Friends!

Both Blanche and Katharyn tagged me for this!  Thanks girls!

Choose any amount of friends real or blog and say at least two things or more that you admire or like about them. Tag and make sure you link to them.

Blanche
Blanche is a very sweet and lovely girl, and I have the honor of being her 'mother' on the Fairy Tale Novels Forum!  She makes a wonderful 'oldest daughter' and an even better friend.  I can't wait to meet her offline someday!

Katharyn
Katharyn is another one of my lovely daughters on the forum.  I admire her the most for her maturity... she's only 13, but she talks and act like some much older!  That's a rare thing in this modern world where most people our age are - sadly - rather immature.  On top of that, she loves foxes too, which is totally awesome!

Elenatintil
I have yet to meet Elena in person, having only become acquainted with her over the Forum.  She has become a very dear friend, older sister and role model for me.  I am constantly amazed out how much she manages to get done, all the projects she undertakes and completes so well.

Ella
Ella is my favoritest niece on the Forum, and a dear friend as well.  She is so much fun to laugh and chat with, and I know I can always come to her with anything that weighs heavily on my chest.  She doesn't mind my chatting with her until past midnight when I need someone to talk to, or when I pm her with my little questions.  =)

Lanta
Lanta is my second favoritest niece on the forum.  Hopefully I shall be able to meet her this summer!  She is so delightfully funny and random and I can be as insane as I want to around her without worrying that she'll think I've finally lost it.  (Though that happened a long time ago...)  I love when we have such disturbing and morbid discussions and plots over the phone, we must give the government agents who spy on people's conversations an interesting time!

Lady Cordelia
It's been almost four years since I met Lady Cordelia at our high school graduation.  We didn't get to know each other right away, neither of us really being the type to walk up to someone we didn't know and strike up a conversation - despite the fact that I very much wanted to talk to her, since we both had the same names.  But luckily we were able to meet again after that and I now count her as one of my dearest friends. I love her quiet, hidden fun side and her amazing acting talents.  I mean really, she is so good!  But I won't tell say anymore about it 'cause I don't want her to die of embarrassment when she reads this. ;)

Songs from the Heart

I've been a fan of Celtic Woman almost since the very beginning when friends of ours gave us the first show on DVD.  Since then my sisters and I have purchased all of their CD's, and the 'New Journey' piano songbook.  So it was with great anticipation that we awaited the new CD - and by no means were we disappointed!

I honestly believe that this CD, "Songs from the Heart" is Celtic Woman's finest collection of songs yet.  A few faces are missing - Hayley, Maev and Orla - but the new additions are amazing.  Lynn Hilary has a lovely voice (though she does need to work on not looking so... stiff... when she's singing) and Alex Sharpe is just drop dead gorgeous and a pure joy to listen and to watch.  I could seriously watch YouTube clips of her songs all day.  You can just tell how much she loves singing and performing, you can just feel the joy behind that gorgeous smile radiating off the screen at you.  Yeah, I'm a confirmed Alex Sharpe fan and I ardently hope she stays with Celtic Women for a long time!

As for the other girls, Lisa is still has as lovely a voice as ever.  Chloe has really developed a beautiful voice as she has matured more, though I can't say I'm too fond of the eye make-up overload that they gave her.  Mairead still dazzles the crowd with her fiddling.

Overall, I think this group of girls is the best yet.  There are more group songs than solos in this album, which is totally awesome because when they sing together... they just sound amazing.  Their voices just blend in a way that past groups didn't.

Well, with that being said, here's my song by song breakdown.

Fields of Gold - Lisa Kelly: The first time I heard this song, I fell in love.  It has such a magical feel to it... I can just see a golden field in the early morning mist..  Lovely melody and such romantic lyrics.  ^_^
Favorite Lyrics: "Will you stay with me, will you be my love among the fields of barley?"

Amazing Grace - Full Cast: Now, I will admit when first saw this song listed on the back of the CD case, I inwardly groaned.  Don't get me wrong - I love Amazing Grace!  My thoughts were though, that it was just going to be another overdone gospel version or (more likely) boring a Capella.  Was I ever wrong!  I can truly say that this is the most beautiful and inspiring version of Amazing Grace that I have ever heard!
Favorite Lyrics: T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear and Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.

Nil Se'n La - Full Cast: What a fun song!  The lyrics are part Gaelic, part English and the melody is so fun and lively.  I especially love the video for this one, the costumes are great and the girls do a little bit of fun dancing that makes me just want to jump up there and dance with them.
Favorite Lyrics: Tell me that the night is long, tell me that the moon is streaming.  Fill my glass, I'll sing a song and we'll keep the music streaming until all the songs are sung.

