The clover in my hand🍀

+JMJ

“For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 

Matthew 17:20

I am excited to share this story because it is one that gave me the confidence to ask with such boldness, even so much as assuming there would be a miracle with my tooth on May 19th. Even texting everybody asking for them to pray for Wilhelmina's powerful intercession at 2:15ish, the time of my appointment. 

 But let's back up.  How did I relate a toothache to Sr Wilhelmina? And where did all that confidence come from? 

Clover #1☘️

On April 20th, 2024 our ICC Daughters of Mary and young ladies sodality took a visit to the Benedictine sisters. When we started out on our walk,  I found a 3 leaf clover in the field to press and bring home. I ended up carrying the thing all over the hike and then when we got back I placed it in a prayer book. I don't remember ever thinking to pick up a clover and care for it like I did that one! It seemed so random but so right at the same time.  

The reason this really sticks out to me is because Mara F. suggested I could send it back to the sisters in a little card with a thank you.  We laughed so hard when I joked that they might recognize it as one of their own and know that I took it. "Hey! Isn't that one of our clovers?" I was laughing so hard I had tears, which makes it so memorable

I placed it in a prayer book but I don't know where it went. 

This didn't mean anything significant to me until the next year. So let's move ahead a year to 2025

April cloak novena (my second time through)

This was the beginning of the April 2025 cloak novena with a friend

This is a friend who is going through similar situation we had gone through when I prayed my first St Joseph cloak novena in May of 2023. On the day after we ended the prayers covering the monh of April, we met at 6:45am Mass in thanksgiving and stayed for the holy hour for priests. Our month long prayers had come to a completion on May 1st, just in time for the feast of St Joseph the worker. This was our plan.

Outside of the plan was the final date of the 30 days which was April 30th 2025, this just happened to be the long awaited date of the consultation with Dr Jones about Vincent's nasal mass. 

The next day was May 1st, the feast of St Joseph the worker. That day, was full but in a good way, and it even included the inspection that our oldest had ordered for his home purchse. The home which just happened to be on Joseph Ave. and the inspection just happened to fall on St Joseph feast.

So, I had dropped off the girls at ICC for dance and then went to visit my parents nearby house until they were done and I could go pick them up.  

My brother was planting a tree in their front yard with his son and my dad. My mom was in a chair and I was sitting on a dark blue blanket in the grass with Vincent, cheering them on. My mom had brought out snacks left over from their weekly Thursday happy hour at their house. I was leaning back on my hands,  with one hand in the grass and the other in the blanket, really just enjoying the moment.  After a while, I felt something touch the inside of my hand and I instinctively closed it. I looked inside and was shocked to see that there was a 4 leaf clover in my hand!! Immediately after I saw the clover, I looked to my left as if I expected to see a person there. Then I looked down searched all around in the grass where my hand was, and, even though there was a lot of clover, not a single other 4 leaf. I was genuinely shocked and turned to my mom and said "Did you see what just happened?! There's a 4 leaf clover in my hand!" 

 I remember searching for a 4 leaf clover when I was young and I never found one. Then, when I'm not even looking, one appears in my hand, and it honestly felt like someone placed it there! My mom was sitting in the lawn chair and she witnessed my reaction. Though she didn't seem to think much of it because 3 leaf is the one that represents the Trinity. More on that later.

I didn't know what to think of it other than it was a gift. That night I would message 2 people about it. Allie Hengen and Jocelyn Stolp

🍀🍀🍀

I actually saw Allie at pick up from dance but I didn't get a chance to tell her about the clover because I first had to fill her in on the appointment Vincent had with Dr Jones, the ent, the day before on April 30th. As I was driving away I said,  "I forgot to tell her about the clover!" After I got home I messaged her and then I messaged Jocelyn. 

The next day, Allie got back to me.  

So May 1st was the day the 4 leaf clover was put in my hand.  It's also the day of completion of my 2nd completed cloak. We started March 31st and ended April 30th,  which was the day we got to visit Dr Jones for the first time. 

When that one was nearly complete, on April 28th, I met a couple friends for burgers. We get together every few months to touch base and encourage each other.  

As I was just finishing up the April cloak novena,  I told them they should pray these prayers too. Later that night, I messaged them that I would pray it again with them if they wanted to do it. 

So as you can see, I ended up overlapping these 2 cloaks by 2 days.  All three cloaks are for similar intentions, with mothers suffering similar distresses. 

Okay but how does this relate to the dentist?

Remember that when I got home after picking up the girls from ballet,  I messaged 2 people?One was Allie, and the other was Jocelyn. 

