Pumpkin Patch

First Day of School!

Under the Sea

You might notice in my photography I fixate on Creation a lot.  I love nature.  Nature is how I know God exists.  It's too amazing and wonderful to be an accident.  Underwater life amazes me in particular because here He was creating for His pleasure alone.  Human beings don't live down there.  It is all for His own glory, that many of these animals and plants exist.  I recently took the kids to an exhibit on Jellyfish.  The beauty of these creatures just held me spellbound.  All for His glory, was all I could think...

Gettysburg, PA

My parish is blessed to have working with us George Wunderlich, the Executive Director of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, and a candidate for permanent Deaconate.  Yesterday he took parishioners, including myself, on a private tour of Emmittsburg and Gettysburg from a Catholic perspective. It was an incredible experience!  Of course, being me, I didn't get the normal kind of pictures that tourists do - the window where the ghost sniper is said to haunt or the canon ball still stuck in the wall of an old building.  No, I spent all of my time being amazed by the architecture and blue skies!  Here are 2 pics of one of my favorite buildings:  St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, which was turned into a temporary hospital during the battle of Gettysburg, July 1863.

 I wish we still loved God and Country enough to proudly emblazon it across our churches and public buildings.

Love the Cross reaching up towards Heaven into the unending blue skies!

Whale tail

You really appreciate God's creation when you go out on a boat and meet up with one of these. Absolutely breathtaking! (The whale, not my picture. My timing failed miserably.)

Wonder

If only we embraced each moment with the enthusiasm and wonder of a child each and every day.

Oh yea...

The site of these war planes and the sign that says "Live Ammunition" made me feel patriotic and pumped up all at the same time.

Carousel

Fishing

Battleship!

Having a great time on family vacation and learning a little history and patriotism while we are at it!

Let's go fly a kite!

Up...

...up...

...and away!

Solitude

The beach after 5:00 pm.  Perfect time to walk and think.  This little guy looks like he is having a little reflection time as well!

The end of a beautiful beach day...

Sunset

Thanking the Lord for the blessings of this, and every, day.

I love a parade!

Peace

This is my oldest ending his day with a sunset paddle across the lake.  Such a wonderful time of day to be down by the water. Quiet reflection time to look back on our day and thank God for His goodness.

Duck!

A moment that captures the open wonder and faith of a child.

And Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these."

Toes In Lake...

Sunfish

Today is a guest post from my 10 year old. This is his drawing of the sunfish he is learning to sail this week at The Lake.

Happily Ever After...

Just back from my little brother's wedding this weekend.  I called this "Happily Ever After..." but maybe I should have called it "Once Upon a Time..." because weddings are the beginning, not the end.

Sailing

Self-portrait

Sushi I can get into

Bargain Shopping!

Campfire

I'm growing food!!