battle, and Jesus has defeated the strong man of this world.

It is interesting that one this date, one of the most important dates in the history of this country, the Civil War came to an end. There is a battle but the battle has been won. Theodore had his part in the battle; he never said “No” to God. How often soldiers weaken and disobey orders and run away. Theodore never ran from God, which is what we call sin. Because of his desire to worship God in this way, in his own beautiful way, God will not reject one so blithe to got to Him.
Theodore’s life was one of adoration; Theodore’s life was a beautiful life, so concentrated on the good and so different from my own and probably yours. In losing him today, it is his gain but our loss. We believe in the power of Christ over sin and death. We ask His help to follow Christ, to carry our cross and to see that the flower of wisdom bloomed on the cross, as St. Theodore said.

The world says that this is folly, but the world also says it is folly to have twelve children. The world is wrong every single day. Every day that you get up and every day that you go to bed the world has wisdom, which is folly. Just witness it on TV, the newspaper, the radio, or speaking to committed Christians, who are against having children or have made that commitment null and void by limiting their children. Theodore was child #3. Most Christians who would discover that their child was autistic would do the charitable thing and not have any more children. How fitting it is today for us to witness this. Which one of the brothers and sisters of Theodore should have been left behind?

It is not easy to carry the cross. I am the poster boy for running from carrying the cross. I don’t like to carry the cross but carrying the cross helps us to imitate Jesus; it helps to humble us. Jesus humbled Himself though he needed no humbling. He was born into this world naked, he left this world naked and in between there were countless humiliations.

It sounds just like the life of Theodore. On the day he died, Theodore was taken to the hospital naked, yet he had died at home in the embrace of his family but he was in the bathroom. Theodore met with the humiliations of daily life, the ones you and I try to plan against but invariably happen. Theodore was humiliated on a daily basis. Somebody had to do this for him, somebody had to do that for him, but they did it and did it with love. In doing so there was an awareness of serving God in serving Theodore, and serving God in taking care of his everyday needs. The humiliations of Theodore would be a long list, but Theodore had the right approach. The day after a humiliation or a setback, Theodore would go on about greeting everyone, playing with his brothers and sisters, drawing, and imitating me. [Laughter] So, that of course will be sorely missed. [Laughter] Yes, it is kind of hard to hear your laugh coming back at you through Theodore.

Theodore will be missed but let us not create a different Theodore so that we can remember a different Theodore. Theodore was treated badly by the world.

“Couldn’t someone do something with him?”

How many times there were that someone thought that, or worse, said it.

“Couldn’t somebody do something with Theodore? Isn’t there a place for Theodore?”

Yes, with the [Noisykids] family in their home and in the midst of people, who loved him. And Theodore will be sorely missed. We see the anticipation of this day in Our Lord’s weeping at the death of His friend, Lazarus, just as we weep today for the death of Theodore. But, we glory that Theodore has gone on to adore God forever in Heaven with all the angels and saints. There every tear is wiped away, the glory of the cross, a bittersweet glory but a beautiful cross. To call upon Theodore for help during the day would be a wise thing. Here someone who was considered so useless by the wisdom of this world can be seen as a helper in so many ways throughout the day.

And Jesus wept.

+ In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. +

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Public Service Announcement





Even in the midst of sorrow, the sun still shines, my living children play and make me laugh, and Pope Benedict XVI comes to the United States.

We put this quote on some of the holy cards we made for Theodore's funeral:

“If God gives you an abundant harvest of trials, it is a sign of the great holiness to which He desires you to attain.

Do you want to become a great saint?

Ask God to send you many sufferings. The flame of divine love never rises higher than when fed with the wood of the cross, which the infinite charity of the Savior uses to finish His sacrifice.

All the pleasures of the world are nothing compared with the sweetness found in the gall and vinegar offered to Jesus Christ; that is, hard and painful things endured for Jesus Christ and with Jesus Christ.”


- from the Maxims of St. Ignatius of Loyola

I didn't ask for this suffering, but I thank God for it, because right HERE is where He wants me to be.