Jocelyn is one of our dental hygienists at Mcmanigal dental. She was also at Longo when the kids had braces. She presses clovers into jewelry and sells them.  I only found this out when I had a table at a craft fair, and her table was placed right next to mine.  We recognized each other and got to chat for most of the day. Then both of our moms show up and we realized that our parents know each other from Sons of Italy. Kind of a fun triple connection.  

I remember asking her, when I saw the 4 leaf clovers that she had found and pressed, if they were real. The reason I doubted is because I had searched for them when I was a kid, and never found one. But Jocelyn seemed to find them all the time.  I invited her to join us at our ICC boutique that fall

 That's when I bought this one. 

Now I have to tell you,  I have always been annoyed at St Patrick's day when I see 4 leaf clovers. The whole point is that legend has it that St Patrick tried to explain the Trinity to the Irish using a 3 leaf clover. But I've learned some things about the 4 leaf clover and I'm not going to ignore a marvel of creation just because some people say it's "good luck." 

Believers recognize God's providence in our lives,  and non-believers call it luck. They just haven't recognized the source of it yet, for nothing is by chance.

🍀🍀🍀

When I told my mom the story (after clover #3) my mom texted me and mentioned that the 4leaf clover is superstitious...

I responded with what I had found with my internet research😉

https://www.rd.com/article/four-leaf-clover/

Then I remembered Dr Higgins correlating good luck and Divine inervention when I asked him if he would call the MRI results miraculous. He said he definitely wouldn't rule it out. 

(See Vincent's menengitis story)

You also have to consider that I wouldn't have thought so much of it if it were a three leaf clover.  It would still be weird how it felt like it was placed there, but the 4th leaf really drove home an impression.  Plus the 4th leaf could be representation of divine intervention, like the Readers Digest article said. Either way, it ended up being a sign of some serious upcoming gratitude and contemplating of the Divine providence of God and how he connects us in the communion of saints for his greater glory! 

🍀🍀🍀

May 2023

The first cloak novena I started and completed was in 2023. The day I received the St Joseph earrings from Sandy Gonzolez at decoris.co, was the final day. So I went back and found the picture I took on the day of their arrival so I could send it to her with a thank you.  During 2020 I started selling color street nail polish strips,  which was also a very weird thing for me to do,  but hey it was 2020.  Since Sandy likes color street and I like her earrings, we would barter with eachother. I would send her a bunch of CS and then pick out some earrings I liked and she would send me those. 

Color Street was also the reason why I was at the craft fair where I was placed right next to Jocelyn who sells pressed clover jewelry.  Not sure I would have known that otherwise.

So that's how I remember the day that cloak ended,  because of the photo I took of the earrings to send to her after they casually arrived on the final day of my prayers. When I told her what she could send me in exchange, I didn't ever think they would be arriving on such a significant day. 

 It was June 5th 2023.

When I saw that the pure heart of St Joseph earrings arrived on that very day,  I took it as a sign that God hears my prayer and the answer is "not yet."  This gave me the confidence in prayer that I really needed. I had been praying hard for this intention for over 2 years,  not sure if the whole thing was going to end well or not. I had to keep reminding myself of God's control and not my own. That is sometimes hard to remember in the moment, and we wonder if God even hears us. We expect it to be done now to avoid any further suffering, but then we miss out on resting in the peace of abandonment to God's will.  God has mysterious plans and it doesn't always make sense when we are seeing it from our temporal perspective. 

 I wish I could remember who told me about the cloak novena. I don't even remember why I started it. But since I know I ended the 1st cloak novena on the 5th of June,  I must have started it on the 6th of May and oh what a May it was!

It was May 11th when we buried dear Fr Terrance Gordon. His funeral was at Immaculate Conception parish, and is the day when word leaked out about the miraculous Benedictines discovery.  His funeral was announced on the Friday before, and maybe that's why I started the cloak the next day, on the first Saturday of May. 

When we heard that they had Sr Wilhelmina laying out in the chapel, we knew it was time for a once in a lifetime road trip! So on May 22nd we loaded up into our big white chevy van to make the trip to Gower Missouri.  It was Stephanie Pacheco, her 3 littlest, and her mom,  and Brenda B and her son Alex. I only had my 3 year old Leo and 1year old Clare with me because the other kids were in school at Christendom Academy. We ran into the Palmers while we were there but other than that, there weren't many people there and we could really take our time.  

The first time I went in to touch her hand, it felt soft, like you would expect a hand to feel. The second time I touched her hand, I remember being surprised because it was hard and cold like metal.  I didn't smell roses, like some people do. I only smelled the sweet incense left from Mass. I was pregnant for my 11th time with our little Basil William, but didn't even know it.  I touched my scapular, 3 rosaries, her book and 3 holy cards to her. Then we went out to the place where she was originally buried, marveled at the whole thing,  and were allowed to gather a little bit of dirt into a small paper Dixie cup.

