Happy Easter!

Jesus Christ is Risen today, Alleluia!
The tomb was empty and they had HOPE that maybe He hadn't really left them. We must remember He is always with us and He has conquered even DEATH!

It was a tremendous grace-filled Easter at the Huber Home with both Spenik's and Huber's together at one big celebration. It was my first time hosting, of course, and I really enjoyed it. With Gary's help we prepared our home for the greatest day of the whole year. Lots of decorating, cleaning and readying. Only the best for God!

April spent the day with us too. It was so much fun to share laughter and joy with her as she brought such a new sense of awe and wonder to the table. She is so pure and clean, radiating with the waters of Baptism to grace her soul. Everyone was delighted with her presence and conversation! She is truly a gem and she felt so at home-which just made our whole Easter. And spending so much time planning an Easter basket that was full of the "stuff" she'll need to continue on her journey was so special. We got to chat about everything in there (Scapular, Rosary, books, prayers, Holy Cards...and some treats too)...and share amazing points of view on Catholic authors she's already heard! She is a quick learner and very inspiring! Also, we got to relive the night before and talk about the Vigil and hear about her family's experience. They drove all the way here just to be with her. They were SO PROUD! It was unforgettable!

(Easter pictures coming soon...)

Easter Vigil

Presenting.....April Marie Catherine!

On April 3, 2010, April died with Christ and through the waters of Baptism, she was born into a new life with Christ in His Church! She received the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion and now...she is Catholic!

What a tremendous time to be Catholic too! The entire Church witnessed this tremendous young lady journey for nearly a year as she received instruction through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program. And it is because of her "yes" that we all could gloriously celebrate this new birth on the night that all time stands still. She was the only Catechumen preparing for Baptism and full communion with the Catholic Church. She received many many graces through these sacraments and had so many people praying for her. I was humbled to be standing right by her side the entire way!

The pictures speak for themselves. It was an experience like no other. I was literally holding the hair of a SAINT as she was

Baptized...



Confirmed...



and received OUR LORD, Himself, in Holy Communion!



From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1324 The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life."136 "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch."137

1325 "The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being. It is the culmination both of God's action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit."138

1326 Finally, by the Eucharistic celebration we already unite ourselves with the heavenly liturgy and anticipate eternal life, when God will be all in all.139

Our First Catholic Traditions

Gary and I want so much to establish traditions in our home so that we can continue to learn our faith and teach it to our children through meaningful ritual. We want our home to be a place where Catholicism is lived out each day, "dissolving the boundaries between parish and home," where reminders and celebrations give life to the faith that we will teach them. These traditions and physical actions remind us of our beliefs, encourage us in our weakness and strengthen our resolve to humbly serve God! We are reading through and trying to implement suggestions from The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days, and Every Day by Meredith Gould.

Today, Palm Sunday, we celebrate the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. As we receive palms at Mass we recall when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him with waving palm branches, and covered his path with palm branches. Immediately following this great time of celebration in the ministry of Jesus, he begins his journey to the cross. It also marks the beginning of Holy Week, a time when we reflect on this journey to the cross, prepare to make the journey with Him, and await the JOY of the Resurrection. Since this in the holiest time of the entire year, the "Solemnity of all solemnities" we want to ready ourselves by physically reminding ourselves and our families of this time by marking it with traditions (an effort we hope to make at each Holiday)!

We spent the day with my two lovely sisters-in-law and cousin, Mandy. Gary and I hosted an afternoon of dying Easter eggs in preparation for Holy Week.





Of course Gianna, my adorable niece,(Katie's daughter), made the day bright and cheery with her smile. She was practicing waving too!


Today is also a day to cover all holy statues, icons and pictures, as a way to prepare to empty ourselves and our homes, fast from these beautiful images and prepare to meet them anew in the Resurrection, which we joyfully anticipate on Easter Sunday (in just one week). I was blessed to be able to spend some wonderful time with Melissa, who grew up with many of these holy traditions. We both bought purple fabric at Joann's and here are some shots of my fabric being put to great use as Lent is now over and Holy Week begins! Thanks, Melissa! :)



Perhaps next year, we will try some of Melissa's suggestions: dying plain fabric purple (instead of buying it) and dying kidney beans purple to visualize the small sacrifices we have made throughout our Lenten journey. (Interesting how many times the word "dying" has come up in this post! Lent is a constant reminder that we must "die to self" and rise with Christ.)

