First Day
“You are Peter...”
​
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John
the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He
said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply,
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld
shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of
heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and
whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (16:13-19)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

O God, faithful rewarder of souls,
grant that your departed servant Pope Francis,
whom you made successor of Peter
and shepherd of your Church,
may happily enjoy for ever in your presence in heaven
the mysteries of your grace and compassion,
which he faithfully ministered on earth.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Second Day
“Feed my Sheep...”

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than
these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second
time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him,
“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus said to him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter
was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?”
and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love
you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” (21:15-17)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

O God, immortal shepherd of souls,
look on your people’s prayers
and grant that your servant Pope Francis,
who presided over your Church in charity,
may, with the flock entrusted to his care,
receive from your mercy
the reward of a faithful steward.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Third Day
Peter, the Unity of All the Church

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from a sermon by Saint Augustine
As you are aware, Jesus chose his disciples before his Passion and called
them Apostles; and among these almost everywhere Peter alone deserved to
represent the entire Church. And because of that role which he alone had,
he merited to hear the words: To you I shall give the keys of the Kingdom of
heaven. For it was not one man who received the keys, but the entire
Church considered as one... Rightly then did the Lord after his
Resurrection entrust Peter with the feeding of his sheep. Yet he was not the
only disciple to merit the feeding of the Lord’s sheep; but Christ in
speaking only to one suggests the unity of all; and so he speaks to Peter,
because Peter is first among the Apostles. (Sermo 295, nos. 2, 4)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

O God, who chose your servant Pope Francis
from among your Priests
and endowed him with pontifical dignity
in the apostolic priesthood,
grant, we pray,
that he may also be admitted to their company for ever.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Fourth Day
Authentic Teacher of the Faith

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Roman Pontiff and the bishops are “authentic teachers, that is,
teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach the faith to the
people entrusted to them, the faith to be believed and put into practice”
(Lumen gentium, 25). The ordinary and universal Magisterium of the
Pope and the bishops in communion with him teach the faithful the truth
to believe, the charity to practice, the beatitude to hope for. (no. 2034)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

O God, who in your wondrous providence
chose your servant Pope Francis to preside over your Church,
grant, we pray,
that, having served as the Vicar of your Son on earth,
he may be welcomed by him into eternal glory.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.


Fifth Day
“Strengthen Your Brothers...”

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like
wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you
have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him,
“Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.” But Jesus
replied, “I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny
three times that you know me.” (22:31-34)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

Grant, we pray, O Lord,
that the soul of Pope Francis, your servant and Priest,
whom you honored with sacred office
while he lived in this world,
may exult for ever in the glorious home of heaven.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Sixth Day
The Petrine Ministry of Mercy

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the Encyclical Ut unum sint by Pope Saint John Paul II
As the heir to the mission of Peter in the Church, which has been made
fruitful by the blood of the Princes of the Apostles, the Bishop of Rome
exercises a ministry originating in the manifold mercy of God... The
authority proper to this ministry is completely at the service of God’s
merciful plan and it must always be seen in this perspective. Its power is
explained from this perspective. Associating himself with Peter’s threefold
profession of love, which corresponds to the earlier threefold denial, his
Successor knows that he must be a sign of mercy. His is a ministry of
mercy, born of an act of Christ's own mercy... The Church of God is called
by Christ to manifest to a world ensnared by its sins and evil designs that,
despite everything, God in his mercy can convert hearts to unity and enable
them to enter into communion with him. (nos. 92-93)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that the soul of your departed servant Pope Francis,
to whom you committed the care of your family,
may, with the manifold fruit of his labors,
enter into the eternal gladness of his Lord.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.


Seventh Day
Peter: The First of the Apostles

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over
unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and
his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James,
the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas
Iscariot who betrayed him. (10:1-4)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

O God, faithful rewarder of souls,
grant that your departed servant Pope Francis,
whom you made successor of Peter
and shepherd of your Church,
may happily enjoy for ever in your presence in heaven
the mysteries of your grace and compassion,
which he faithfully ministered on earth.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Eighth Day
Union of Pope and Bishops