My thoughts alternate between a bittersweet exhilaration of knowing that only God could sustain us through this time of sorrow - actually He sustains us all time time anyways - and feelings of such sadness for the loss of Theodore.

I even wrote some 'Bad Poetry' about it, but I can't find it on my desk.

I updated my Curriculum Vitae the other day, and had to change the number of children from twelve to eleven.

Work is hard, because as an anesthesiologist, I render patients unconscious and then wake them up again. In the extreme, that is what I tried to do with Theodore. People at work have been very nice. One of my co-workers mentioned that what I am experiencing will help me appreciate what the parents of my patients are going through. I can only hope.

People have put condolence cards in my briefcase(some call it a 'man purse') while I am not in my room.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Sunday Night Thoughts

Last Saturday Wifeofdadwithnoisykids and I had to pick up some clothes for the little children; they needed something nice to wear to the Viewing on Tuesday, and something more formal to wear to the Funeral on Wednesday. We went to a mall in Dallas - one full of nice stores and beautiful people. The kind of place where Theodore would have a blast shaking everyone's hand.

It was getting late, so we dropped into a restaurant in the mall to grab some food before picking up relatives at the airport. While our waiter tried to get us excited about eating lots of good Mexican food, we alternately talked about Theodore and tried to keep from crying. I am sure our waiter thought we were going to leave him a small tip.

Anyway, my wife mentioned to me that she did not know how we were going to go on without Theodore. I told her we would just have to simply 'go on.' We would just have to keep going on with our daily activities despite the pain and sorrow which have become our constant companions. Kinda like this dude; we put one foot in front of the other:



Rankin/Bass were truly deep philosophers.

This has been the case over the past 10 days. Up until the end of the funeral luncheon, we had something to do, some task to look forward to(sort of). But after Wednesday night, there was nothing else that had to be done.

I take that back. I had to start paying the bills for the funeral.

So for now we live our lives, trying to pray harder for our living children and trying to continue our daily routines. Some family from Michigan, including Wifeofdadwithnoisykids' favorite older sister, will stay on for a while. Sleep is hard to come by, and the simplest things cause my wife and I to suddenly burst into tears - the Consecration seems to cause a lot of tears, probably because I am used to Theodore sitting on my right side at Mass. The holy water bucket brought tears to my eyes, when I recalled how Theodore didn't like getting sprinkled with Holy Water during Asperges. Father P. would allow him to dip a finger into the bucket to get a drop of Holy Water to bless himself.

Ketchup, Theodore's favorite vegetable, reminds me of him.

I was reminded of a book I reviewed here in August 2006: Cry, The Beloved Country, by Alan Paton. In brief, the book relates the story of two men, two fathers; one(Jarvis) is the father of a man who was murdered, and the other(Kumalo) is the father of the murderer. After reading the book, I figured I needed to do what i could to keep my children from becoming like Kumalo's son. It never even dawned on me that I could end up in Jarvis' shoes.

Jarvis's son was a brilliant writer; Theodore was an artist.

In the book, Mrs. Jarvis is given some form of sedative to help her deal with her son's death. While I can see where this may help, I would prefer to not have any kind of pharmacological relief from the pain that is in my heart. Right now my heart is broken from the loss of my son, but in a strange way experiencing the loss, pain and sorrow that come with this mourning is part of Theodore's life. Even though he is dead, this pain is part of him that must be lived through, perhaps to firmly impress memories of him in my mind, my heart. Right now everything of Theodore's is precious, even the pain of his loss.

But I have to keep going on with the rest of my life. This song has run through my head over the past week. The words are listed below the video:



I'll look up while I'm walking
So the tears don't fall from my eyes

I think back to spring days
It's a lonely night

I'll look up while I'm walking
And count the scattered stars

I think back to summer days
It's a lonely night

Happiness is above the clouds
Happiness is above the sky

I'll look up while I'm walking
So the tears don't fall from my eyes

Even while I cry I walk on
It's a lonely night

Sadness is in the light of the stars
Sadness is in the light of the moon

I'll look up while I'm walking
So the tears don't fall from my eyes

Even while I cry I walk on
It's a lonely night
It's a lonely night

Saturday, April 12, 2008

From the Office of Readings, April 4. 2008

A sermon from St. Theodore the Studite, on April 4, 2008 in the Office of Readings. This was the reading the day after my Theodore died. Good timing in a Divine Providence kind of way....


