Emily received the Gold Presidential Award from President Obama for scholastic achievement – having obtained all A’s for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. In fact, I’m sure she did so for all of her years there, but the award only recognizes the last three grades.
Awesome job, Emily. We are all very proud of you.
Seventh grade, here we come!
Anna received an award as school came to an end. She was listed on the honor roll and had high grades in 6 classes.
Unfortunately, we were both working (I was working night shift and Linda was out of town judging a piano competition). Thankfully, Grandma and Grandpa Maag stepped in and represented the proud, adoring parents. Additionally, they took pictures so we could experience it.
So very proud of my big girl. Congratulations, sweetheart!
After providing music for the 9:00 Mass for the Memorial Day Mass, the family spent the day at Kauffman Stadium watching the Royals. It was a fun game to watch with lots of offense; unfortunately just a little too much offense in the 9th inning from the Los Angeles Angels gave the game away – we lost 10-8.
The afternoon started off quite somber – a touching tribute to Paul Splittorf, a former Royal pitcher and broadcaster who died last week. Then there was a tribute to the individuals effected by the tornados in Joplin, MO and Reading, KS. Finally, a moving tribute to the service members from Missouri and Kansas that have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. A 21-gun salute and taps playing, it brought a tear to my eye.
Before the game started, Linda turned and said, “This has been quite a downer so far”. But the game was off and running before we knew it. Thanks to a few home runs and some nice plays, we were up 6-1 after the 2nd inning. However, the Angels worked their way back through the innings and then Soria gave up the save in the 9th inning with 3 runs, partly off a Torri Hunter home run. Oh well, the game was fun. The weather was nice. The company was perfect!
As we begin the start of summer, we pause to remember the US service members who died while serving their country.
God Bless America.
This past week found Linda and I celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary. We celebrated by participating in the Tour de Brew bicycle ride. This is a ride that helped raise money for Bike Walk KC, an organization that promotes and lobbies for healthy living in the Kansas City area. The tour travels along a route connecting historic Kansas City breweries; most of the buildings are now gone and some are still there, but in the form of loft apartments.
We met with neighborhood friends and did the 30-mile ride. We averaged about 12mph and finished in just over 2.5 hours. We had a great time and enjoyed the food and beverages after the ride.
It’d been some time since we were all together (admittedly because of my very full schedule), but we were finally able to spend a day with Linda’s parents at Easter. A delicious honey-baked ham and a whole array of side dishes filled our bellies well.
Afterwards, we all played dominoes and ate even more.
Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa Maag!
We are truly blessed with such wonderful family.
Our trusty Kia Sedona minivan was struck from behind last week while Linda was driving the girls to their different activities. Fortunately, nobody was injured and a great friend stopped to help get the Anna on to her appointed destination. After several days of insurance talks and body shop estimates, the Kia was delivered today for repair. The tailgate is inoperable and will need replaced.
The bumper is also broken. The bumper stickers survived; however, they will likely not make it back home. Remember, this is Linda’s car – I’m sure she’ll find replacement stickers.
It was a nice surprise to arrive home to find a shiny, new Nissan Altima in the garage – but it’s only a rental.
Happy Easter to all our family and friends.
None of us are providing music for any of the services this year. It will be a pleasure to sit in the congregation and worship along with our fellow parishoners.
May your Easter season be blessed.
Gospel Reading from today’s liturgy:
On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.
(John 20:1-9)
Everyone is enjoying the new sunroom.
Today we commemorate the death of Jesus Christ – dying on the cross for all of us.
A tradition of mine is to watch Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” during the Holy Week. It is such a powerful portrayal of the events of the of the Lord’s agony in the garden, his arrest and trial, the scourging and the crowning with thorns, His carrying the cross, and finally his crucifixion.
I am so thankful for the price paid for the freedom gained for me, my family, and my loved ones.
In the days when Christ was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears
to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. (Hebrews 5:7-9) Second Mass reading from today’s liturgy
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