 

I can't get over the fact that Stephanie got a picture of the moment I touched my scapular to her hand.  Unknownst to me she did a great job documenting this! If you don't know why this matters, read Vincent's menengitis story.

Broomtree trip (still in May)

Over Memorial Day weekend, from May 26th-29th we had booked a half of a cabin up at Broomtree family camp with some good friends of ours, the Wood family.  

I brought my Sr Wilhelmina book, "God's Will" up there and was absorbed in getting to know her.  I also got to pray my daily cloak novena up there too as well as our daily rosary. We also prayed the stations a couple times,  once all together as a big group even!

Our first Baby #11

Shortly after we came home, I found out we were expecting again. It was May 31st when I got the positive! On June 4th, Fr Berg came over to our house for dinner.  He gave me a blessing of motherhood then he and the kids played chess together. 

And on June 10th we announced at my parents in the family tradition of standing in a bathtub  to announce a pregnancy.

Fr Berg got to be present at my parent's house for that too, and since we had the reason of celebrating Andrew's birthday, they didn't suspect a thing. 

 

Then June 14th we experienced our first loss.

This loss really did come with so much peace though.  It's not like I wanted it.  It's just a disappointment that is out of our control, but even in the midst of it,  I recognized the timing of it, and was grateful for the short little life he had had with us. It was truly out of my hands.  We named him Basil William and buried him by our Mary statue with some dirt I had collected from Sr Wilhelmina's grave site. 

💙  

That pretty much sums up the first St Joseph cloak and how it relates to Sr Wilhelmina. 

Except let me add this. Vincent is the "rainbow baby"  a baby born after a miscarriage. After he was born,  I came up with this song. 

Vincent is heaven sent

He's our 11th sent

Vincent has baby scent

And we all love him. 

 The mention of a rainbow baby reminds me of this family picture we got later the next year,  just last fall, on Sept 26th 2024 at the pumpkin patch with our 11 children and a rainbow. 

☘️

Now back to 2025. There's a third clover. 

First was in Gower on 4/20/24. 

Second was the Four Leaf in my hand on May 1st

and the third was on my oldest son's 23rd birthday. 5/21/25

Here is that story..

On the 18th of May 2025, the first Sunday after Vincent got sick,  I got to go to Mass at 1pm at ICC. During Mass I kept getting urgent thoughts to ask the sisters if they have seen any unexpected clover.  It was very persistent and so distracting that I turned around and looked down at my phone as if I have to do it now.  But I waited until Mass was over and messaged a mother who has 2 daughters there at the convent to ask. I figured she could call there anytime, (but that's not the case) So that was Sunday. I also felt like I got a lot of good praying done after I had decided that I would message after Mass. 

The next day was May 19th when I called to schedule my root canal. New wave dental said they could get me right in the next day. 

And then Tuesday at 2:15 was my appointment where I cried out "It's a miracle!" 😄

 I had reserved 3 nights of camping at Two Rivers,  Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday, and couldn't cancel with even half of the full refund, plus I think Dominic, my oldest, was looking forward to it and he had taken a couple days vacation.  So on Tuesday evening,  he brought 6 of his siblings with him to set up camp and stay overnight.  Wednesday morning was his birthday so I texted Katie Wood, whose family was camping next to us, to make sure no one forgot to say something.  Tom came and took a shift with Vincent at the hospital so I could visit the camp ground where they were camping for a little bit that morning

As soon as Tom came to the hospital to stay with Vincent,  I drove home to get Philomena and some things to bring with us. We stopped at hyvee to get a cheese cake and a coffee to bring out. But when we got to  Two Rivers, Katie was about to leave with the kids for a hike.  I stayed by the fire to relax.  Just before they got back from the hike,  Kilian(10) and I were invited into their tent to get out of the wind and to see the set up with their camp stove. I was told that I could sit on Katie's cot and Kilian sat next to me.  Kilian mentioned that he did a solo last Saturday. And I asked Dan Wood and his son Jaxon if they wanted to hear it. I warned them that it's 3.5 min long.  They said they would like to, so Kilian began to sing the Salve Mater. Right as soon as he began to sing,  I looked down and saw a 3 leaf clover. Directly in between my feet,  with no other grass or dirt anywhere in the tent that I could see. Katie later told me that they always take off their shoes before they go in.  While Kilian began his song,  I picked up the clover and held it,  pondering and praying until he finished. 

