Hello September!

How can it be September already? I’m back from our trip to our nephew’s wedding near Denver, CO. The day was perfect for an outdoor wedding in the mountains of Colorado. The temperature was about 75 degrees and overcast with about 4 drops of rain. Andrea and Jon are a very happy couple. She is from the Netherlands and 15 of her family members were here to celebrate with us. Jon is a geologist and has a job there. I went with my brother, Richard and his wife, Louise. Their 50th anniversary was August 28th.

We stopped to visit a couple cousins on our journey. We also took time to look at things at the Murdo Museum, the Badlands National Park, Wall Drug, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, the Old West Museum in Cheyenne WY., the Garden of the Gods and other stops. We saw lots of cattle eating on dry pasture lands in South Dakota, and lots of cattle eating in lush pastures in Kansa, Nebraska and Iowa. I often praised God for the beauty and vastness of creation that I witnessed each day. I’ll share a few pictures.

Meanwhile back here in Little Life went on (just fine without me). On August 27 and 28th there was a Red Cross Blood Drive. They received 219 units of blood, which is 30 units over the goal. God bless you, generous donors.

Four new Franciscan Community Volunteers were Commissioned at our Sunday Mass on August 30th. They are Johnny McCracken from Gap, PA; Kyle Lamb from Avon, MN; Ranya Agcaoili from Kahului, HI and Rebecca Ferrera from Newbury Park, CA. Welcome to you and we wish you well in your volunteer services.

This noon today we invited the CEC staff to lunch so we’d have a chance to see them one more time. The Continuing Education Center classes have been held at St. Francis Center for the past 24 years. The program has now moved to a building that belongs to the Public School district. I’ve always said that the CEC teachers and staff are the best teachers in the District! We will miss the teachers and the students.

Monday is Labor Day. Make it a safe one. Some schools have already started classes and others will start the day after Labor Day. Let us all pray for both teachers and students that it be a profitable year for each one.

Peace and many blessings,

Sister Mary Lou