How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate!

In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree

of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste.

The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light.

This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return.

This was the tree on which Christ, like a king on a chariot,

destroyed the devil, the Lord of death, and freed the human

race from his tyranny. This was the tree upon which the Lord,
like a brave warrior wounded in his hands, feet and side,
healed the wounds of sin that the evil serpent had inflicted on
our nature. A tree once caused our death, but now a tree
brings life. Once deceived by a tree, we have now repelled
the cunning serpent by a tree. What an astonishing
transformation! That death should become life, that decay
should become immortality, that shame should become glory!
Well might the holy Apostle exclaim:


Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been

crucified to me, and I to the world!


The supreme wisdom that flowered on the cross has shown the

folly of worldly wisdom’s pride. The knowledge of all good, which

is the fruit of the cross, has cut away the shoots of wickedness.
The wonders accomplished through this tree were foreshadowed

clearly even by the mere types and figures that existed in the past.

Meditate on these, if you are eager to learn. Was it not the wood

of a tree that enabled Noah, at God’s command, to escape the
destruction of the flood together with his sons, his wife, his

sons’ wives and every kind of animal? And surely the rod of

Moses prefigured the cross when it changed water into blood,

swallowed up the false serpents of Pharaoh’s magicians, divided

the sea at one stroke and then restored the waters to their normal

course, drowning the enemy and saving God’s own people?
Aaron’s rod, which blossomed in one day in proof of his true

priesthood, was another figure of the cross, and did not Abraham

foreshadow the cross when he bound his son Isaac and placed

him on the pile of wood? By the cross death was slain and Adam

was restored to life. The cross is the glory of all the apostles,

the crown of the martyrs, the sanctification of the saints.

By the cross we put on Christ and cast aside our former self.

By the cross we, the sheep of Christ, have been gathered into one

flock, destined for the sheepfolds of heaven.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Prayer over the Gifts

From Theodore's funeral. This is the translation from the Latin:

"O Lord, make holy these gifts offered to You, that, as the parents return to You the child whom You have given to them, they may be made worthy to joyfully embrace him in Your Kingdom. Through Christ our Lord."

Amen.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Funeral

Tonight was the viewing. Tomorrow is the funeral and the burial of Theodore. Such an outpouring of love from so many people.

One of my favorite pieces of music is Henryk Gorecki's Symphony Number 3, Opus 36 "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs." The first time I heard it I was late for work because I couldn't leave the radio. The third movement was inspired by a Polish folk song, in which a mother laments her son who was killed in battle.

The loss expressed by the mother reflects my thoughts. The situation is a bit different, though.

Where has he gone,
My dearest son?
Killed by the harsh enemy, perhaps,
In the rebellion.
You bad people,
In the name of the Holy God,
Tell me why you killed
My dear son.

Never more

Will I have his protection,
Even if I weep
My old eyes away,
Or if my bitter tears
Were to make another River Oder,
They would not bring back
My son to life.

He lies in the grave
I know not where
Though I ask people
Everywhere
Perhaps the poor boy
Lies in a rough trench
Instead of lying, as he might,
In a warm bed.

Sing for him,
Little song-birds of God,
For his mother
Cannot find him.
And God's little flowers,
May you bloom all around
So that my son
May sleep happily.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Two Videos of Theodore

From February, 2007:

Climb Every Mountain:


Somewhere:


As requested from our dear friend Bridget at Our Magnum Opus.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Funeral Arrangements, Part II

Theodore incorporated Divine Mercy into several pictures in his collection of picture books.

I have been too busy to write anything more profound than a schedule of events. Today is no different.


Yesterday we met with the funeral home to arrange for the viewing, the Mass, and the Cemetery arrangements. We are now tasked with coming up with 80-100 pictures to use in a video montage which would be displayed during the viewing. That works out to 6-7 pictures per year. After poring over boxes of pictures and the pictures on three computers, we have some selecting to do.