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church
Lumen gentium

This collegial union [of bishops] is apparent also in the mutual relations of
the individual bishops with particular churches and with the universal
Church. The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and
visible principle and foundation of unity of both the bishops and of the
faithful. The individual bishop, however, is the visible principle and
foundation of unity in his particular church, fashioned after the model of
the universal Church. In and from such individual churches there comes
into being the one and only Catholic Church. For this reason each
individual bishop represents his own church, but all of them together in
union with the Pope represent the entire Church joined in the bond of
peace, love, and unity. (no. 23)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

O God, immortal shepherd of souls,
look on your people’s prayers
and grant that your servant Pope Francis,
who presided over your Church in charity,
may, with the flock entrusted to his care,
receive from your mercy
the reward of a faithful steward.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Ninth Day
Successor to the Apostle Peter

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A reading from a letter to the Corinthians
by Pope Saint Clement I
Having received their orders, the Apostles went out, fully convinced by the
Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, trusting the word of God, and
assured by the Holy Spirit. They went out proclaiming that the Kingdom
of God was at hand throughout the countryside and in the cities. They
tested in the Spirit the first fruits of their preaching, and appointed them to
be bishops and deacons for those who would later come to believe... Our
Apostles knew also, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that there would be
strife over the office of the episcopate. And so with perfect foresight, when
they ordained those men, the Apostles gave them the mandate that when
they pass away other proven men should succeed them in their ministry.
(42:3-4; 44:1-2)

Pause for silent prayer.

Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
— And let perpetual light shine upon him.

Hear with favor our prayers,
which we humbly offer, O Lord,
for the salvation of the soul of Pope Francis,
your servant and Priest,
that he, who devoted a faithful ministry to your name,
may rejoice in the perpetual company of your Saints.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Acknowledgments
Excerpt from the English translation of The Liturgy of the Hours © 1970, 1973,
1975 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL);
excerpt from the English translation of the Order of Christian Funerals © 1985
ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010 ICEL.
All rights reserved.
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of
America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights
reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without
permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Excerpt from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for
the United States of America, copyright © 1994, United States Catholic
Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. All rights reserved.
Excerpt from Ut unum sint (1995) © Dicasterio per la Comunicazione—Librería
Editrice Vaticana.
Excerpt from Lumen gentium from The Documents of Vatican II, Walter M.
Abbott, ed. New York: Guild Press, 1966.
Photo: Screengrab from @VaticanMedia, April 22, 2025

My personal reflection on the life and ministry of Pope Francis
On March 13, 2013, I was on bed rest with my daughter who was trying to arrive before her due date.  While I was on bed rest, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the first Latin American pontiff to be elected to the papacy.  He took the name Pope Francis.  Francis was also my grandfather's name.  At this poignant moment in history, I decided that my daughter would have a second middle name, Frances (the female spelling of Francis), after my grandfather and Pope Francis.  

Fast forward to 2015 when my husband and I would attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. We marveled at the wisdom of the Pope who prioritized Catholic families raising children in the Gospel Truth.  I was also the recipient of a ticket to see Pope Francis in the U.S. Senate Gallery for his joint meeting of Congress.  I remember watching Vice President, U.S. Senators, Members of Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court come into the Senate Gallery in a single file line, taking their seats as they walked in.  The last to arrive was the guest of honor, Pope Francis.  I remember his cassock glimmering as if covered in thousands of specks of white glitter.  He quite literally shone.  It was a light that I could never describe beyond these words.  No words can describe what it is like to be in close proximity of a Pontiff.  The light of Christ certainly shone through Pope Francis.

This light continued to shine through our Pontiff throughout his time of serving others. In 2020, Pope Francis met with the Special Olympics and declared, "Inclusion should be the first rock on which we build our house."  As a mother to a child with Down syndrome, I am in deep gratitude of Pope Francis' advocacy for those who need many strong voices advocating for inclusion.

Pope Francis made his papal legacy one of ministry by caring for those on the margins.  From advocating for people with special needs, to washing prisoners' feet, to publishing encyclicals caring for our common home, his legacy will live on.  

Just like 9/11 and COVID, this is a moment in history that our children will remember for the rest of their lives. May we teach them how to mourn the passing of a Pope, while praying for our Holy Mother Church and the Papal Conclave that will elect a new Pope. Our Church will soar on the wings of our prayers.

What happens next?
Over the next couple of weeks, the chimney on the Sistine Chapel in Italy will be one of the most watched chimneys in all of the world. The College of Cardinals will meet to discern who will be the next Pope.  Black smoke out of the chimney indicates the vote did not reveal the next pope. White smoke means that we have a new pope with the declaration of the words, "Habemus papam!"  Two thirds majority is required during the Papal Conclave to elect a new Pope. But before the votes take place, the world will take time to mourn the passing of Pope Francis. 