Then I exploded. I told the whole story of the clover to the people in the tent.  As soon as I was done,  Katie and the kids came back so I told it again for everyone who missed.  Those still sitting by the fire,  and those who were on the walk.  By then, it was time for me to get back to the hospital, so I brought Mena with me and made a video recording of me telling the story of the clover for record keeping sake. 

Two things for clarification.  1) I usually don't wear socks with sandals but my feet were cold so I got some from our tent.  And 2) after the song and the story, I put the clover back where I found it and took that picture. 

It's now pressed in a prayer book. 

That evening, May 21st, when I was sitting in the hospital with Vincent, I finallly started to compile a "cover letter" to send the story to the sisters.  It was time! Then I got a text from Jessica S asking if I was going to report it.  So I got all ready to send it but I was still waiting for a final piece of the puzzle to come together regarding my tooth. However,  early the next morning,  Vincent woke up to nurse and I had a thought of "just send it already!" So I did.  I think it was around 2or3am on May 22nd but I'm not exactly sure on the time.  They give the antibiotic at 4 and I know it was before then.  

And at the bottom of the "favors granted" box, I asked if they had been seeing any "unexpected clovers" there at the Abby, telling them that for me,  it's what connects Sr Wilhelmina to St Joseph and my tooth healing, adding "If not, I will still be satisfied with the little gifts I keep receiving in the form of actual clovers and providential timing. Resting in the will of God and whatever he wants to do with her story."

Now I knew that was done. I then texted the mother of the 2 girls there to see if she ever did ask them but she said not yet because they were going to write a letter to them this weekend. 

So many clues on May 19th

On the morning of the 19th, the day before my appointment at new wave dental, there were a few more blatant signs that I can ask boldly and confidently.

I asked Fr Truong if he could bring me Communion before the new wave dental appointment. 

I only told him the room number and didn't specify a time. Just in the morning.

I had already messaged a bunch of people to pray for Sr Wilhelmina's powerful intercession, 

between 2-3 on Tuesday the 20th.

 I was loaded with even more confidence, and when Kristi Black told me that she was just there in Gower. That's when it occurred to me that we were 9 days away from the feast of the Ascension and so I started sharing the novena of Sr Wilhelmina's prayer with everyone, and said to pass it on, praying for anything! Pray big and with confidence was my message.  

The morning before my appointment, by the time Fr Truong brought me Communion,  I had finally narrowed down what my intention for this novena was going to be.  It had to do with having a way for big, one income, fssp families to affordably send their kids to school.  When I told Fr Truong that the day that Vincent's 14 days of antibiotics are up is May 27th 2025, 30 years after the founding of the order,  he told me that the original intent of Sr Wilhelmina was to have sisters to be a help in the parishes. He listed some things they could have done, but all I heard him say was "teaching" Then I told him what I had already decided my intention was going to be. If you need proof, I had even sent a text, after I decided my intention, encouraging them to join me,  to the Hattons hybrid, where 4 of my kids go twice a week. It's very difficult for big families, who are having babies every other year, to have to teach their 4-8+ kids on one income, and this intention has been on my heart for a couple decades.

So that's it.  That's the story of the clovers and St Joseph and the Benedictines of Mary. Of course there are a hundred more things I could tell you, but it all worked together to let me know that this is a story spanning more than this week.   It just came to fruition after years of careful planning by someone with a much wider lense.    

*The picture at the very top was taken on the evening of May 22nd at two rivers.  My daughter Cece kept bringing me clovers since hearing the story I just told you the day before.   I took a picture of the boys playing and she held up the clover to get included. I just thought it was a beautiful picture and wanted it as the cover.

***UPDATE  FROM PART 1**

On May 22nd this was my conversation with my dentist. 

Vincent's Meningitis Experince

 

+JMJ+

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." 

Hebrews 12:28-29

    Considering we are nearing the end of this Easter season, I recognize God's perfect timing in all things.  After 3 days of uncertain waiting and confidently praying for health and healing, God restored our baby boy to us.  This is our story.

On Tuesday May 13th our sweet Vincent suddenly got very sick. Upon waking up Tuesday morning I noticed that he was definitely infected with something. Not only did he have a fever, but he was limp and moaning with every breath. Because he had just had nasal surgery last Wednesday (May 7th) to remove a congenital glial heterotopia in his right nostril that we had been dealing with for a long time, I was thinking that it could have been the source of the infection.  

Almost as soon as I woke up at 6am, I had the ent on-call doctor paged with my concerns. Dr Higgins the resident doctor who was present for Vincent's surgery, called me back and said I could bring him in at 9:30. But before the office opened, Andrea called to chat about his symptoms and prescribed an antibiotic, telling me it would save us a trip in when he's feeling so crummy. But by the late afternoon it was clear that he needed immediate medical attention. He had a high fever, and was still very lethargic, not even wanting to nurse at all that entire day. 