Neither Wifeofdadwithnoisykids or I are getting much sleep. We woke up early today and yesterday and went to the 8 a.m. Mass. Sleep doesnt' come easy either. I met a man recently who lost his son more than a year ago. He didn't appear to sleep much either.


Today we picked a cemetery plot for Theodore. My mind started to revolt during this event, as I kept on thinking that I should be doing this for my parents, not for my child.


As I drove out of the cemetery, I had to stop and put the car in 'park' while I experienced a meltdown of sorts. All I could think of was my little boy(even though he is bigger and taller than me) being buried in the ground. These waves of grief seem to come on with the least provocation, as when earlier today I went to carry Theodore's clothes to the car. I was taking them to the funeral home. I suddenly found myself sobbing, totally out of control. Like waves, they pass over me eventually.


I shall make one comment, and revise my first post on Theodore's death. Theodore was autistic and mentally retarded, and functioned at the maturity level of a toddler. As such, he was not capable of committing any sin any more than a toddler would be. But he had received the Sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick. Add onto these graces the many he would receive any time he received Our Lord at Mass, or those which came from praying with us. He was unique in the world of teenagers in that he still had all those graces intact in his soul when he died. In short, he died a holy death and went to Heaven - not stopping in Purgatory - after his death. So rather than pray for the repose of his soul, I would recommend instead that one consider the tremedous blessing we have received: knowledge that one of our children is in Heaven.


This is one consolation I have whenever I find myself reliving finding Theodore, trying to resuscitate him, and seeing him declared dead: without stain of sin, Heaven is now his home.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Funeral Plans


Our plans for Theodore's funeral and visitation are almost complete.


Public viewing will be at Boze Mitchell Mckibbin Funeral Home in Waxahachie from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, 2008.


Boze Mitchell McKibbin Funeral Home

511 W. Main

Waxahachie, TX 75165

972.937.2211



The funeral Mass will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Waxahachie at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2008.


St. Joseph Catholic Church

512 E. Marvin Avenue

Waxahachie, TX 75165

972.938.1953




Interment will follow Mass at Holy Redeemer Cemetery in DeSoto.


We are still working on the reception site.


Thank you all for your prayers for us during this most difficult time.


God bless you


dadwithnoisykids

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Sad News REVISED APRIL 5, 2008

Please pray for US AS WE GRIEVE THE LOSS OF my son Theodore Gerard, who died suddenly this morning.

It is hard to write anything else right now.

dadwithnoisykids
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Another Quote

"Who needs the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue when we get catalogs in the mail?"

- dadwithnoisykids

Seriously, if you call the company which sent the catalog, they can tell you where they got your address. Get your name taken off their list, and then call up the company which sold your address.

For some reason, toy catalogs seem to sell our name to the worst stores....

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A Great Quote

"I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room and read a good book."

Groucho Marx
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Infertility, Part 2

First, a bit of neat stuff about Antarctic animals. I never knew this about penguins:




I am having a time coming up with a response to this question from 'Anonymous:'

I have a question for you? How many miscarriages would be a sign for you to say that your time is over for having more children? I have a friend who has 7 children and then had 3 miscarriages in her early 40's. Finally her husband and her decided that they would use NFP to avoid conception since it seemed apparent that she could no longer carry a child to term. It was a difficult decision to make but it seemed to be very sensible. Repeated miscarriages are difficult on the mom both physically and emotionally.

This will have to wait a bit; let the ideas marinate in my head for a day or two. While I think it over, consider this thought that my wife had. She has started praying to her guardian angel to select a good egg(or eggs) for ovulation.

They can do it!

Our Lady of the Mysterious Decapitation

Our Lady of the Mysterious Decapitation
Now restored with the help of some cement!

Prayer to Our Lady of the Mysterious Decapitation

Mary my mother, take my hand today, and all days.
Lead me away from all occasions of sin.
Guide me in fulfilling your last words in the Gospel,
"Do whatever He tells you."
Amen.

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