My Lagan Love - Lynn Hilary: The lyrics for this song are quite lovely, as is Lynn's voice... but I just can't get into this song.  Just a little too laid back for me and I don't like it when a girl sings a 'love song' about a girl... but if you like laid back than you might like this song.
Favorite Lyrics: Where Lagan stream sings lullaby, there blows a lily fair the twilight gleam is in her eye the night is on her hair.

When You Believe - Chloe:  I do so love this song!  Personally, I prefer the version that Chloe did when she was younger, but this one is really neat, too.  It has a lot of feeling to it, and I like the extra verse/bridge that they added.
Favorite Lyrics: Who knows what miracles you can achieve, when you believe.

The New Ground/Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears - Full Cast: The New Ground is a lovely, very Celtic sounding song played on uilleann pipes that flows into Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears - a bittersweet song about Elis Island.
Favorite Lyrics: That isle of home, isle of pain, isle you'll never see again, but the isle of home is always on your mind.

The Coast of Galicia - Mairead: This is a fairly upbeat song, though not as fast as some of her past ones.  As indicated by the name, it has a slightly Spanish feel to it towards the beginning and goes into a more Celtic sound towards the end.
Favorite Lyrics: Well, it's hard to have lyrics in an instrumental song...

Non C'e Piu - Full Cast: This a gorgeous song, mostly in Italian, sung to Dvorak's Symphony #9 - Second Movement, which I absolutely love.

The Moon's A Harsh Mistress - Lisa Kelly: Quite frankly, this song doesn't do much for me.  The melody is very pretty and musically it is nice, but the lyrics... eh, I don't care for them.  Plus it's kind of weird when a girl sings this song...
Favorite Lyrics: The moon a phantom rose, through the mountains and the pine, And then the darkness fell.

You'll Be In My Heart - Alex Sharpe:  I love, love LOVE this song!  It's so sweet and motherly, and Alex is just a very motherly sort of person when she sings this... and it is really neat how they combine the movie and credit versions for this song.  It's just... really... WOW!  I got chills the first time I heard it, it's so amazing.
Favorite Lyrics:  You'll be in my heart, no matter what they say.  Yes you'll be in my heart, always.

Goodnight My Angel - Lisa Kelly, Lynn Hilary and Chloe:  This is such a sweet song!  A gentle lullaby, and these girls sing it beautifully.
Favorite Lyrics: Someday your child may cry and if you sing this lullabye then in your heart there will always be a part of me

Galway Bay - Chloe: An gorgeous rendition of an Irish classic.  I love the emotion in Chloe's voice when she sings this, especially in the final verse.
Favorite Lyrics: I will ask my God to let me make my Heaven, In my dear land across the Irish sea.

The Lost Rose Fantasia - Mairead: Another gorgeous violin solo from Mairead!  This one has more of a ballad feel to it, and it sounds like there's a few different tunes mixed in there together.  I love depth of feeling here.

O, America - Full Cast: This is a beautiful, patriotic song and it provides a nice finale to the CD.  I wish I could honestly tell America that I'd be "true to thee" but given the state of our country right now... but then again, you could read the lyrics as promising to help her get back out of the slimey pit we've fallen into.  Hmmm, yeah...
Favorite Lyrics: O, America no weeping, Let me heal your wounded heart. I will keep you in my keeping, Till there be… a new start.


And that concludes my review of Celtic Woman's "Songs from the Heart".  I've made a few signatures, and if there is any interest I'd be happy to post them at some point.

Be sure and let me know what your favorite songs all are!  I'm sure you can tell which one's are mine.  ;)

Father Matt Thinks He's Funny...

And I suppose he is. *rolls eyes* Well, here's what happened at Mass...

Fr. Matt: *walks to the pulpit* Well, this week's been a bit busy and so I didn't really have time to prepare a homily.  Umm, Deacon, did you have anything prepared?

Deacon: *shakes his head no*

Fr. Matt: Hmm, well, I've heard of a few priest who will sometimes ask people to come up from the congregation to say a few words that the Holy Spirit has placed in them.

Congregation: *shifts nervously* Is that legal?

Fr. Matt: So let's see, any volunteers?

Congregation: *starts to get a bit nervous*

Fr. Matt: Ah... you.  Why don't you come up and say a few things to us?

Lady-sitting-in-front-of-me: *just about has a heart attack*

Yaviel: *whispers to me* Is he supposed to do that?!?!?

My grandma: *to my sister Limwen* Does Fr. Matt do things like this often?

Guy-who-Fr.Matt-Called: *gets up and walks up to the alter*

Fr. Matt: Thanks so much.  Here... I have an alb up here that I want you to wear while you are talking.

Guy: Cool!  *starts to put it on backwards*

Fr. Matt: No, no... it goes the other way.

Congregation: *stares in horror*

Me: *watches Fr. Matt's smiling face suspiciously* Something's up...

Fr. Matt: Here, there's a cord that goes with that that you can wear too.

Guy: Oh sure!

