Love for the Mother's Love Bracelet

Allison wrote a very sweet note on her blog about the Mother's Love Bracelets I made for her friends. It was her idea for a Mother's love chaplet, so I really owe it to her!  They will be in my shop in September when I reopen.  Thanks for the kind words, Allison!

Tiny News

I think my husband's told his side of the family now, so I guess it's time to spill the beans. Maybe it won't be quite a surprise to you either. My friend looked at me yesterday- not a hint of surprise in her face and said frankly, "We were wondering when that was going to happen.  Aurelia was waiting for a friend" (her baby).   Yes, we are pregnant!  We are very excited to welcome a new baby into our family.  It's so cute to see the kids' reaction to the news.  They were not at all suprised either.   Now they talk about the new baby and include the baby in many conversations.  I am very thankful that jealousy has never been an issue with any new babies coming into the family.  My kids have very generous hearts like their daddy!

I am due on December 9 (which is my mom's birthday), but the baby will be born at least 10 days later, as all the rest were.  I hoping to get a midwife this time around. I am sick of being threatened C-sections by the delivery nurses and doctors. They seem to want to rush things along too fast with all the pitocin they can fill me with.  Then when the baby is stressed out from all the contractions that were too hard and fast, they want to slice me open. No loss to them, but a big scar and future complications to which I say, "no thank you."  I am really sick of the senereo. I feel like we've barely missed that from happening the last three times (thanks to many Hail Mary's).  I know my body doesn't need to be rushed and it can have babies without all the medicine they seem to think I need. 

Now, I've never had a baby without an Epideral, so I am a bit afraid of going without.  With a slower paced delivery and no pitocin, I'm hoping it will make the Epidural unneeded.  I say that because in the past, I feel it was needed to ward off the C-Sections.   I never dilate fast enough for the doctors, but when the Epidural comes, boom! I am a ten!   I'm hoping a Bradley course will help in the relaxing bit this time.  People have been having babies natural since the beginning; I know it's not beyond me to do it too.  I would like a chance to try it, but I know once I step foot in a hospital, the opportunity is taken from me. So birth center it is!   I'm on a waiting list for December for the birth center, so for now, I'm seeing the regular OB/GYN.  Please keep us in your prayers for a healthy baby and safe delivery!

Bishop Phillip in Kenya Receives Clay Rosary

Deacon James gives Bishop Phillip a clay rosary

In February, my dad went to visit the Homo Bay diocese in Kenya with a priest friend and a few others from my hometown area.  Homo Bay is the sister diocese of St. Cloud.  He had the opportunity to assist in several Masses, give homilies and proclaim the gospel to the people there.  Of course, it wasn't what he could give to the people there, but what more about what he got and the experiences he could share with his parish in Minnesota.  I look forward to hearing his stories and seeing all the pictures when we visit them this summer, but for now, I was thrilled to receive this picture of my rosary and Bishop Phillip!  I've received emails before from Africans wanting me to send them free rosaries (a.k.a. SCAMS!) but now it's legit! A clay rosary in Africa. What an honor!

As far as I know, I now have rosaries in and every continent except Antarctica and Asia. Anyone know anyone in Antarctica or Asia who wants to buy a clay rosary ;)

That was quick! Store closed, out of stock

My store is now closed for the summer and as I am out of Teacher bookmarks.  Thank you all for a great season! I will have more bookmarks for next year. It seems they were more popular than I predicted.  Have a blessed summer and see you in September.

I will post here, but it will be light. Of course, I will be posting my new beads. I hope to get a lot of work done here! (and have a lot of SUMMER fun~!)

NEW! Teacher's Bookmark and Prayer

Catholic teachers are so special and deserve something suited to their unique identity. 

http://www.clayrosaries.com/catholic-teachers-prayer-and-bookmark.html

http://www.clayrosaries.com/catholic-teachers-prayer-and-bookmark.html

Limited supply, so order soon! I will be closing shop on Tuesday or earlier if these sell out before that.
God bless our teachers!

Thank you for your business!

A happy boy receives his First Communion rosary.  (sent by a friend in Alabama)

Wow, it's been a busy 3 months thanks to all my wonderful Clay Rosary customers.  I have been honored and humbled by you, the customers, once again. From the many First Communicants, to the cancer patient, to the school fundraisers, to the African Bishop (more on that soon), God has proved to me that these clay rosaries are so much bigger than me, or the hobby, or the business aspect.   If anything, it's about how God even uses the lowest in His kingdom to touch lives in unexpected ways.   I have so much enjoyed working with all my customers and hearing your stories.  Thank you all for your generous support! 

 I will finish up this season's orders this week and then I hope to make something that has been requested for years.  I will only have a limited supply and it will only be available for one week before I close my shop.  I'll give you hint. It will have an apple charm on it.

New Church Beads- "Sarah, rebuild my church. NOW"

the finished product. reduced, poked, baked, done. thank you, Jesus!

I interrupt my rosary making frenzy to show you what happened at my emergency 24 hour clay party.  Don't feel bad if you weren't invited; it was rather dull. Just me and some kids and a lot of clay that is now ground into my carpet. The kids love to do what mommy does and I can't say no, so the carpet pays for it- or rather I will someday pay for a new carpet with my rosary money!

The church cane finished. Now time to reduce it.

I realized I was out of church beads on Tuesday night as I was frantically trying to get out more orders than I can handle.  Sometimes pressure it good and this time it was alright in the end. On Wednesday after the coop field day, I set to work making the Port (as it turns out). The Port is short for a the Portiuncula that St. Frances built.  At Franciscan University in Steubenville where I graduated, we affectionately called the replica of St. Francis's Portiuncula, "the Port". There was perpetual adoration there and I have many fond memories of that chapel. 

reducing the church cane. The sun got a little disfigured, but I fixed, as you can see on my finished beads.

Anyway, my church bead wasn't intended to be a mini Port, but in the end, it couldn't be denied. My 5 year old son and my husband both said it looked like St. Francis' church and so it must be.  After all, he is my favorite saint and I did hear the 'call' somewhat like he did. Mine was perhaps a little more urgent. "Sarah, rebuild my church...NOW."   I asked for his intersession as I reduced the mammoth cane and he came through for me.  Of course, the church is not about the building, but the people in it. St. Francis realized this after he rebuilt the Porciuncula.  God was asking him to build up the people of God. That is was my bead is about too.  I hope when people see it, they realized that Church is not perfect because it is made with very imperfect people, but it is beautiful and will stand forever because Christ is our foundation.

Liam's "God things"

Now that I have recuperated from my wild clay party, (I even fell asleep in my clothes- what a night..) I will resume rosary making and try to get these orders out on time.  I will be shutting down my shop in two or three weeks for the summer.  I hope to open again in September, but I don't know for sure. It's a lot of work to make the beads and I have a quite a few to make this summer.