A Memorable Birthday

Caroline's thirteenth birthday was one I don't think she'll easily forget. Ice and snow had been forecast for St. Louis on Thursday and Friday. Driving home on Thursday evening, the highway was slushy, and we fully expected to wake with to a blanket of snow on the ground. We already knew that Rosati and Fontbonne were closed on Friday, and I wasn't expecting to go in to work. I thought maybe I could get a little work done at home.

When I woke up about 6 am on Friday morning, our power was out. I checked our thermostat, which we have set at 63 degrees overnight (I know, the kids complain that it is like a meat locker in our house--we think that keeping the house cool is why they are all so healthy!). The thermostat showed a temperature of 62 degrees, so I figure the power had gone out shortly before I woke up. Since all of our electric clocks have digital displays, we couldn't tell exactly when the power went out. I turned on the portable radio so Caroline could hear her birthday greeting on KMOX (they were in a hurry--they called her Carol Kopff!)

I got my car de-iced and went to McDonald's so we could all have a hot breakfast--and I really needed some coffee! Breakfast was a big hit with all concerned. Then we turned our thoughts to how to cope with having no electricity. All I could think of was the aftermath of the storms last July. Some people were without power for 5 days or more. KMOX radio was telling us that some 500,000 people were without power, so there was no way to know when we'd get power back. We called several hotels near us, but they were all booked up already. I finally found us a room at the Drury Plaza Hotel downtown at 4th and Market. The hotel has a pool and hot tubs, free drinks and snacks in the evening and a free breakfast buffet in the morning. The kids were ready to go right away, but check-in wasn't until 3 pm!

We spent the day cleaning off the cars, shoveling the driveway, and getting our affairs in order--letting Cal and Rita, our neighbors, know where we'd be, getting our overnight bags packed, filling a bag with sodas and snacks. (Gotta have those snacks!) We gave Caroline her birthday presents early, cleaned up the kitchen, and finally, it was 2:30 and time to go.

We got to the hotel and checked in--I parked the van in the basement of the garage, and went to the room. Caroline, Emily, and Deb were already off exploring. Amanda was catching up on her TV watching. (It's kind of sad how dependent we are on the TV and the computer to fill our days.)

Well, the hotel was wonderful. We had dinner at Max and Erma's, then Emily and Caroline went to the exercise room, and Amanda went back to watch more TV. Deb and I visited the lounge in the lobby and got some of our free drinks (three free drinks per adult guest during happy hour--what a deal!). Then Deb headed up to the room for a nice hot shower, while Emily and Caroline and I went for a swim and a visit to the hot tub. The hotel was filled with other families and travelers taking refuge from the storm, so it was almost a festival atmosphere. The breakfast buffet offered pancakes, sausage patties, eggs, biscuits and gravy, as well as cereal, bagels, and danish. Quite a deal for free--we all ate our fill.

When it came time to check out, I was happy to be heading home (our neighbors had called the previous evening to say our power was restored) but a little sad to be ending our mini-vacation. Let's just hope the powere stays on!

My Holy Week Retreat

If you want to see pictures of my Holy Week retreat at the White House Jesuit Retreat House, click here. The retreat was great, very full of graces, even if the weather was gloomy for all three days!

cool!

High School Reflections

Hey, everyone, Amanda here!!!!! This school year has been very busy. It has been a year full of new experiences and memories. It's hard to believe that graduation is just a few short months away. High school has really gone by quickly, but the memories will last a lifetime.

Christmas Greetings!

Merry Christmas from the Kopff family. We had our family gathering yesterday--The oldest present was Fr. Herb, the youngest was Josie Kopff--we had 18 or so of us--Nancy is in from DC, Joe and Lois from Phoenix--it was great fun. Eating, drinking, and telling family stories--and counting our blessings.

You should read Amy Welborn today--she has a couple of Christma poems up--one by Thomas Merton, another by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Our choir at St. Mark's has sung for the last 3 days--it just won't seem right not to be singing at Mass tomorrow!

I wish you all a blessed Christmas Season. May Christ's peace reign in your hearts.

Day 4---On the Road

This morning is beautiful, again. The afternoons are hot, but the nights turn pleasantly cool. This morning, I checked our FWS system for the four offices I cover, and there is no work in the pipeline for me through Thursday. Jesse was in the office when I arrived, and said he had two tickets (?) here and a couple to work with the guys in Hebbronville--he wonders if they might not get called to Laredo to help out.
Last night, I was extremely tired when I got back to the hotel (what a dump!). It surprised me, considering mostly what I did was sit all day. I did make the 80-mile round trip to Hebbronville to pick up my cell phone, but that was about the extent of my travels.

Today is the Feast of the Ascension. I will be going to 11:00 Mass--the church is only about 4 blocks away--and then get some lunch.

All these small towns have their own Catholic church. Even Bruni, the town where the landmark for the CO is the pay phone, has one. (I looked all these towns up on masstimes.org.)

So far my impressions of this area are:

• Sparsely populated


• Very flat


• Scrub brush--Jesse's motel is the 'Brush Country Inn'


• Lots of Spanish on the radio--heard the rosary and the Hail, Holy Queen this morning


• Wide open spaces!!!!!!!!

