Two pilgramages in one week

I am still in awe how this week has turned out. It started as a completly dark week and it has turned into one where the presence of Our Lady has been so palpable its unbelivable. My prayer buddy is amazing as well as all of those that offered their prayers during these dark days.

By Monday I had been invited to 4 baby showers in the space of 5 days. FOUR. I received tons of mails about them, calls, FB invitations, the works.

I took the advice given by several people here and declined the invitations. I needed to protect my heart. Specially with the pregnancy that is due the very same day as I should have been due with Miguel.

All these invitations really hit hard and together with me being 40 very soon and my coming due date it was too much to take. Also the project for Napro here was dying. It broke my heart.

On Wednesday night we went to the Basilica of Guadalupe for the Mass of Life and in honor of St joseph from our adoption agency. All morning I received great news that I did not expect and decided to go on another pilgramege the same week! This mass in the Basilica turned out into one of thanks.

I received that morning news form PPVI. We have been given permision by Dr. H to TTC again. After 6 months of hellish symptoms and everything immaginable he thinks I am healed enough to try again. This gave me hope that all is not lost. That we can try again. Since I kept a fertility diary when I got pregnant I will go on the same regime again. TCM, Napro and light excercise and the endo diet. I know that this heals me on a very profound way and that even if I do not conceive again I can be healthy enough to be a a good mother through adoption or even if this also fails I can be healthy to do God´s work as He chooses.

That same morning I met with my grief therapist. We discussed that I needed to do something to bring happiness. Urgently since I felt spinning again into the waves of profound grief due to IF. Spending the long weekend crying and in my bed as I had planned was not an option.

Out of the blue I decided to invite my FIL and DH on a pilgramage to the second largest site in Mexico, located in Jalisco the state where Tequila, mariachis and traditional Mexican food is from. Its also the most Catholic part of the country where the cristeros (people that gave their life as martirs when the Catholic Chruch was banned during the 1930´s) came from and also Saint Miguel Agustin Pro.

Its an area of the country full of haciendas, music, great food and amazing people filled with faith.

In this area there is a Basilica in honor of the Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos. A Virgin made of maize. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_San_Juan_de_los_Lagos

During late January and early Feb over a million pilgrims go to Her from all over Mexico and the USA.

My FIL had promised to go there to give thanks for the birth of this children and never had done it. He had this debt with this Virgin for over 45 years!

Everything started to happen very fast, we found the last 2 rooms at a very nice hotel in an Hacienda over 300 years old 60% off!! My parents then decide to join us and so tomorrow we leave for the trip of a lifetime without even really planning it.

That same after noon I met with a potential Napro benefactor that has suffered 6 miscarriages. They want to help.

A girl from Guadalajara (the 3rd largest city in Mexico and the one that is the most Catholic) contacted me. She has 3 doctors lined up and wants to become a practioner and open this city.

During the Mass we prayed for all that sent us their intentions as well as all bloggers and the catholic IF group. We lit their intentions, prayed during Mass and stood just a few meters from Her Image and prayed out loud for all.

I felt such a connection to all of you it was unbelivable. I will take these intentions again with me on this second pilgramage. So all of you will be present at 2 of the largest pilgramage sites in the world: Guadalupe and San Juan de Los Lagos, this last one where Pope John Paul II gave a Mass to 3 million people.

This week is one where I felt the power of the universality of the Catholic Church.

Me being Mexican, speaking another language, with other customs, received the prayers of people that are thousands of miles away, but that can use the same prayers as me in another language and pray to the same God for the very same things. It does not cease to amaze me.