Nora's Baptism

Saturday, May 30 we celebrated a very special moment in our family.

We formally welcomed Nora Marie Caswell as a Daughter of God when we celebrated the sacrament of baptism.

The entire day was so special to me.
Lots of people=lots of help with the kiddos.. bonus!!!
It gave me several moments to reflect and pray.

I started the day with EARLY risers. Little ones who don't give up trying to get in our bed at night, even when they are walked back to their room 5+ times in a row.
You gotta love a two year old's perseverance!
I looked over at my two month old sleeping soundly in my room and thought to myself, "Why are the twins keeping me up? Something is wrong here!" Just joking. I thank God daily that he gave me a rare type of newborn who likes her sleep as much as her mama. Since I had the twins first, I do not take it for granted.


Then of course I couldn't get back to sleep because I was too excited for the rest of the day!! So I made breakfast for our overnight guests, started the ham for the lunch, then I got a really special treat...time with my sister Julie! We hit a couple garage sales and scored big with a $4 queen sized air mattress that works! Then we pretty much drove around laughing and drinking coffee until we had to report home to feed our respective babies. 

As everyone gathered at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, several things struck me. First, how significant it is to be standing in the church that Jason and I met at and shared mass together for 4 years through college, about to baptize our third child together. I never would have guessed that we would end up back at the same church for this season in our lives. I love watching God's plan unfold in amazing ways!
Another impressive thought was the number of people who gathered together for this day.
Father Robbie has been a friend for 12 years. He was my spiritual director and a role model to me through high school and college. He concelebrated our wedding (& Julie and Reed's!), and performed the sacrament of baptism for Dakota and Kiley, as well (& Elaina!). He traveled to Mississippi to be there, and it meant SO much to us. It sure is nice to have a family priest... and one that I consider a close friend, too!

Father Robbie & all the Caswells he has baptized...

Additionally, we were surrounded by both of my sisters, a BIL, a niece, both of my parents, Jason's brother - The Godfather, both of his parents, and a significant number of friends.

Father Robbie gave a very personal sermon. It felt like he was speaking straight to each of us. (He was!) Even Nora seemed captivated by his words. She had her eyes locked on him and even smiled at the right parts!

 I looked around the baptismal font at all the people gathered and it was hard not to get emotional.

WOW! Look at all these people who support us in our faith and our growing family. 

Look at all these people who took time out of their busy weekends to spend time with us. 

Look at all these people who traveled more than 2 hours just to be here. 

and most importantly...

Look at all these people who think that this sacrament is important enough to make these sacrifices to celebrate with us.

[Disclaimer: There were SEVERAL people who were not able to make it, but still took the time to let us know they wanted to be there and were thinking of us, especially her Godmother. All the calls/texts/emails made an impression on me, too. THANK YOU!]

After the sacrament, the mandatory pictures, a beautiful lunch reception with tons of fellowship (& Platten family's special birthday cupcakes!) we went home. At one point I was holding Nora as she fell asleep.. YES, she is the spoiled third child.
I was rocking her, soaking in the scent of Chrism.
We had some Pandora Praise & Worship music on in the background (Not uncommon- sometimes we need something calming in the background!)
It seemed like every song that came on gave me a chance to pray for this newly baptized Child of God.

For example: Matthew West, "Do Something."
He sees things all over the world that disgusts him, and he shakes his hand at God and asks, "God, why don't you do something?" God responds, "I did. I created you."

Yes, God.
You created this beautiful human and somehow entrusted her to me. I thank you for that. I beg for you to give me wisdom in parenting to bring her up in your ways. Let her be the one that "Does something." Give her courage and perseverance. May she always know that she is fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you, God.

Please join us in covering her in prayer. Thank you for being our support in our faith and family!!

