Happy Baptism Day Andrew!!!

Four years ago today, Andrew became a child of God!!!
We love you so much, little man.


Here is the excerpt from my journal.  It tells the story of how we named you.


1/17/06
It’s been a very long time since I have written.  Bruce and I are anxiously awaiting the birth of our son, Andrew Joseph anytime within the next 2 weeks.  We are both excited and nervous (well, I am, Bruce isn’t nervous).

I have had a difficult 9 months probably due to my age and being so far away from friends and family. I want to record how YOU, God, gave us Andrew’s name.

I loved the name, Jude and was stuck on Jude Girard mainly because I prayed to St. Jude and he helped me find Bruce, and St. Girard helped us conceive.  I was set with Jude Girard, but Bruce insisted that we pray and ask You what name you have chosen.  We did for months.  Bruce would make lists of names and try them out.  He really like Brian or Ryan, which I liked, but I wanted a Saint name and I wanted the name to have meaning, not just be a name we liked.  I wanted a purpose for the name.  We continued to pray and make lists.  Then one day, Bruce’s mom suggests Andrew.  My rebellious nature rejects it right away because WE didn’t come up with it, but it went on the list and surprisingly became one of the top 3.

Well, Lord, you know just how to “handle me:” One day after Christmas I was reading our Medjugorje Magazine.  There was an article about St. Peter.  It told how his younger brother, Andrew, was the first to meet Jesus.  He brought Peter to Jesus with the words, “We have seen the Messiah.”  I was so touched that tears came to my eyes.  First of all, I didn’t even know that Andrew was Peter’s younger brother and I was touched at his humbleness.  He was the first to recognize Jesus as the messiah, but his brother, Peter, gets all the glory and fame so to speak.  Also, he brought Jesus to Peter.  It was here that I became VERY open to Andrew. 

Perhaps an hour later, yes an hour later, I was reading from another magazine, The Word Among Us, an article titled, “Open our Eyes, Lord”.  It talked about opening our eyes to see the Glory of Jesus.  Lo and behold the article included the same story of Andrew and Peter.  Once again, tears filled my eyes as I was  touched by Your grace.  The article spoke of how Andrew was able to see the glory of YOU.

At that moment, I felt that we should name our child Andrew and immediately asked St. Andrew to be his patron Saint and obtain for him the graces to see Your glory and humbly bring people to YOU.  Thank you!  Thank you, Jesus!

It was reconfirmed 3 weeks later when the Gospel reading was the SAME STORY and Father Heintz spoke of how significant names are when naming your children.  That they have meaning and purpose.

Thank you!  Thank you and Praise you Jesus.!