Dear Friend,

I hope this finds you doing well and taking time for the enjoyments of May. A month of increasing sunlight and warmth. Birdsongs and breezes. A month of buddings and hatchlings. Tulips and turning the soil. A month of hopeful reminders that we can start fresh; that we can bloom forth from dark and humble places. Open windows and open-toe shoes. A month of Mary… our mother, our hope, our refuge, our peaceful confidence. Oh, sweet May!

And on this particular 13th day of May allow me to wish you a lovely feast of Our Lady of Fatima as we commemorate the first of her six apparitions to the three children. May her message urge both of us to a joyfully wholehearted submission to her call for prayer, penance and devotion. I hope you and yours are able to add a touch of ‘special’ to the day in her honor.

In other news, we are nearing the end of schoolbooks, outdoor adventures are always beckoning and this weekend we will be celebrating a birthday as well as making our first trip of the spring to the garden!! The kids are looking forward to upcoming golf lessons and we have a couple family visits planned. It’s all quite exciting, really! Lest you think it’s all sunshine and rhubarb over here, there’s plenty of the real raw and gritty as well. Some days everything seems to spill, break and get dirty on repeat. Moods can be murky and sometimes we get a little lost in the hustle and bustle. I’m sure you can relate all too well. But luckily, we both know that the hiccups in our day don’t need to ruin our life!

I’m off to tackle the rest of the day. Give my regards to your loved ones. Take care and be sure to let Spring soak you up a bit. We’ll include you in the Rosary this evening! With that, I’ll leave you with this sweet, promising reminder:

“There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot solve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” (Sr. Lucia of Fatima)

I’m looking forward to writing you again!

Love,

Rochelle

“Don’t lose heart. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.” (Our Lady of Fatima)