23 weeks

I am wearing a beautiful corsage from my Grandma in this picture. (Oh, and in case you didn't recognize it, that is the purse department in the Hot Springs TJ Maxx in the background!) Grandma was wearing the corsage all morning on Sunday while the family was together because she and Granddad were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary! After Mass and brunch together, we were all about to head our own directions, but Grandma pulled me aside and pinned her corsage on to my dress. She wanted me to have it because when she knew that we were trying to get pregnant, she volunteered to say a novena with that intention in mind. She offered the novena to St. Therese, who is known as the Little Flower. The old prayer goes: "St. Therese the Little Flower, please pick me a rose from the heavenly garden and send it to me with a message of love; ask God to grant me the favor I thee implore and tell Him I will love Him each day more and more. Amen."

In the Catholic Church, a novena is a devotion consisting of a prayer repeated on nine successive days, asking to obtain special graces. These may consist of small prayer books, recitation of the Rosary, or small prayers through the day. There are four recognized categories of novenae: those of mourning, preparation, prayer, and those which are indulgenced, however, a given novena can belong to more than one of these categories. (from wikipedia, of course)
My dad's whole side of the family was together for most of the weekend to celebrate, and we had the most fun! We feasted at every meal, played games, watched the Hogs win, and then we ate some more. It was such a pleasure to be with the family. They all just seem so excited that I am pregnant and everyone was really sweet about how big I am getting. I think I need to reign in my eating a little bit after this weekend of celebrating!