Our Resident Soccer Coach

Garrett is coaching Malachy's team this afternoon. The head coach is out of town this weekend. He is doing a great job! Malachy is number 9.

Saturday blessings!

Chari

Malachy's 2011 piano recital

Thought Malachy's grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles and cousins might enjoy his recital from earlier today. His piano teacher said he was flawless....she did not hear any mistakes.  Neither did I.  I will try to record Garrett tomorrow and the girls on Thursday.










Blessings, Chari

My Wee Little League-er Makes his Pitching Debut!

Malachy (9 years) was the first pitcher in the first game of the 2011 season.   He threw well!  He looked so small down there on the mound. It was a delight to watch this little man who has been throwing the ball accurately since he the first he held a ball as a baby.  His father has been working with him for a couple of years.......and now, we see the fruits.  Good thing his biggest brother Matthew created a pitching mound on our property way back when.  We need it!

In the first inning, he struck out three batters.  In the second inning, he struck out one batter, walked one, and his team made a double-play of a weak pop-fly.  He did not give up one hit.  They lost that game in a shut-out, but they had fun.

They have since lost two other games.  Malachy pitched well in one of those. He did get a chance to score the team's first run of the season, when he stole home.

Though I missed the game today because I went to a homeschool mom meeting, I hear that they won their first game.  Malachy said he had three hits and scored two runs.

So far, he has been able to make contact with the ball most every time he has been up at bat.  Looking forward to the rest of his season! 

Oh!  And one more thing:  one of Malachy's dearest wishes has come true...his dad is volunteering as an assistant coach!  With Garrett also working as a volunteer to assist Malachy's team.......the three boys are spending a lot of time at the ball field together. 

Enjoy this photo essay of Malachy's first experience on the mound......

...if you scroll the pictures fast, you can actualy "see" him throw.  :)

There were more pics.....but I cannot convince blogger to load them for me.....grrrrr.

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Did you know Malachy has an uncle who used to coach Babe Ruth and the local high school team here?  Well, all of those kids have grown and now have children the same age as Malachy and those grown boys are doing the coaching now.  They are doing a wonderful job....and I have heard them say they have definitely been influenced in their coaching style by Uncle David.  They do not put up with goofy kids and actually teach baseball.  Lovin' it!

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Malachy also has two cousins who have pitched professionally.......they are actually second cousins, of some sort.......and they both still play.  The two are first cousins, but about 20 years apart in age.  Keepin' an eye on their careers.  The older of the two won 2 games in a College World Series, including the final game of the series.  The younger one has just started his career.......

Baseball & spring blessings to all of you!

Love, Chari

THE TRAGEDY OF ANTARCTICA

My wee fella, aged 9, and his "best friend", Clairemarie, newly 10.......are planning to "write" a book of tragedies.  Each tragedy is to be one page only.  Below you will find their first story.  They spent the most of two days WRITING this story instead of PLAYING.  Clairemarie did the typing and Malachy did much of the leading of the story, so I have heard.  I also was told that they had disagreements over the number of "shots" heard.......and that they finally compromised.  I want to get it out here, as is, because they are notice "errors" and are wanting to fix them.  I love it the way it is and I always want to remember it this way.

When you read this, I want you to read it as written, following where the punctuation, or lack of, leads.  :)   It is quote enjoyable that way!


In addition.....do notice the amazing plotline, the vocabulary, the sweet love of family.  I am really proud of these two little homeschooled kids, taking such an initiative at such a young age.  Please understand the violence is related to hearing stories of adventure, like Treasure Island, or what have you.  They imitate what they hear.

The next story will follow soon, written entirely by my little man.  In the meantime, I give you the first time in publication (without the authors' awareness)........

THE TRAGEDY OF ANTARCTICA

 