[Disclaimer: I had similar thoughts at the twins' baptism, but I had no time or energy to record it. This weekend gave me an incredible opportunity to refresh my own promises I made at their baptism, too. I certainly need a reminder of the massive responsibility. So I spent this day focusing on Nora, but of course I feel this and pray this for all of my beautiful gifts from God.]

Dayenu!

She is here!

Our precious gift from God is here.
Nora took her first breath on March 5. My overwhelming love for her came instantaneously. We are so incredibly blessed.

This is a very personal post that I felt compelled to share.

While I labored the night before I sat up reading a fascinating book called "Sitting at the Feet of the Rabbi Jesus" by Ann Spangler & Lois Tverberg. I am learning so much about our Lord and prayer through this book. One thing that really struck me was the traditional Passover song Dayenu (or Dayeinu). The word means "enough for us." As the book states, the idea is that if God would have stopped at any one, his people would have been completely satisfied. Here is a sample of the prayer/song:

If He had rescued us from Egypt, but not punished the Egyptians, it would have been enough! (Dayenu)

If he had punished the egyptians, but not defeated their gods, it would have been enough...

If he had given us the Sabbath, but not led us to Mount Sinai, it would have been enough...

If he has led us to Mount Sinai, but not given us the Torah, it would have been enough...

If he had given us the Torah, but not brought us into the Land of Israel, it would have been enough...

How much more, then, are we to be grateful to God for all of these good things which he has indeed done for all of us!! 

 The book challenged me to write my own stanzas considering God's blessings in my own life.
This was a perfect time to focus all my prayers and energy on the blessings that God had given to me.
Here is some of what I meditated on:

If He had given me Jason, but not blessed us with children, it would have been enough...
If He had given us one healthy baby, but not healthy twins, it would have been enough...
If He had given us healthy twins, but not provided us with the incredible support to help us, it would have been enough...
If He had given us two healthy daughters, but not given us an opportunity to have more children, it would have been enough...
If He had given us this pregnancy, but not given us exceptional doctors and nurses, it would have been enough...
If He had given us exceptional doctors and nurses, but not a perfectly beautiful healthy baby girl, it would have been enough...
If He had given us a perfect baby girl, but my recovery was complicated, it would have been enough...

How much more, then, are we to be grateful to God for all of these good things which has indeed done for Jason and me! 

It was especially meaningful for me as I was praying this prayer because I had not yet seen that I had a perfectly healthy girl & a typical delivery/recovery. I was putting my trust in God, telling him that what I had been given was already enough. God blessed me in that moment and brought me peace in my moments of anxiety, pain, uncertainty, and anticipation.

I hope that this inspires you to come up with your own stanzas for this prayer to thank God for all the blessings you have, and to put your full trust in him for the future. I hope that this prayer helps you come to a place that whatever God offers you, it will be enough.

Christmas Card 2014

Happy New Year!

Why yes, I did intend to send out a Christmas card, and as usual, it turned into a New Year's card. Which  turned into... why don't I just post on my blog. (Oh, you still have a blog? Yeah-it's been that long). 

2014 was a great year for the Caswell's! 

We settled into our new home in Columbus, MS. Jason started his career with Columbus Orthopedic. He works with a spine surgeon in surgery and sees his own patients in clinic. He has learned so much in the last year and really enjoys the challenging work he is doing. After transferring his membership to the local Knights of Columbus he has been given lots of opportunities to stay busy and get involved. His favorite part of the day (and mine!) is coming home to two excited little girls who love climbing all over him and demanding bites of his snacks! In October Jason went to Orlando for a PA conference. We tagged along and had a blast playing in the pool while Daddy was in meetings, then going to the parks in the evening. One of the best parts of his new job is that it puts us close to Mississippi State. We have enjoyed baseball, basketball, and soccer games, campus tours and outdoor activities, plus all the holiday festivals put on by the university. Of course the highlight for all of us in the MSU family was seeing our football team have the season of a lifetime. (YES I had to mention it.)