Over the next nine days, the Vatican and Catholics around the world will be in a period of mourning called, Novendiale.  His body will be dressed in papal vestments and placed in St. Peter's Basilica for hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to participate in public viewing. The funeral will likely take place in St. Peter's Square. Dignitaries from around the world will attend Pope Francis' funeral.  The burial usually takes place 6 days after the death of a Pontiff. Pope Fracis wished to be buried in a coffin made of wood and zinc. Most Popes are buried in the Vatican Grottos of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.  However, during an interview in 2023, Pope Francis mentioned that he wanted to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore.  Seven popes' have been buried here, the last being Pope Clement in 1669.

After the death of a Pope, the Church enters into a period of transition where power is handed over to the College of Cardinals, but no major decisions are made until the election of the next Pontiff. Around 15 to 20 days after the death of a Pope, the Cardinals under the age of 80 convene behind closed and sealed doors in the Sistine Chapel of Vatican City.  Voting takes place in four rounds a day until a candidate received 2/3 of the vote. 

Prayer for a Deceased Pope
God, Who, in Thine ineffable providence, didst will that thy servant Francis ... should be numbered among the high priests; grant, we beseech Thee that he, who on Earth held the place of Thine only-begotten Son, may be joined forevermore to the fellowship of Thy holy pontiffs.  Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. (Roman Missal)

I was looking through the archives of my website and exclaimed, "Where'd 2024 go?!" That's when it hit me.  Our family endured a lot of hardships and trauma.  It was the year of forgiving the unforgivable.  It was the year that we had to look at justice in new ways.

My daughter had an assignment for her 6th grade Language Arts class.  The essay assignment was to write an essay about how it feels to forgive.  It was an apt moment to reflect back at 2024 and discover how we had to choose love and forgiveness over pain and anger. 
****************************************************************************************
Here is her essay:

"How do I feel when I forgive? I never really thought about it until now. I know a
lot of people will probably say that a heavy weight is lifted off their chest; but I don’t feel
that way. I haven’t focused a lot on forgiving, but instead, seeking to love others. So, I
thought a lot about forgiveness and then I remembered all that happened in 2024.

Looking back at 2024, I realized that it was the year of forgiveness.
Forgiveness doesn’t always feel great, but loving others does. In 2024, I had to
forgive a lot of others and try to love them no matter how much they hurt my little
brother or my great uncle. My mom says that my older brother and I “had to learn to
forgive the unforgivable at a young age and seek love and justice in the face of the
despair.”

It was the beginning of May 2024 and late at night when we received a phone
call from my grandparents saying that my great-uncle had just come out of brain surgery
and that he was dropped on his head during transport. A few weeks later, he died from
this injury. I am very lucky I got to see him before he passed. Even though he could not
speak his eyes said it all. When he was in his room and the adults were in a separate
room, I snuck away to say goodbye before my mom, and I left. I will never forget the
smile he gave me. Right then I knew he was saying goodbye forever.

A few weeks later, my little brother, Andrew, who is nonverbal and has Down
syndrome got diagnosed with e. Coli. I remember driving to the far away hospital
multiple times a day and then wanting to stay home because I couldn’t bear seeing him
in so much dismay. He was in the hospital for two weeks and underwent TWO blood
transfusions. Praying, sobbing and begging that it would work and that my little brother
could just come home.

When the school year started Andrew came home from his public school with over 30 cuts
all over his back. I still remember the police arriving at the house late at night. Their
investigation showed that Andrew was a victim of child abuse at his school from his
teacher.

These three horrific incidents were unforgivable. But Jesus tells us to forgive
the unforgiveable. Jesus had to do the same with the men who nailed him to the Cross.
I guess this is what forgiving the unforgivable and choosing love over pain feels like. For
me, forgiveness feels like following Jesus’ footsteps along the way."

​****************************************************************************************

As I said, my family had to endure a lot.  We had many blessings in 2024, but we also had so much heartbreak.  From the medical staff dropping my uncle on his head during transport after brain surgery to my sweet Andrew contracting e. Coli due to tainted meat to Andrew being a victim of child abuse while in the care of his public school system. 2024 was a tough year, but the blessings outweighed the trauma because God is good - always has been and always will be.  Through each hardship, my family is stronger.