At about 3pm he finally did nurse but, when I was picking up kids, dad texted that he threw up.  

When I got home just before 5pm I noticed his soft spot was slightly bulging but he nursed again. By the time we had decided that he needed to go to the er, and were getting him in the van, he threw up again.  

The drive

As I drove through Omaha construction,  I remember being on 120th and Q st, stuck in traffic, and praying for God's will to be done.  I prayed for the life of my baby, but saying out loud that "if 9 months is all we get with him,  then we were blessed to have him for 9 months.  And he's baptized so he would go straight to heaven, which is the whole point." Of course I was crying and it was then that I remembered that I'm not called to carry that cross at this time, not to worry prematurely, and to just take it one step at a time. 

Arriving at Children's emergency room

When we got to Children's emergency room they gave him ibuprofen to bring down his fever, and some zolfran so he could keep down the breastmilk and said he likely caught a virus. I was concerned about the bulging soft spot and how lethargic he was, but they said that can happen with a virus. She said they could run labs if I wanted to. It was about 10pm. I asked her how long it would take to get the results and she said about an hour.  I considered bringing him home since  Tom was working overnight, and since they thought it was viral, maybe I'm overreacting.  But I am so thankful that I followed my gut and decided to opt for the labs. 

His veins were hard to find since he hadn't kept anything down all day, but when the blood tests came back, two doctors and a nurse walked in to tell me that his sodium was low, which could be a sign of meningitis and that they would be admitting us for treatment. 

The tests

Before going upstairs, he had a series of procedures and tests including the troublesome iv placement, a 1am CT scan, and a urine sample from a catheter, all building up to the dreaded lumbar puncture at 2:20am

I vividly  remember carrying him down the long hall as we were walking to the room for that procedure. It was a moment that stuck out in time.  I described this moment to a friend of mine

I had to be a couple doors down in the family room until they were done.  That was one the most difficult experience of the whole night.  

Between each procedure we got to snuggle. But he still wasn't nursing 

A young nurse came in and sat down with a paper and notebook and asked me to sum up the whole day from the moment I suspected he was sick. So I reviewed the whole day with her, then as she started the antibiotics she noticed my scapular and asked if I was Catholic. She said she is also Catholic. Then we started talking about being Catholic and how much peace there is resting in the will of God. And then I mentioned how hopeful I am about the new pope. She actually graduated from Villanova so she felt super connected to Pope Leo XIV. She said she really admires Augustinian order and way of life. I admitted that I didn't know much about the order and she started telling me about the pillars and then reassuring about our situation too and that God is in control. And I don't even remember her name! I bet she wasn't even 25 but that was nice to have that conversation after such a procedure. 

At 2:54am Wednesday she got him started on broad spectrum antibiotics until results came back pinpointing exactly what we were dealing with. 

At 6am we were admitted to the hospital up in medsurge. His quick results labs came back saying he has pneumococcal spinal meningitis and later his blood labs would confirm this and eliminate that there was any other bacteria present.  

The Scans

We got the results from the CT scan.  It showed a persistent criboform defect, "a hole" is hour they described it to me, which could have also explained how he got the glial mass in the first place.  

This is what they told me and they needed to get an mri to get a better look at what we were dealing with. The MRI could also tell us if there were any pockets of abscess that would need to be drained.  I asked if we could wait until he was stronger for the surgery and they just said we'll see what the mri said. 

 Initially I was told that they were trying to gather ent, mri, neurosurgery and anesthesia to do a real time MRI where they could look and discuss together. The time they had told me the mri would take place was just after 3pm. Fr Mahowald was planning on coming out after his meeting in Fremont of the new Archbishop of Omaha. He said he could be at Children's at 2:30 to give him a blessing.  I marveled at the timing of that since that would be right before mri was scheduled.  

Everybody pray!

Before he went under, I told many people on my prayer groups and they are prayer warriors. I called and talked to Cece Passo just after noon and she already been told that morning and had offered her day for Vincent and his parents.  The Sisks, Vincent's godparents, told the Nolles who contacted 3 convents, where 3 of their daughters are.  The Sisters of Charity in Mexico City had their Mass said for him, the Carmelites in Denver and Missouri mater filius also prayed for him. Confraternity of Christian Mothers were praying and St Philomena archconfraternity were all on it too, since I am a member and Vincent is especially precious since he was born on her feast day.  There were so so many prayers being earnestly prayed for the healing of this little boy. 

