in anticipation of mary grace

today we gathered at church for a holy hour hosted by father jack to pray for kari beckman and mary grace. it was such a nice thing, to come into the warm church and out of the cold november wind. the kids raced their vivanco couterparts up the sidewalk as the beckman's vehicle parked. the mentor family was already gathered inside. we waited in the narthex for father jack who was busy counseling a crisis pregnancy. i thought it fitting because kari gives so much support to mothers and unborn who are in need.
we said the rosary and the divine mercy chaplet. between the two devotions we had some "quiet" meditative time. i say "quiet" because how quiet can it be with charismatic elijah and fun loving nathan on board? i love family holy hours. everyone's kids are making noise, so it's not a big deal when yours is. and you don't have any people giving you the evil eye for having a noisy two year old.
so, we prayed with our whole heart- that kari will have an uneventful and standard labor and delivery. and that mary grace will enter the world not surrounded by drama, but love. but mostly, that God's will be done.
(edited to add a little history) kari is a mother of 8(one still cooking). she has lupus and has been on restricted bedrest for about 16 weeks for tachycardia and wacked out blood pressure numbers. she is my sister's dearest friend and soul mate.