As for the aggrievances against Andrew, we have retained a nationwide rockstar attorney that represents foodborne illness cases.  He is working hard for us and representing Andrew to the best of his ability.  Though the date of incident was July 3, 2024, the case is still in progress. As for the horrible person that abused my nonverbal child.... the Fairfax County Police Major Crimes Bureau detective, Child Protective Services and Medical Examiner all determined that the injuries to Andrew (over 30 lacerations all over his back) were "founded by an unknown aggressor." This means that they recognize Andrew as a victim of child abuse, but the evidence is circumstantial as to who did it.  There were no video cameras in the hallways of the school, the video cameras outside the school weren't working, there weren't any witnesses to speak up for my child, and my child is nonverbal. In fact, both his General Education teacher and his Special Education teacher told the investigator that neither of them had contact with Andrew.  To which I said, "Excuse me?!? That's insane! Who is caring for my child?!"

Yes, there is definitely a lack of justice for nonverbal children who are abused in a public school setting and it's a systemic problem.  Unfortunately, Andrew wasn't the only one hurt in such a way at his public school. Schools need to be held accountable to the safety and wellbeing of each child, no matter the abilities or disabilities. It's insane to think that our tax dollars go to pay for the nonsense of the public school disasters.

From the moment Andrew came home from school with his back looking like he had been whipped at the pillar just like Christ, we never let him back into school.  Two weeks later, he was emergency transitioned to a new school with amazing teachers and support staff.  He's saying more words and is always happy to go to school- a stark contrast to the beginning of the year. 

As one of my friends said about my family's 2024 year, "you can't fall out of a basement."  Already, 2025 is looking better and we are off and running.  Christ has always been, and will always be, the Master at the helm of our ship. 

Accepting and educating children in Catholic schools follows in the footsteps of Jesus and encourages the entire school community with hope. 

Read my latest interview with the Caholic News Agency about the inspiration of Catholic schools building an inclusive environment for children with special needs. 

It took me nearly 4 decades to finally wakeup and pay attention to where God was calling me - and it all unfolded in Adoration.  Read my interview with Aleteia on where that call lead me to. 

Erin Thielman is a high school science teacher in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia. But back in 2016, the idea of a teaching vocation was not on her radar. 


In 2016, she was in a stage of serious discernment after serving in the U.S. Air Force. Married with two children, she took a job as an instructional assistant at her child’s Catholic school while figuring out her next steps. 


“Something was missing and I was unsettled,” she said in an interview with Aleteia. “Where was God calling me next?”

 ​Find out here.

By Francesca Pollio Fenton
Denver Newsroom, May 14, 2023 / 07:00 am


Many little girls grow up playing with Barbie dolls and wishing that a doll would look just like them. Now, little girls with Down syndrome can live this dream. The American toy company Mattel announced April 25 that the first Barbie with Down syndrome would soon be hitting the shelves.


The first Barbie doll was released on March 9, 1959. Over the years, Mattel has released several kinds of Barbies representing different shapes, sizes, races, and ethnicities. In 1980, Mattel released the first Black and Hispanic dolls named Barbie. In 2015, three new body types were introduced: curvy, petite, and tall. And in 2022, the first Indian Barbie was manufactured. Currently, Barbie features 35 skin tones, 97 hairstyles, and nine body types. 


Now Mattel is making headlines with their newest Barbie, who represents someone with Down syndrome, and it has already sold out online. 

Read more of this article and learn what I think of the new Barbie Doll with Down syndrome!

On September 11, 2000, I was a young airmen stationed in Germany with the United States Air Force. I
had that day off and was doing laundry in the barracks. In the common room, their was breaking news
on the big screen TV showing the planes attacking the twin towers and the planes that followed with the
attack on the Pentagon and the diversion of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. My heart sank. Selfishly, though,
I was thankful that my family was on the other side of the country and were safe. At 20 years of age, my
immaturity didn’t allow me to think that these attacks would be personal. Oh, how wrong I was. And
how fast I had to grow up.

As soon as I called my family back in the U.S., I was summoned with other airmen into the main hall. We
were told that we had one hour to grab our war gear and Kevlar. We would be departing to an
undisclosed location. At that time, I was trained to work on the weapons systems of F-16 fighter jets,
and I was the only female who could do this in my squadron.