The visit of the relics

Surprisingly, just after 1pm, I was told that they bumped up the scan to 2pm. I panicked a little because it didn't look like Vincent would get the blessing before he went under.  At 1:08, as soon as they told me the change,  I started asking people for Fr Troung's cell phone. He called me back but there wasn't time for him to get here before 2pm. It was very short notice.  Fortunately Stephanie Pacheco felt the need to turn down Dodge Street on her way back from church. She called and offered to come pray. It would be tight but she was able to make it up to our room with her collection of 2nd & 3rd class relics.

 There were about 6 holy cards.  I remember St Philomena, Padre Pio, St Charbel, St Gemma and finallly Sr Wilhelmina. I remember very clearly, kissing her relic, looking at her photo, and asking for Sr Wilhelmina to interceed for Vincent and for Gods Will to be done. Not even once did I think that a miracle would happen but I did have faith in the outcome being for the glory of God.  

**UPDATE ** These were the relics he was prayed over immediately before the MRI, asking these saints for their prayers so I guess there were 7: Sister Wilhelmina, (which was the only 2nd class) St.s Gemma, Jude, Pio, Charbel, Rita, Philomena and Blessed Pauline Marie Jaricot (-miraculously healed from Saint Philomena) **

 Shortly after praying, it was time for him to go to anesthesia.  Stephanie gave him a kiss goodbye and left after her quick 10 minute visit,  then Vincent and I followed the staff downstairs for imaging. Neurosurgery wasn't able to make it so it was just going to be scans for now and then they would figure out what needed to be done.  Before he went under, I had removed my medals to give him my scapular, at the suggestion of Allie Hengen, to see if he could wear my scapular during the scans. The nurse who was going to be with him looked me in the eye and assured me that he would have it with him during the mri, if not on him then right next to him. 

 

I thought it was such a great idea and then I realized that my scapular had touched Sr Wilhelmina's hand on May 22nd 2023.

Right after coming up from imaging was the time that Fr Mahowald was expected to arrive. So I sat in the entrance way of Children's and prayed until he got there.  That's when I looked up and saw Dr Jones ordering some Scooters coffee, so I walked up and stood near by.  It wasn't long until he turned around and saw me and said "Vincent's mom?" That's when we got to chat until Fr Mahowald showed up and I got to introduce him to Dr Jones. Then he said he had to run, and Father and I went back to the room in medsurge to continue our conversation and that's about the exact time Tom showed up too. Father kept us company until they brought Vincent back,  which took longer than expected.

The wait after the mri was longer than expected but finally I could hear Vincent coming down the hall and I rushed to sweep him up in my arms as soon as I could.  He was wearing only the scapular and a diaper with a yellow protective cover over him.  And he was shivering. I was a little annoyed that he didn't have a blanket since he felt cold, but I bundled him up next to me to warm him up.  I was told not to nurse him until we get the go ahead. It seemed that they were still looking at the scans.  

Father gave him a blessing and then he had to go.  It was almost 4 and he was saying 5pm Mass for the senior graduates at our parish. 

Tom stayed overnight with him so I could go home and get some sleep.  It had been 36 hours since I had really slept except for a brief doze here or there. 

They can't explain it

After a good night's sleep I arrived at the hospital at about 9am Thursday morning. The rest of the day was a series of bringing down fevers, administering saline and antibiotics,  keeping his right arm straight because the iv was very "positional" and chatting with the doctors about what they think is going on. 

 They were "at a loss" as to how the meningitis got in there because the MRI scans, taken 13 hours after the CT, showed no defect and no pockets of abscess to drain. We received the absolute best case scenario.  They were baffled but kept coming up with theories. I figured they would figure it out eventually so I just waited for them to do so. 

Was this a miracle?

It wasn't until the next day, Friday the 16th, (the day Vincent started waking up) when each one who visited, still couldn't explain it. That's when it occurred to me that a miracle might have just happened. I threw this idea at Dr Jones when he was standing there still bewildered. Then later I told Dr Higgins about Sr Wilhelmina and if he would consider this a miracle. He said "It's either really good luck or divine intervention.  Whatever you want to call it." "But would you call it a miracle?" I asked. "I wouldn't rule it out" was his answer. 

This is the message I sent to my confraternity of Christian mothers group at 8pm Friday night.

Thanks be to God! He's going to be okay 

Finally after 3 days of uncertainty and patiently waiting to see if he would come out if it, on Friday morning, he almost immediately turned the corner. He had given a slight smile the night before. Both Tom and I were there for it. It was just the one, but we took it as a good sign. The next morning he really started improving. There's nothing like seeing your sick child wake up again. 