With a membership at a gym that offers childcare, I have found a new interest in fitness! Strangely, regardless of how frequently I go to the gym, I seem to be gaining weight, specifically in the belly. Hopefully that will change in March, when we expect to welcome our new baby, Nora Marie, into our family. I have been staying busy by getting involved at church through bible studies. I also recently started selling some of my artwork. It has been so fun for me to fill orders! I pray for the customer as I create and ship each piece. I pray it brings joy and happiness to the home, and glory to God. If you want to see what I have been working on, you can look up my page on facebook.com/KCaswellco.

Dakota and Kiley have grown up so much in the last year. They are talking so much and getting into everything. They certainly have that twin bond that I've always heard about. They are fully potty trained and sleeping (more or less) in a big girl bed! They are ready to be big sisters, although they are pretty sure that my belly button is named Nora. They love kissing the baby bump and blowing bubbles on it. Playing outside and getting the mail are some of their favorite things to do with daddy. Although they do just about everything together, they definitely have different preferences. Even if there are two identical objects, they each know which one belongs to them. They are so fun to watch as they grow. I am sure they will be big helpers when Nora gets here. 

2015 promises to be a big year for the Caswells. We love having guests, so please let us know if you are in the area. We would love to see you! 

I hope you all had a merry Christmas. We are so fortunate to have you in our lives! 

Love, 

Jason, Kathleen, Dakota, and Kiley Caswell

P.S.
I will pretend like I planned  to do this all along so I wouldn't have to narrow down the pictures too much for a Christmas card. Enjoy the pictures (in reverse chronological order) and check out our youtube channels for some hilarious videos! 

Pictures from Christmas mass

Finally fell asleep in the toddler bed... after pulling everything out of every drawer. 

Memphis zoo

Twin love!

Pumpkin Patch 2014

We love Mickey!

Hail State!

This would have been one of our Christmas Card pictures. 

Celebrating 3 years married! :)

This is from when we were in the newspaper in Columbus

We were blessed to go to the beach with the whole Caswell crew in May!

Then we were able to go with the whole Platten crew later in the summer!

Enjoying a spring day on the campus of MSU!

Twins' first Mardi Gras! 

First Week of School Thoughts

SUMMER IS ENDING.
All of my fellow teacher friends are beginning their new school year, with a new group of kiddos, curriculum, expectations, and evaluations. Although I totally envy the excitement of greeting my kiddos on the first day and preparing just for them, and the eagerness to know what progress they will make this school year, I am at peace about sitting this new school year out.

IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.
Being a Stay-At-Home-Mom is not for everyone. I honestly didn't know if it would be for me. Now that I have adjusted to my "new normal" I know that for this season in my life, this is my vocation from God.
I am so blessed to have a husband who considers it a priority for me to stay home with the kids- and for a husband who considers me a worthy child care provider and homemaker.

THINKING OF YOU.
For those starting back- especially the working moms, I want you to know that I am thinking of you. I am praying for you as you drop off your own kids at school or day care. I know first hand that you literally have two full time jobs. I admire the work you do... and I also know first hand that you are not just working 7:00-3:00, then coming home and relaxing. You put your heart and soul and mind into your classroom and your students, then you come home and put your heart and soul and mind into your own children. (And yet, there always seems to be more to do in both areas.)
Good luck this school year. I hope you find PEACE and JOY each day when you wake up and go to work & when you come home, knowing that you are fulfilling God's plan for you-at least for this season in your life.



Did I mention I miss the smell of my school? :) Never thought I would say that.

Spring and Summer 2014

Greetings!
This spring has been FULL! Our little ones have been keeping us busy!
In April we went to New Orleans for a good friend's wedding. While we were there we were diligent about spending time with Jason's family that lives there, specifically his maternal grandparents. D & K are Jason's grandparents' FAVORITE (only) great grandchildren. They both love to watch them play, and grandpa won't stop singing and dancing and entertaining them. The girls love it! The girls sit so nicely in their laps and just relish the attention. This weekend in particular was special because it was Jason's grandmother's last weekend on Earth. I am sure that she would not have wanted to spend it any other way. Everyone was devastated to have to say good bye, but no one can deny that her life was long, full of love and life, and that she left an impressive legacy.