I deployed. What I witnessed at 20 years of age was the horrors of war. I witnessed fear. I witnessed
the insane loss of life. I witnessed my friends losing their own life in service to our great country. I
witnessed Hell on Earth.

I was diagnosed upon my return with survivor’s guilt. I was also injured and retrained to a desk job as a
JAG paralegal. I was honorably discharged in late 2004 and went home to complete my college degree.

Looking back, the attacks on 9/11 were utterly senseless. Yet, our government seems to have forgotten
who did those attacks, because the Biden Administration has been negotiating with the Al Qaeda
terrorists. Since my time in the USAF, the military has gone woke. When I was in the USAF, there was a
“don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Now, the military openly allows for men who claim to be gay to use the
women’s locker rooms. As if that wasn’t enough, when Roe v. Wade was handed down to the States,
the Veteran’s Affairs Administration interfered and allowed themselves to become an abortion mill.

This is not the military that I had signed up for. This is not the military that my friends died for. The
Biden Administration is slapping us in the face and spitting on our DD214’s by allowing this wokeness to
run rogue.

Never forget the men and women who fought the terrorists.
Never forget the victims that died at the hand of the terrorists.
Never burn our flag – it stands for peace, victory, and freedom.
Never forget that in the United States, we don’t negotiate with terrorists.
Never forget.

This article was originally published on American Briefing.

"Discernment" is common Catholic vernacular.  But what is it?  Over the past few years, I have learned what it really means to discern.  Discernment helps us to make good decisions, whether they be big or small.  As Catholics, the discernment process includes prayer, understanding, and action.  Discernment helps us evaluate the dreams we have and, more importantly, God's plans for our lives.

Read more at Radiant Magazine.  

​Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.  These are the three core values of the United States Air Force.  But I added a fourth, dedication.  Without dedication none of the other core values would be achievable.  I enlisted in the USAF fresh out of high school in 1999.  My first assignment was at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.  I turned 19 years old in Basic Training.  
 
In 2000, the world changed with the attacks of 9/11.  I remember being gathered in the common area of the dorms and being briefed by First Sergeants on what to prepare for and who was going into combat.  There was an eerie silence on what was normally a rambunctious base filled with F-16’s and the crew that came with them.  But those F-16’s left and so did I.  We were in combat.
 
Over the years I have never forgotten those years of service.  For the past 13 years I have been married to my amazing husband and we have three children who are 11 years, 8 years and 3 years.  I credit my years of service during combat to being able to serve and fight on behalf of my family.  God blessed me with a steadfast heart.  Over the past 21 years, I have known that Jesus stands right next to me as we battle storm after storm.  Each and every time, there is always tribulation after the storms.  And I am thankful for this. 
 
When Andrew was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome, I viewed it as a storm to navigate with Christ at the helm of the ship.  But, oh!  Andrew having Down syndrome was NOT the storm!  Instead, it was the doctors that wanted to abort him JUST because of this prenatal diagnosis.  When Andrew was born, it was another storm to navigate because he needed to have surgery on his intestines when he was a mere 15 days old.  But the tribulation was his recovery.  
 
Now, Andrew is a hurricane running around the house and tearing it apart just like any other toddler would do.  He delights in going to school each morning and his days are made brighter when his brother and sister come home from their school days.  (Sometimes I think that Andrew likes Alexander and Abby more than his mom and dad, and that’s totally okay!)
 
Integrity first, service before self, excellence in all we do and dedication.  These core values that I learned during my years in the USAF certainly still apply.  If I could go back in time and talk to my 19-year-old self, I would tell her that these core values will continue to play a role in the vocation of being a wife and mother. Without integrity, I would fail to raise my children in the image of God.  Without having learned the value of service before self, then our days would have been incorrectly centered.  If I don’t strive for excellence and teach my children to do the same, then I am not serving them well.  If I am not dedicated to these values, then our days would unravel. 
 
As special needs parents, we hold onto various values to fight for and defend our family in the best way we know how.  But we are not fighting alone.  I didn’t serve in combat by myself, I served with others.  Now, the Down syndrome community and my parish community are my new “brothers in arms.”  Christ was at the helm of my ship 21 years ago and he will remain there.  He is there for you, too.  Let him take control. 
 
Happy Veteran’s Day to all the veterans who have paved the way to the freedoms that we now enjoy.