A great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sr. Marie Andre who celebrated her birthday on January 16th!  
To the right, you see Sr. Esther Marie being attacked by the Westies as the birthday song begins!  Oddly enough, they have done this since they were puppies.  They get so absolutely rambunctious whenever that song is sung!  We don’t do so well correcting the behavior as we all get a kick out of their wild westie behavior! Barking and running around like little terrors…we figure it’s their unique way of saying: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  🙂

Sr. Marie Andre and Sr. Mary Fidelis just arrived home from a visit to Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, AL.  It was wonderful to see Reverend Mother Angelica and the nuns!  I hope to post photos from the visit soon.  So be sure to check back.
The last few weeks have brought many visitors to see the marvels of the Lord in Tonopah Arizona.  People from near and far have been emailing to request a tour of the new chapel.  It’s awesome to witness the enthusiasm and excitement and genuine interest of so many!  If you would like to stop by for a tour, just email us to arrange a time: [email protected]

We have also had some winged visitors!  For Sr. Mary Fidelis, this provides hours of entertainment and excitement, as she loves to bird watch!  Enjoy these photos of the smallest and the largest of them!  At Christmas (thanks to the kindness of Sr. Mary Fidelis’ grandmother), we put up a hummingbird feeder.  Within a few days, we had our first nibbler.  And he hasn’t left the feeder ever since!  The only time he is more than a few feet away is when he is chasing other hummingbirds away.  We’ve named him Harry!  He is a ruby-throated hummingbird – beautiful to behold.  He dive-bombs us as we refill the feeder!

On Sr. Andre’s birthday, we went outside in the morning after Divine Office to behold this majestic hawk perched on the top of Chapel, on the tip of the Cross.  He remained there for quite some time.  He’s been spotted there before, just hanging out and getting a good view of things from his 75 ft. perch.  We still haven’t settled on a name for the him yet!  We hope he becomes a regular visitor.  

Seeing the majesty of the hawk and the audacity of the hummingbird, brings to mind St. Francis’ sermon to the birds.  I’ll conclude with an excerpt:  

My little sisters, the birds, much bounden are ye unto God, your Creator, and always in every place ought ye to praise Him, for that He hath given you liberty to fly about everywhere, and hath also given you double and triple raiment; moreover He preserved your seed in the ark of Noah, that your race might not perish out of the world; still more are ye beholden to Him for the element of the air which He hath appointed for you; beyond all this, ye sow not, neither do you reap; and God feedeth you, and giveth you the streams and fountains for your drink; the mountains and valleys for your refuge and the high trees whereon to make your nests; and because ye know not how to spin or sow, God clotheth you, you and your children; wherefore your Creator loveth you much, seeing that He hath bestowed on you so many benefits; and therefore, my little sisters, beware of the sin of ingratitude, and study always to give praises unto God.