my vocation is love

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As I reflect on my fourth maternity leave:  I want to focus on my vocation.

This leave has been fun and different. We have several people close to our hearts visit us this summer. What an amazing blessing to spend a week with bff SJ, a week and a half with my dad, a month with my sis and her children, and the entire summer/early fall with my grandma. 

Just those people visiting already made this maternity leave so special. 

I want to thank our parents for making the transition from 3 kids to 4 kids as manageable as possible. Sebastian pretty much spent half of the week with my in laws and my mom. I surely missed him though when we are apart. But it was helpful to bond and focus on Lucy during those times that the children are in school or with their grandparents. 

I also blogged a lot during this leave. wow, I blogged everyday... But blogging is not really what I would classify as a vocation. 

I chose this beautiful print from Katrina's Shop because it sums up EVERYTHING about my vocation.

What is a vocation?

per google dictionary: a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation.

-- slightly acceptable definition, imo.

per MW dictionary: a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action.

-- a little better don't you think?

per  Archdiocese of Arlington: Vocation means a call. It is God’s invitation, His call to each person to love and serve Him and His Church in a particular state or way of life. 

-- i love this

per CatholicCulture: A call from God to a distinctive state of life, in which the person can reach holiness. 

-- Amen.

My vocation is love. 

I chose my wonderful husband who has shown me 1000x opportunities for forgiveness and patience during this leave.

I chose love when I decided to be opened to life. 

I chose love when these babies came... and kept coming. 

I chose love when I nursed a sick Bastian; changed Lucy's onesie after her 4th spit up of the day; rocked a crying Isabel; helped my son with his spelling test; cooked meals for my family.

I chose love when I chose to go back to work when it was the hardest (after having Daniel).... because it's good for my mental being. it's good for my children. My wise husband said I am given this talent to help other children, not just my children. I keep those words close to my heart when I feel a little twinge of guilt that I am leaving my 3 month old baby girl. 

I chose love when I offer my time, treasure and talent to the Church. 

The good thing about accepting your vocation as love is that it is very powerful! it can be ANYTHING... anything that will make you closer to the Lord and align yourself in his will. 

Thank you HatchPrints for sponsoring this post. 

I like this quote from my patron saint, St. Gianna and this one from St. Teresa of Avila. 

To see more of Katrina's beautiful paintings and handlettering, browse here.  She graciously offered a 15% discount for my dear readers good until 10/24. 
Use code: DISIS15

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