Feast Day! Pun Intended.

I am sorry that I have not been able to write for a while. I have been itching to get this one out and share the news, but life has kept me jumping lately with school starting, family arriving, and pesky UFOs constantly trying to abduct my wife to study her superhuman DNA.

Jerome had a very big day last Saturday, September 30, as it was the feast day of St. Jerome. It seems that St. Jerome had a gift to give our little boy who shares his name. During our day in the hospital, totally out of the blue we were informed that if we desired, Duquesa could breastfeed our baby the first time! They still have to strictly regulate how much he takes in, so they placed him on a scale to take a very precise weight measurement before handing him over to mommy, and they would weigh him again afterward to determine the amount he ate. Duquesa was in heaven! And as for Jerome, he ate as though he had been fasting in the desert for his first 37 days of life. Mother and baby both glowed as they increased their bond.


Jerome has had a few visits recently from some of his family. His uncle Michael arrived first while in the middle of a post graduation tour of Europe, followed by Grandma Ann and Grandpa Gary who accompanied aunt Rachelle here as she arrives to fill her post as our live-in nanny and domestic servant. If you don't already have one, I highly recommend doing so as it can greatly increase your free time and sense of superiority. She might study some on the side too. Anyhow, because only parents are allowed in the room, Jerome's visitor's had to behold his beauty from afar. And then along came the feast day of St. Faustina. I ran into our friend Signora Fiorella that morning as she was helping a Polish Priest with a foot problem. Upon hearing our situation he said a prayer and told us to expect a miracle that very day. Sure, why not? Again seemingly out of the blue, we were told that for a short time we would be allowed to take Jerome out into the waiting area to be with his family and his growing number of groupies. It was a short but very sweet miracle. Jerome seemed quite used to miracles by now, as he slept through the whole thing.

We are so grateful for the progress that Jerome has made, but we are anxious to get him out of the hospital. It is such a difficult routine, and we are wearing thin. Duquesa came down with another fever last night and woke with a temp of 102.4. Today is the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary. I will be saying a Rosary today with the special intentions of Duquesa's health and Jerome's quick recovery and release from the hospital, and you can join me by saying one of your own if you feel like helping us out. As long as we are referencing the Saints Calendar so often, let's target the feast of St. Teresa of Avila for Jerome's release. Mat 21:22, right?

A quick final note: Think arranged marriages are a thing of the past? Duquesa has been approached a few times by Italian mothers of little baby girls willing to strike a deal. They don't seem too excited about our pay-in-advance dowry idea though.