Everyone has been very friendly. There are reports of vandalism and sabatoge in California, and some unpleasantness with picketers, but nothing here.

I feel better having a cell phone now. I was wondering what I would do if the car broke down half-way to Hebbronville--walk 20 miles? I guess I'd flag down a car.

Oh well. I hope we get to come home soon. I miss Deb's home cooking, my girls, the Cards on the radio, tall trees, and on and on.

Say a prayer for a peaceful and swift resolution to this contract negotiation!
See you all soon, I hope!

Tom

Hi! I'm still here--if SBC has a work stoppage, I'll be sent to Freer, Texas, a VERY small town between Corpus Christi and Laredo, as a frame attendant. Say a prayer that there is no strike!

I've changed some settings, and added a link to a page of links I'm working on. Let me know if you have any suggestins for favorite links!

And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled.
This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria.
And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.
And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them:
Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying:
Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

Thought for the day:
"I will sing forever of your love, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts forever,
that your truth is firmly established as the heavens."...Psalm 89

Here's a picture of Josephine from the website at St. John's.

Happy Mother's Day to Katie! Welcome, Josephine Catherine, to the Kopff family! It's a wonderful world! We all can't wait to meet you.

Also, a little update on the college front: Laura will be going to Truman State U. next fall. When Laura started high school, I was warned tht the four years would fly by. Believe it or not, they really did. Cor Jesu Graduation is next Sunday, May 18th.

"sometimes the way things play out, all you're left with are questions."

"i guess this time that has to be enough."

Good news!! Debbie went to the doctor yesterday, and everything is fine! She goes back in five weeks so they can begin checking her thyroid levels to see if any medication is needed.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers. We have been so blessed!

Debbie's home!!!! Praise the Lord!!!
Laura went to pick her up. (I'm really going to miss our extra driver next year when Laura is off at college.) We were visiting her, (Emily, Caroline, and I) and left just before the doctor came in and told her to go home! I hadn't taken the cell phone along, so she had no way to reach me--I was probably still on the parking lot!
The hard part will be getting Debbie to slow down long enough to recover.
Thank you all for your prayers!

Well, Deb's surgery went well. They took her back to surgery about 2:30 (we thought her surgery was scheduled for 1:00 pm, and they had her listed at 1:50, so it was a little late.) About 6:30, Dr. Boyle came out and talked to me. He said she had a really big goiter on the one side, and the other side was more what he was expecting. In his experience, he said, the goiter looked benign, but they won't know for sure for a couple of days until the tests are done. He said Debbie would come home either on Tuesday or Wednesday. I got to see Deb for a while about 7:45, when she got to her room (Room 564, bed 2). She was sleeping most of the time, but was aware that Laura and I were there. We left around 8:30 pm. I'll be going up today to check on her and see when she is going to come home.
Thank you all for your prayers, and we'll see most of you on Saturday!

If you are desperately seeking Lenten reading, here's a list compiled by Amy Welborn from her readers. I've read many, but not most of the works. I can second the recommendationof 'In this House of Brede' by Rumer Godden, 'To Know Christ Jesus' by Frank Sheed, almost anything by C.S. Lewis.
Now I need to get to the bookstore!.

Well, I hate to say this, Joe & Lois, but it's about 19 degrees and snowing here. I've been watching Tiger Woods on TV and San Diego looks real nice about now. Everything got cancelled here today--Amanda's choir practice, Emily's and Caroline's basketball games--so we are having a nice snuggly day at home. Laura was supposed to leave for her senior Kairos retreat tonight at 5pm, but they have delayed it unitl 8 am tomorrow--she's disappointed, because it means one less night there. Oh, well--we just have to make due with what we get--I hope everyone else is well--Emily, Caroline, and Amanda are fighting some kind of sniffles/fever/cough illness, and feeling kind of tired.
Talk to you all later!...Tom

I just heard from Marianne that Uncle Bernie passed away yesterday evening (Sunday) at 5:40 pm. Visitation will be at Kutis in Affton from 2-9 pm on Tuesday, 2/4, with funeral Mass on Wednesday at 9:30 at St. Simon's.
May he rest in peace!

It's good to see everyone posting! Katie, apparently you neglected to click 'publish' after you posted, so I published your post for you. Let me know if you need any help.
Well, Laura and I left at 6:15 this morning to drive to Truman State University today--it's a 217 mile, 3.5 hour trip. Laura was going down to be interviewed as part of the competition for the General John J. Pershing scholarship--the most prestigious they offer! (Pardon my paternal bragging!) We had a good trip, the weather cooperated, not very cold, and no rain. Laura had her interview, and then we ate lunch with a Cor Jesu alum who is a sophomore at Truman now. She seems to like Truman a lot, says it is hard work but that she was well prepared by CJ. Laura met a girl from Bayless, also interviewing, who has French class with Amanda. Another girl interviewing for one of the scholarships is a girl Laura knows for Assumption Life team. Talk about old home week!
Whenever I go visit a college campus, I am ready to go back. I just love the academeic atmosphere (as a student!). I like the campus, it's pretty compact, and I would have no problems with Laura going there. Now she just has to wait and see what other offers come through. Please say a prayer that God will guide her to make a good choice. I'm really proud of my girl, and very happy for her. Talk to you all later.