I told Tom, "This is the photo of the year"⬆️

Dominic and Philomena (siblings) came up to visit on Friday when he started feeling better

A baby is born

My oldest goddaughter was in labor. Her water broke early Wednesday morning at the exact hour that Vincent had his lumbar puncture and started antibiotics. 48 hours later, a baby girl with 2 very Carmelite names was born. 48 hours is how long everyone was saying it would take for us to see an improvement in Vincent. And they were right on! This was no coincidence.

On Monday the 18th, baby Adeline Therese Majella received the gift of baptism from Father Audino FSSP, who just so happens to be the priest who baptized Vincent last August.  

Except right after baptizing him,  he moved to Virginia to continue his studies. This is where Gwyn and her husband now live.

The incredible timing and visits to the dentist 

 On May 2nd I was able to get in to see my dentist because I was worried about one of my molars. Scans showed a fractured molar with some possible infection so Dr Mcmanigal prescribed a 10 day antibiotic and to see if that took care of the pain. I finished the round on the day before Vinny got sick, with no improvement.  After canceling due to Vinnys sickness, I asked about still getting in this week.  Shelly said if I could be there at 8am on Friday, he could take another look. So my plan was to go to the appointment and then go to the hospital.  

Wednesday and Thursday nights are the nights my husband is off work.  So he was able to stay at the hospital while I went home and got some sleep. Thursday morning, when labs came to draw blood, he had to hold Vincent as they poked his finger and milked it until they collected enough.  Vincent cried the whole time. There was no heads up that they were going to do that, or that they were going to need to do it again the next morning. But I woke up early Friday and needed to relieve some milk.  If it was just a little earlier or later I would have pumped, but I thought about it, and figured I could make it to the hospital, nurse the baby,  and then make it to my appointment by 8am. So that's what I did.  I quickly showered,  grabbed my stuff, drove to the hospital, parked the van,  took the elevator, scanned in to the wing and, as I walked in,  labs were just dressing to enter the room* for another blood draw. Tom gave me Vincent, we sat down, started nursing and within 1 minute they poked him and started collecting.  He let out one little cry when they cut him but then wasn't bothered at all. Tom and I met eyes and his jaw was almost on the floor. I got there at about 7:15 and could only stay about half an hour, but within the half hour, labs were done and Dr Martin was doing his rounds and I got to be there for that bonus too.  This was no coincidence. 

*(we are in isolation because he tested positive for rhinovirus when we arrived, but seems to be asymptomatic) 

By the way,  the scan showed that the fracture inside my molar had not gone away but had grown from the last scan so I am being referred for a root canal sometime this week. 

***UPDATE***

With no change to the above statements!

May 20th, 2025

Well thank you Sr Wilhelmina! You keep coming through! I had a dentist appointment this afternoon for a root canal, but the new scans showed ZERO molar fracture and the root is fine!! Praise God for this powerhouse saint!

Before going in for the scheduled root canal, I asked for Sr Wilhelmina's intercession that I would have no fracture and not need a root canal. Because I was so confident that she would grant this, I invited friends to ask for her powerful intercession and I was about to be shocked if it wasn't granted.  This is how sure I was that she would come through and God would grant her prayers.

Of course I told the dentist this was a miracle and he said, no it's just that he has better scans. This could be the case, but still the prayer was answered that I do not have a fracture and I don't need a root canal. So, once again, thank you Sr Wilhelmina for those powerful prayers! 

My dentist office is closed on Tuesdays but I had to see what they would say, so I texted the receptionist the results of the referral. This was her response..

Feast days & special days

May 13th, the day we discovered his infection, is the feast of Our Lady of Fatima 

3 days of unknown waiting Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 

Friday May 16th,  the feast of St Simon Stock, (to whom Mary gave the brown scapular)  is the day we finally realized we may have received a miracle. Also my godaughter had her very Carmelite baby girl, laboring over the exact same 48 hours that Vinny started antibiotics, until he started feeling better. Also it is Carolyn Victory 's birthday, a friend who recently passed from cancer. And it's also St Gemma's feast day

May 17th 100 years since St Therese was canonized

May 22nd the date I touched the brown scapular to Sr Wilhelmina, is also my goddaughter's birthday! This is Gwyn, who just had the baby. 