Another devastating blow came a week later when we received the news that Jason's paternal grandmother died. Again, we were extremely saddened, but she was another woman who left a legacy of love and family. We had the opportunity to see her a lot around the holidays, making memories that we will cherish forever. Again, Mamaw loved to see the twins and always made a fuss to make sure they were taken care of.

So a huge benefit of moving back to the GTR (Golden Triangle Region) Area is getting a chance to reconnect with old friends! This spring the girls and I got to spend many afternoons with some friends of mine from college. We were able to celebrate with them as they graduated from Mississippi State Veterinary School. YES! I have super smart friends.

Me with Dr. Samantha Vitale, Dr. Caitlin Allori, and Dr. (to be) Stefanie Vamenta

This is Honey and one of her favorite kids....
and Samantha and me on the Drill Field

In May, we were visited by my Aunt Lou. We enjoyed a tour of Mississippi State campus, an afternoon of doing nothing but playing with the kiddos, and some good healthy cookin'! It is so nice having her in town. She and Carol are the easiest guests to host.

For Memorial Day, ALL the Caswells went to Santa Rosa Beach for the long weekend. We had a blast! I was SO relieved that the girls loved the sand, and warmed up to the water by the second day. Especially since they (especially D) hate getting their hands dirty.

The next weekend Jason went above and beyond to make my 25th birthday really special. The highlights were a REAL date with my handsome husband, a sweet after church brunch including the girls, and when the girls brought me birthday cake oreos in bed.

Then I got to go to on a girl's weekend trip to Panama City Beach. We had so much fun and so much girl time! I missed the twins, but nothing beat the welcome home I got. I can't say they didn't love having Gigi there to spoil them, though. :)

Lauren Tucci- The bride!

For Father's Day weekend we spent the afternoons outside. The girls surprised Jason with a container of rocks that they collected by themselves at the park.

The girls love "helping" :)

Daddy's little sunshine

We got into the newspaper! 

I also got to attend my friend's wedding in Memphis while my parents spoiled watched  the girls. 

Our summer is off to a great start...I can't wait to see what July has in store for us!

Liassez.les.bon.temps.rouler

Jason and I took the girls to New Orleans for a taste of mardi gras! We took them a weekend early to enjoy the more family friendly parades, and to visit with family that had come in town to be in Carrollton. 

This....

...quickly turned into this...

 

 

Girls? This is a beignet. Your life will never be the same.

We had the opportunity to your the Krewe's den, where they held all the floats. Dakota earned her first beads there, before the parade even started. They LOVE playing with the necklaces-oops sorry, tourist mistake. I meant beads.Then daddy carried our tired girl back to the car, which is when I snagged this priceless picture.

Later that day we went to a smaller afternoon parade...much smaller than we thought, but we still had a good time. The girls love any chance to be outside. They caused quite a stir with their two tutus. (As Brian pointed out, if we had triplets we would have had to make three-threes.) 

Uncle Steve isn't accustomed to having a tutu in his face.. 

Daddy was showing Dakota how to catch throws. 

Sunday we headed out in the pouring rain to watch Carrollton. The turnout wasn't nearly what it usually is due to the poor weather, so we racked up! The girls still loved being outside and watching the bands and floats. 

It was sad leaving all of our family, but when we got home we greeted 3 of our friends who traveled from Ohio and North Carolina to visit! I had a ton of fun showing them around our little town, giving them the "Jason and Kathleen love story" tour as they called it. 

The day after they left, my parents came to spend the night on the way home from the beach. The next day, my sister Laura brought her three little ones to Columbus, MS. We took them to the baseball game. I love that we are raising little bulldogs together!!