BY

MALACHY BRYAN & CLAIREMARIE GAZAVE

There once was a wealthy family who was blessed with three children. The first was Matthew the second was Kay and the third was Helena. The first was twelve the second eleven and the third was nine. One day the three children went on there daily horse ride by themselves as they always did. On there way home they heard gun shots then they heard screaming and voices crying out help!!! they rode back to the house to see if everything was alright but all they found was dead bodies and the ruins of there house then suddenly they felt a tight grasp on there necks some strange people had knocked them out . Next thing they new they were in a sell with two people staring at them one said I will get these three! the children did not know what he meant next they were taken to the strange peoples house they were richer then the three children used to be next they were locked up in a room with twenty other slaves then one of the people who bought them came in and said get to work! the children saw there chance and raised out of the room with five other slaves but just then the children heard gun shots they saw a slave fall to the ground but they did not stop running they could hear the gun shots getting louder and louder but they would not dare to look back finally they were out of the house then they spotted a little boat nearby they quickly jumped in just then they heard gun shots and one of the slaves dropped dead then they heard more gun shots and one of the slaves fell into the water dead .it was getting darker and darker as they floated out to sea it was almost midnight when one of them spotted a ship nearby finally they were right next to the ship when they heard a voice calling out do you children need help? Matthew answered yes we are completely lost can you tell us were the nearest island is? the man said why don’t you come aboard and I will tell you so the three children with the two slaves came out of the little boat and on to the ship then the man told them were the nearest island was he said that the ship was headed there too just then they heard lightning then thunder then the waves started to get taller and taller and then the man who was also the captain yelled there’s a storm then another person yelled look out captain a wave the captain was to late to dodge he was swept off his feet by a wave as the rest of the crew and the two slaves, the three children jumped off the ship before the wave hit they swam to a little ice burg the ice burg was only five by four feet ,they decided that they would have to live there since there was no way to get out of the strange place . one morning Matthew and Helena woke up to find there brothers dead body next to them Helena started to cry Matthew said we will have to find a way to live without Kay the next day Helena and Matthew went fishing sadly without Kay as Matthew was fishing he heard a scream it was Helena she had fallen into the water Matthew was to late to save her Helena had drown he had lost his two siblings which were the most important things to him. The next morning when Matthew was fishing the ice burg started to crack Matthew saw Kay who was frozen stuck to the ice burg sink down into the sea Matthew started to sink as well his last words were at least I will be with my brother and sister and that ends the TRAGEDY OF ANTARCTICA.



Blessings, my friends & relatives......

Love,
Chari

The funny things my kid says.....

I gotta love my nine year old little man.......he entertains me regularly with his cleverness.


I have listed a few amusing examples......it is somewhat difficult to paint the picture with words......but hopefully I can translate the humor....


Some of the instances may be those "I guess you had to be there " variety.....but at least I will have them written here for posterity.

I am so going to miss these cute little sayings when I no longer have a little one....

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You mean, not everybody has snow at their house for months on end???


We had to drive to the town south of us to pick up his sisters from their sewing lesson. As we were pulling away from my friend's house, he exclaims, as if it just suddenly dawned on him: "Hey! They don't have any snow here!..............they could play baseball if they wanted."


Of course this was most pleasing to his baseball-loving papa.


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Not too young to cuddle


A couple of mornings ago......he awakened too early for my preference, and climbed into my bed. I tried to convince him he wanted to go back to sleep.....but I failed. He was rambling about "being alive for one million days." I explained that no one could live that long.....that it would be impossible. I showed him that even if a person lived one hundred years, he would not even come close to one million days. He wanted to know how many days I had lived......sooooo, I began doing the math in my head........using 40 years for my age........till I realized......"Hey! Wait! I am not forty, I am 46!" Then I say....."Gosh. I will be 47 on my next birthday........that's almost 50..... I am getting old!" He throws his body on me and slyly states: "But you are still young enough to cuddle!"....smothering me with hugs. How cute is that!

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Why bother with one? Let's do the math here.


After confession, mass and communion, our family is in the habit of praying the following prayer & one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the Holy Father's intentions with the hopes to aid in the release of a soul (one soul) from purgatory.

Prayer Before a Crucifix

Behold, O good and sweetest Jesus,

I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight,

and with the most fervent desire of my soul

I pray and beseech Thee

to impress upon my heart

lively sentiments of faith,

hope and charity,

with true repentance for my sins

and a most firm desire of amendment.

Whilst with deep affection and grief of soul

I consider within myself

and mentally contemplate

Thy five most precious wounds,

having before mine eyes that which David,

the prophet, long ago spoke concerning Thee,

“They have pierced My hands and My feet,

they have numbered all My bones.”

Our niece, Sister Maria Philomena, sent a prayer card to us a long time ago.....long before he was born....., with a special prayer and request given from Our Lord to St. Gertrude.......


Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was later extended to include living sinners as well. Here it is:

"ETERNAL FATHER, I OFFER THEE THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THY DIVINE SON, JESUS, IN UNION WITH THE MASSES SAID THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TODAY, FOR ALL THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."

APPROVAL AND RECOMMENDATION: M. Cardinal Pahiarca at Lisbon, Portugal, March 4, 1936

We have always offered this prayer whenever we pass a cemetery, to remind us to pray for the church suffering.

Okay, now you have the background info for his commentary.........


So, he says, from his seat way back in the Yukon XL (Suburban).......

