Being Up With Down Syndrome

I am reflecting on God's Divine Will.  My Mother likes to call it, The Divine Design!  What caused this reflection was waking up to news that there was a fire at my beloved St. Peter's Church in Steubenville, Ohio. I fell in love with St. Peter's the moment I walked inside, up the aisle towards the most beautiful altar.  Behind the altar is a mural of Jesus with eyes I recognize, to his left is St. Peter with a fishing net and keys, to his right Blessed Pope John Paul II and Rome.  I was enticed by a most holy man serving the Mass and touching my heart.  He was small in stature and humble beyond words.  His name was Monsignor George Yontz.  Many a homily he gave that brought my husband and myself to tears because of the love behind the story.  Then we would come to St. Peter's and there was another holy man who also touched my heart with his homilies that even my elderly Mother felt educated as we walked out of Mass. Father Ray Ryland.  He comforted me two times in my l

It will be 17 years this March since we moved to our farm.  We had rose colored glasses and dreams of a beautiful home and property.  We live in a ranch house with 4 bedrooms.  Though it sounds big, it is quite small.  B.J. is my husband.  We have five children Beau 19, Maria 17, Ireland 11, Trinity 10 and Kate is 2.  We also have a black Labrador named Daisy and a black  Pomeranian named Zoey.  We have a barn cat named Peter.  Right now before this Spring, we have three cows Betsy, Connie and Baby.  One pig and one chicken. We have broken down buildings, two that fell and a garage about to fall.  We have a gorgeous barn!  Top of the list is to get the barn back to its beauty.  I have dreams of wedding and anniversary parties in that barn. My name is Helen and I am the owner of Rogers Mechanical Services, LLC.  I am a Catholic Homeschool Mom.  I am part of our Heart of Mary Homeschool Group.  I am a mother to a beautiful baby girl named Kate with Down Syndrome. This is my first b