Loretto Visit

I was down at my annual retreat at Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky last week, and we stopped by the Loretto Motherhouse since it's only a few miles away. The visit made for a few really nice moments. Three of the five guys I was with had met Mary Alice on a previous visit, so they were happy to go along. We parked up by the infirmary, and as we were walking in the south entrance to the church, one of the sisters who was walking in the same way asked us who we were. I said I was a nephew of Sister Mary Ely. Her eyes almost immediately welled up with tears, and she smiled and said how lovely she was and how much they missed her.

Anyway, she was on her way in to the church to read to the sisters in the infirmary from the ambo (for those who were there, recall that some sisters are too weak to make it down for Mass, so they can listen to the Liturgy of the Word over the sound system, and then someone can bring them Holy Communion later). It seems they also read some daily devotions over the system, and that's what she was there to do.

We were looking around the sanctuary when she started by announcing that "some friends and relatives of our dear Mary Ely" were here to visit. We got lots of smiles and comments from folks in the hallway after that. It was all a nice reminder of how special she was to so many people, whether they knew her as Mary Alice, Mary Ely, or Edward Mary.

I stopped in to see Sister Paschalita, and we chatted for a bit. She remembers Mom so well from Loretto Heights, and took a touch of pride in having taught someone who ended up a Superintendent of Schools. She was very happy that I visited, because she saved the Summer issue of Loretto Magazine with the notice of Mary Alice's passing, but she didn't have an address to send it to Dick. I told her I would take it along...I'm sure we've already got it somewhere, but I'll send it to Auburn like she wanted. It's nothing new, just the biography that they used at the funeral, but it was nice of her to save. I promised her I would be back to see her next time I'm at Gethsemani.

We walked down that tree lined road to the grave site, and of course I was thinking of April when we walked her casket down that path. What a great day that was. Her headstone is in now...the grave could use some attention, maybe I'll do a little of that next time I'm there. Maybe a couple of flowers or something, I don't know. It's most all in sunlight, and while there are some landscapers who cut the grass around the area, the graves themselves don't get a lot of attention apart from what nature brings. Any suggestions from the gardeners in the family?



The six of us stood at her grave site and prayed a Rosary for her, which was the best part of the whole visit. It was Monday, so it was the Joyful Mysteries...a wonderful way to remember her life. We talked about the fruits of those particular mysteries (Humility, Love of Neighbor, Poverty, Obedience, and Joy in Finding Jesus) and how Mary Alice modeled those for so many people. Even those of my friends who had only met her that once were touched by her, and they want to go back and visit every year.

Anyway, it made for a great day....just thought I'd share it with you.

Brian

July 23 Holiday

Today Marjorie Ely would have turned 91. We all can enjoy some fond memories of her and how she loved us. Here is a photo when she was about a year old probably in Edgar, Nebraska. So cute. It was a standard on the left side of The Gallery in Auburn. You'll see quite a family resemblance as you look at early photos of Margene especially.

With the recent new little children in the family we've had a chance to think about how people managed years ago....without the thousands of baby products now available. It is hard to fathom!

And as I think about Mother, I know she and Daddy would really enjoy the second photo of our family 2-year-olds, Berneice and Abbey.

The little girls are wearing sun dresses made by Gretchen with a pink John Deere logo! Just too cute for words. If you click on the photo and listen carefully, you can hear the great-grandparents laughing and sighing. And you can also feel their love for YOU!

Also Happy July 23 to Scott today!



Sharing family stories is a wonderful part of birthdays!

Kamping with the Kenlons

For years, Dan and I have been dreaming about living and traveling in an RV full-time when we retire. Last summer, we rented an RV and camped in northern NY and Vermont for a week and could not have loved the experience more (with the exception of the last night, when our cat slid open the screen and jumped out the window!)

Lately, we've been talking about how great it would be to have short weekend and overnight stays in the plethora of lovely state parks and campgrounds right here in our Finger Lakes region. There are so many places within a very short distance (some only about 10 minutes away, many others well within an hour's drive) and the more we talked about it, the more we knew we would really enjoy it.

So we started shopping around and last night, we took the plunge and purchased an RV! It's a 2003 31-foot Class C model, which we think should be the perfect size for the short, overnight or two-night trips we have in mind. Waking up in a quiet, wooded campsite has to be one of the most wonderful things we've ever experienced, and we're so excited about being able to do it regularly during our brief but beautiful summers here.

One thing that appealed to Dan about this particular RV - he can actually stand straight up inside and has at least an inch and a half clearance between the top of his head and the ceiling! That was not the case with the compact rig we rented last summer. The bed is another matter for him -- very much what Mother and Daddy used to refer to as a "fiddlestick" bed -- but he's used to such things!

It's not the model we'd live in full-time, but that's still a number of years away and we think this used rig will serve our interim purposes admirably. This next week, the dealer is building in some additional cabinetry in the kitchen that we've asked for, and we anticipate punctuating the months of August and September with very enjoyable, relaxing visits to some lovely Finger Lakes locales.

Oh, and another request on the dealer's checklist before we take possession - paw-proof latches on the sliding window screens...

Emily Virginia Waun Arrives!

We're proud to announce the newest addition to our family, and to the Ely extended family, Emily Virginia Waun.

She arrived at 6:07pm yesterday evening July 1, 2008... the perfect birthday present for Amy, who is now officially resigned to second fiddle on subsequent July 1sts. Both mom and baby are happy and healthy, enjoying a much less traumatic day. We are thrilled that we're still a 100% July birthday family.

Emily weighed in at 7lb 8oz, 19 inches long... the same length as Abbey, but about 2 pounds heavier. Also like Abigail, Emily was born with a full head of dark brown hair.

Amy was also thrilled to find that Emily posseses our favorite genetic anomoly... the Ely crooked toe! She now joins the ranks of other distinguished Elys, such as Ann Kenlon, Maureen Young, and her mom, Amy.

Grandma and Grandpa Eichstadt, Nana and Poppy Waun, and big sister Abbey were on hand to join in the celebration. Abbey's first reaction was to declare, "Baby!" and give her a sweet kiss on the forehead. We'll see what her second reaction is when she gets home and has to share mommy.

We're hopeful that we'll be home from the hospital sometime Thursday morning. For more pictures and updates, head over to our family blog at Waun.net!!