Fr. Matt: And then this... usually just the deacon is allowed to wear it, but it's fine.

Congregation: *faints in shock and horror*

Fr. Matt: So, what's your name?

Guy: Ralph.

Fr. Matt: Last name?

Guy:  *sigh* Poyo.

Congregation: *heaves a sigh of relief and claps*


So as it turned out it wasn't just a random member of the congregation that Fr. Matt pulled up to give a homily, it was speaker Deacon Ralph Poyo, who is scheduled to give a talk on Evangelization tonight.  ;)  I'm sure the talk will be fantastic - the homily was AMAZING.
Father Matt sure did have us all worried there for a bit though... *rolls eyes* After Mass he was grinning and walking around asking everyone if he had them worried.  *laughs* It was great.

Happy Birthday Pope Benedict!

H

Happy Birthday Papa!

The Feast of Divine Mercy

"I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls... On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment." - the Words of Jesus in Saint Faustina's Diary

Today is the Feast of Divine Mercy, proclaimed by Pope John Paul II on the date of Saint Faustina's canonization.  It truly is a wonderful feast and I encourage you all to take advantage of it!  Here's a good site you can check out for more information.  : http://divinemercysunday.com/

Pretty in Pink

The other day during a thrift store expedition, my mother happened upon this pink jumper...

It was too small for her and too big for me, besides the fact that I think the top part was hideous (HUGE armholes and a rather unflattering neckline and bodice) but the skirt was adorable.  So swishy and fun!  Luckily it happened that the jumper was not all one piece, so I brought it home, ripped the pieces a part and ended up with...

A beautiful new skirt!!!!  I just love it.  It's a wonderful pink color, a nice, light weight cotton and it's perfect for spinning and dancing in!  The headband I'm wearing with it is actually the sash that went with the dress.  I didn't feel like wearing it as a belt at the time, but it works fabulously as a headband. Fun, fun fun!
  And then I got new wedge shoes or whatever they are technically called from Payless that are just adorable and go great with the outfit.  =)

Thus ends the tale of my second outfit remodeling!

A Blessed Easter!

Christ is Risen!  Alleluia!

Ye watchers and ye holy ones,
Bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones,
Raise the glad strain, Alleluia!
Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers,
Virtues, archangels, angels' choirs,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

O higher than the cherubim,
More glorious than the seraphim,
Lead their praises, Alleluia!
Thou Bearer of the eternal Word,
Most gracious, magnify the Lord,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Respond, ye souls in endless rest,
Ye patriarchs and prophets blest,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Ye holy Twelve, ye martyrs strong,
All saints triumphant, raise the song,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

O friend, in gladness let us sing,
Supernal anthems echoing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

What are You Wearing for Easter?

Today my sisters and I made a trip to the store to find Easter outfits for my mom and Yaviel, who as of then did not have anything to wear.  Our shop was successful and we returned home with very nice outfits for both of them.  Later on, while ironing the boy's shirts and our dresses, my mom made the comment "Well, I guess it's time for my annual depression on how hardly anyone seems to get dressed up for Easter."
She went on to say that someone we knew had asked her why we were getting new outfits, after all "it's not a fashion show."

I want to say that, they are right.  It's not a fashion show.  And if you buy a new outfit or get dressed up on Easter just to make a fashion statement, then you sure have your priorities mixed up.

But what is wrong about putting in a little extra effort to get dressed up for Easter?  Easter is the holiest day of the year; it is the day that Our Lord rose after having sacrificed everything to save us, the day He conquered over death once and for all, the day He gave us the promise and the hope of Heaven with Him for eternity after we die.  And yet people show up to Mass in their blue jeans and t-shirts or outfits that they would wear just every day.  Somehow, those same people would get dressed up for a wedding and spend money without hesitating for a new outfit.  Christ did so much for us, how is it we can't even muster up the effort to dress up for Him?

To me that is just flat out ungrateful.  Now I understand that everyone can't go and buy a new outfit for Easter, due to limited funds and all that.  Not everyone in my family was able to get a new outfit this year, and we even bought a few from the thrift store.  But we are making the effort to get dressed up more than we usually do.  We aren't just wearing our everyday clothes.

I am not trying to make my family sound all high and mighty or holier than thou, but quite frankly I don't care who you are, or what your situation in life is, everyone has the means to get a little fancier than their normal fare.  So you don't have enough money to buy a new outfit.  Pick out the nicest outfit you have and dress it up with a cute hairstyle and beautiful jewelry, maybe even a little make-up.  Guy, take the time to iron your shirts.  If you do have the money for a new outfit - you can find great things at thrift stores for only a few dollars - than make the effort to get one.

Isn't dressing up a whole lot easier than suffering through the Crucifixion and rising from the dead?  Isn't God worth it?  Doesn't He deserve it?

So what are you wearing for Easter?