"You know that prayer that we pray after mass all of the time?"
"Yeah"
"Well, every time we say it, one soul is released from purgatory, right?"
"Yeah"
"And, you know that prayer we pray every time we pass a cemetery?"
"Yeah"
"Well, if 1,000 souls are let out of purgatory every time we pray that one.....why do we even bother with the other one after mass?"\\

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More beautiful prayers of St. Gertrude

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If I had a super power.........


We were home alone, the wee boy and I:

Boy: Don't you wish that you had the super power to change yourself into anything you want?
Me: Mmmhmm.
Boy: Do you know what I would change myself into?
Me: No.
Boy: I would change myself into a kitten.
Me: Really?  A kitten?
Boy: Yes. If I were a kitten......I could cuddle up next to one of the kittens in the garage.....and then quickly change back into myself and grab it so that I could pet it.
Me: Ah, that would be clever.
Boy: If I were a kitten, I could run around under the bushes in the low areas to see what they see.
Me: That would be fun.
Boy: Yeah.......but I would have to be careful not to get eaten by a mountain lion!"

This kid cracks me up!

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One of my favorites....an oldie.....

He was about 3 years old, not yet weaned. Like one of his sisters before him, he called nursing "nigh', night."

The girls were watching "Pride & Prejudice" with Colin Firth.

Malachy tells them: "I like Lizzie the best. I think she is pretty. ......And...... 'her nigh', nights' are BIIIIIIG."

: ))))))))))

I know there are so many more........but my mind is unable to grasp them for now........thanks for reading along with me!

Blessings,
Chari

Our Wee Maestro!

Tonight, finally, Malachy was able to put his own composition to paper.

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He has been playing his own composition for months.......begging someone to help him write it down.

Tonight, Sarah was sitting at the piano, working on a piece, when Malachy (age 8 years) approached her. In his hand was the music composition book I had finally unearthed from Matthew's things.

After helping him for a bit, he says to her:

"Thank you SO much!! I have been needing to get this written down. You know, Sarah........I have to start sometime. I mean, Beethoven started when he was eight. Of course, I will not be completely like Beethoven ........or like August Rush." :)

Not quite sure where he got the "Beethoven was eight" info..........but he sure brings a smile to our faces with frequency! Gotta love that kid!

I guess I should create a video of him playing his piece, eh?

Maybe tomorrow......

Lenten Blessings,

Chari

It's The Little Man's Birthday Today......

EIGHT years ago, we had this.......

Anne, 13 years old, proxy for the godparents at Malachy's baptism

Also, Father Hunter & Sarah, 8 years

Garrett, 4.5 years & Malachy

Malachy & godfather, Uncle Christopher

Malachy with godmother, Aunt Dana


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And, now...........we have scenes from the latest year in Malachy's life........

In the snow.......at night.....couldn't wait to get out there...

........at least this one time he has shoes on!!!

He loved tee ball this year, being on Abraham's (son of Shawna) team....

....his taller friend next to him there.......

Too cute!

With oldest sister Anne, when she graduated with her AA in May

With his oldest brother, and tallest, at Matthew's High School graduation in May

In the Lake at our annual Catholic homeschool campout

Malachy & one of his favorite friends, Paddy (son of Willa),

in one of their many imaginary games...

Malachy with his friend Winona....

....another one he has grown up with since birth...

...that also includes Abraham & Paddy above, too

Malachy hated baths his first year of life...

....but has been a lake boy ever since.....

One of his duplo creations.......this was a church

Paddy, Aidan & Malachy....friends since their forever started :)

This summer with Catholic homeschooling friends at Castle Lake,

Clementine, another "forever" friend, in the background

I love this action shot!

At a public pool for Catherine G.'s birthday party....such fun!

By the Sacramento River at a lovely park.....

........picnicking for Catherine's birthday

The brothers, Garrett & Malachy,

the night of the Taiko concert,

held outdoors, at the base of the mountain.....nice August night.

Malachy with one of his favorite dance partners, Bethany!!

Taken at our summer 2009 dance party.

Malachy and big sister Anne, at the same party.

Winona & Malachy created this special mask and a cape for her little brother, Jade.

Malachy cuddling a chihuahua friend, after he and Winona had bathed the two dogs.

Malachy has loved the felines around Hearts' Haven since he realized their existence.

Malachy with two of his best friends......sisters Clairemarie & Clementine.

Berrypicking, summer '09.

Malachy loves kite flying!

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Happy birthday, Malachy!!!

We love you!!!!

We thank God every day for bringing you to our family.

Love from your family at Our Hearts' Haven!!