Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Happy birthday, Anne Marie!


I came to know Anne Marie through the blog. She lives in the USA, Illinois, but her grandparents still had a farm around Budapest – this is why she signs her e-mails to me as “Anushka,” with the Hungarian form of her name. She and her husband run a very sympathetic biofarm. They have five children, Anne Marie teaches them at home. I intended to write about her blog in the next week, but her post of yesterday was so wonderful that I have immediately translated it for the Hungarian version of my blog and also include here its original English text.

35

When I was growing up, and to this day, I think being 37 will be fantastic.

Why?

Well, by that time, I believe that I will be very comfortable with who I am in so many different ways. I always knew I would be married, but never to such a wonderful person. I always knew I would have children, but most certainly not 5 in such a short time. I always knew I would be Catholic, but never knew how important it would be. Only in the past few years have I realized, amongst my busy life on the farm, have I realized my faith is who I am. It defines me. It guides me. It comforts me beyond my comprehension. I know each year… no, each day that every step I take needs to be toward God, not away from Him.

I also understand just recently that my vocation in life is not just one sided, but multi-dimensional. That I need to be a teacher full on sometimes, and a loving wife at others.

That my Catholic faith has led me to understand that giving my self freely to God, I am sacrificing myself to Him. Letting Him guide me in everything that I do… every step I take.

On my 35th Birthday this past November 30th, on the 1st Sunday of Advent, it went like this:

An early morning rise with fresh Hazzlenut coffee and a homemade angel biscuit, warm, with Amish jam and silence.

It was snowing, and the children dressed in anticipation of what my birthday would offer.

We traveled to early morning Mass, and enjoyed Saint Andrew's Feast Day upon the 1st Sunday of Advent. After having some wonderful chit chat with friends, we took the most beautiful drive South to a park where a rustic lodge in the woods serves a homemade breakfast.

As we sat and enjoyed our meal, and looked past the rough sewn logs within the lodge, the snow was falling outside to creat the most wonderful atmosphere.

We took a idle stroll through the blanketed ground and inhaled the clean crisp air. Some of us enjoyed a snowball fight, while I took pictures…


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNE MARIE!

2 comments:

Anne Marie said...

A belated thank you!!
Blessings to you.

Templom Kata said...

It me who should say thanks to you for having written it and thus giving me occasion to republish it here!

In the Hungarian version of the blog where we have translated it, the visitors liked it very much and they send a belated Happy birthday to you!