May 27th 1995 is the date Sr Wilhelmina founded the Benedictines of Mary. Thirty years later, to the day, is when Vincent completes his 14 days of antibiotics and will be released to go home

Sitting here in the hospital, I have a lot of time to ponder and pray. I believe that the time we had to wait until his surgery, when we were trying to get it resolved back in December had to happen at the exact moment God wanted it to happen. Our original ent doctor appointment was January 29th. She ordered a CT scan and that took place on February 18th. Then we also needed an MRI so that was scheduled for March 12th. Finally the consultation was going to happen. But first available wasn't until April 30th with Dr Jones at twin creek. I told them that if anyone drops an appointment  to call me and we will be there.  I don't care where and I don't care with which doctor.  He just needs to be able to breathe through his nose.  When we finally got to meet with Dr Jones, he was just as frustrated as we were because he wasn't sent the scans. So he promised me that he would call me first thing in the morning after taking a look at them. I asked him how far out surgery was booked and he said July. That's when I showed him a video of the struggle to breathe that Vincent had been experiencing and he said he was going to get us in asap. And he did! Within a week,  Vincent was having surgery! 

St Joseph

During the month of April I completed my second St Joseph Cloak novena, ending in time for his feast on May 1st and joining with a mother whose family is in need.  Then for May I have 3 other moms in need for similar intentions so I'm currently going another round. This is an intention we ourselves have had experience with so I'm very sympathetic and I know how powerful St Joseph is. The prayers of the holy cloak are so beautiful and I've found them always fruitful. Even if in ways you don't expect. There are a million little clues I have received to give me such confidence and I believe this has all be a gift from St Joseph.

***update*** 

On Sunday night,  after finally finding my copy of the book "Gods Will" that was published by the sisters, I brought it to the hospital and stuck 3 holy cards together randomly in the pages.  Later when I went to open the book, I noticed they were randomly stuck in the page dedicated to St Joseph❤️pg 63

**UPDATE**

I just realized I completed my first St Joseph cloak novena at the end of May 2023. On June5th is when the 30 days ended and on that day,  I received confirmation of "message received" in the form of the arrival of St Joseph heart earrings. This is what gave me such confidence in prayer.  That God said,  "I hear your prayer" "The answer is not yet" I remember being in the midst of that first cloak novena when I touched Sr Wilhelmina. We would go to broomtree cabins later in May with some friends and I prayed those prayers everyday up there.  And I honestly don't remember who told me about the cloak! I wish I could tell them how great they've been. 

June 4th, of that year,  Fr Berg gave me a blessing of motherhood because I had just found out I was pregnant with#10. He later would establish the St Joseph prayer at the end of each low Mass at ICC. 

I experienced my first loss with this pregnancy on June 14th. We were only about 6 weeks along so we named him Basil William and buried him in front of the Mary statue in the backyard with dirt I had collected from Sr Wilhelmina's grave on in May.

It's beyond words sometimes when I'm hit with how big this is.  How all those little steps may have been leading up to and preparing for this moment.  

☘️oh and then there's the clover in my hand which connects the Benedictine Abby, St Joseph, and my tooth story.  .. well that's possibly a story for another day,🍀

Thank you God for healing my baby boy!!

On Friday after connecting this to Sr Wilhelmina‘s intercession I had this to say..

From the bottom of my Facebook post on Friday May 16th

Science cannot explain what happened. Neurosurgery's best guess is that some bacteria might have gotten up in the menenges veins but ent said he wasn't even close to that area. They are also at a loss to explain how the hole was there at the CT, and gone at the MRI only 13 hours later. I know ct gets images of bone vs soft tissue on the MRI, but they were fully ready to have to go in for surgery. And then they didn't have to.

This week has been full of promptings from the Holy Spirit. I'm going back and collecting texts with time stamps to piece it all together. Connections are appearing that tells me this is all part of God's amazing plan.  

Today is even the feast day of St Simon Stock, who was given the brown scapular by Our Lady! 

I'm so hopeful and excited on his recovery. And crying in gratitude, considering what could have been. Completely in awe of God's saving mercy and how he connects us all in the body of Christ. For his greater glory!!🥹 Thank you Jesus for the healing. Thank you to all those who prayed for this sweet little boy, and thank you to Children's Hospital for the excellent care! 

We will probably be here a few more days to make sure the infection has totally passed but I believe the seriousness of this infection is behind us. Praise be to God in his angels and in his saints!

Too many coincidences to list! This is just one example

May 20th 

Sr Wilhelmina isn't done yet. 

Start a novena today leading up to the feast of the Ascension.

 

Ask for anything! If it be God's will, I'm sure she would love to have her hand in it. Pass it on. 

☘️☘️☘️

O God, who hast mercifully given us the beautiful life & example of Sr. Wilhelmina of the Most Holy Rosary, grant that we may hold fast to our holy Faith, true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, & fidelity to our daily duty in 'ora et labora,' for the salvation of our souls, & the unity & restoration of the Church.

We also ask, if it be God's holy will, that He grant the favor of _________ through her intercession, commending all in our hearts to her beloved Bridegroom, Jesus. Amen.