From what I've read so far, dying Easter eggs is supposed to remind us that eggs are a symbol of new life, as we find in the Resurrection. Also, it's interesting that at the Jewish Passover Seder, a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water symbolizes the festival sacrifice offered at the Temple in Jerusalem. Meredith Gould reminds me that the early Christians died the eggs red: respresenting the blood of Christ. The Pagans saw the eggs as a sign of fertility and propserity.

Traditions I'm shooting for next year: braiding palms, making hot cross buns, and having a traditional Seder meal.

This is an EXCEPTIONALLY SPECIAL year for us as I have been asked to sponsor April, a lovely woman preparing for Baptism and Full Communion with the Catholic Church. At the Easter Vigil, April will be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation and then receive Holy Communion! I am honored that she has invited me to journey with her as her sponsor and Godparent and I am learning from her every day! She was actually brought to Ave Maria because of Publix (she transferred from a Publix in Sarasota after finishing school). She had no idea that by bringing her here, God would call her Home to Holy Mother Church within a year of moving here. His plans are so far above ours!

Let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. ~Issaiah 555:7-9

Jesus, I love you. Permit me never to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love you always and then, do with me as you will.

Adventures come in FOURS...

As we live out married life, and the ordinary tasks that the day to day can bring I have to admit some days I can become ingrateful for the beauty in the "mundane."

So....this past week, God humbled me and brought us some challenging adventures.

In summary, our router went out, internet crashed, printer stopped functioning altogether, and our dishwasher broke. As if we weren't handling enough "big picture" things, we decided to seriously consider buying a CAR! We are learning every day about how to spend our precious time (since we rarely see one another during the week...Gary works until 10:00pm or so and I am up early in morning).

Anyway...here are some pictures of the adventure with the dishwasher. And I'm happy to report that there was a minor clog that was causing a major problem and my UNBELIEVABLE husband took the entire thing apart and FIXED IT (for free!)



Isn't he cute?

By the way....internet, printer and router are all fixed. Gary got to have some amazing conversations with tech. support people. Interesting what God will do to bring us together with His children! Also, we didn't buy the car, but learned a lot about our goals as a family, finances, etc. It was an exciting thought and we hope to need one very soon as we so very much want to be parents, but only in God's time!

Feast of the Annunciation

+++ Happy Feast of the Annunciation! +++

May our Mother, Mary be your guide to humble service. And may her fiat, her yes, be an example for us as we strive to be obedient.

Today was a beautiful Mass with the entire town of Ave Maria and my school, Donahue Academy! The children prayed their way through a very long and beautiful Liturgy, including 13 Priests, Bishop Dewane and the beautiful Ave Maria University Choir! (click to listen to pure HEAVEN!!)

Following the Mass, the entire congregation took part in a beautiful Eucharistic Procession which went around the Piazza and Church, stopping three times to give Glory to God with Sacred Scripture, Hymns, and prayer. It was truly a special time.

May the Angelus be the center of each day...

Back in Time!

God has blessed Gary and I with a tremendously busy first 3 months of marriage. With God's help, my adorable husband manages to catch everything on film! So as I adjust to this holy vocation, learn each day and find a bit more time, I will be posting what has been going on in our lives so far. God reveals Himself to us more and more each day.

We invite you now to travel back in time with us....

Wow. My first entry.
I have a blog!
This is fun!
You see now that I am married, I really want to share my life with my family and friends over this catchy, creative, and convenient little site. Life is FULL of wonderful opportunities that keep us busy and we want to make sure to stay in touch!

Also, I hope to be a source of encouragement, resource and inspiration as I have been very encouraged by some of the blogs listed below. Please enjoy these and let me know of blogs that you are reading. I am constantly learning and encouraged by these writers!
Joy of Being
Bethany's Blog
Another Day in Paradise
My Catholic Marriage
Life is Good

So here goes: Here's what married life has brought us so far. What a wonderful adventure! Thanks be to God and all Glory be to Him!!!!!