Respect Life 2013~ The Evening, The Video, The Promise

Good morning, friends!

Welcome to my corner of the web !

Well, today's a special day!

 My hubby and I met on March 18th (blind date!)  21 years ago today!

 Wow, how is THAT possible?

AND

Today's also the birthday of my very special friend!

Unbelievably, Denice and I have never met, 

but she has been a true, true friend to me! 

If  not for those 500 or so  miles between us, 

I know our kids would grow up friends 

and she and her family would be such a positive influence on my kids!

~Happy birthday, Denice!~

Well, big night for our family recently!

The other night, we were honored to participate in our

 diocese's Respect Life Youth Awards. 

Kev had been reading the call for submissions to the contest

 for students in grades 7 through 12 in our parish bulletin for a  few years. 

This year, finally, he was eligible to enter! 

So, here's a shot of him,  researching and creating his project:

           

He submitted his work in mid January, just a few days before 

our trip to The March in DC.  

and we were thrilled to receive word shortly 

afterward that his project won 1st prize on the parish level 

AND 

that he was a finalist on the diocesan level!

He was beyond elated and we were all very proud of him:

(Sorry, tried numerous times to flip this and it still winds up sideways when  I load it)

Despite having been under the weather with the flu for some time,

Kev was eager for the ceremony and super excited to be a top contender. 

The evening was lovely, held at a Catholic high school about 40 miles away 

and presided over by our relatively new and  wonderfully 

personable auxiliary bishop, 

who we previously had the pleasure of meeting  

during our church's re-dedication last Autumn. 

The program for the evening:

This year's Respect Life  topic, 

"Faith Opens Our Eyes to Human Life in All its Grandeur and Beauty,"

 was illustrated throughout all the events of the night and in all the presentations.

There were over one thousand projects submitted! What promise and hope for the future of the pro life movement!

After some lovely words by our Bishop aimed specifically at the youth of the audience,
the awards were under way.

 The artwork, poetry, songs and essays were all so full of energy and life!

Finally,  my Kev's category, video design. 

Here he is,  right before he is called onstage:

Of all the finalists, his submission received 3rd place!

WHAT AN HONOR!

The screen here, pictures a still from the video Kev created.

(Kev is on left, as the winners are announced)

~With Bishop Perez~

~With his proud family~

       

~And a wonderful deacon from our parish~

All the participants' projects were displayed as we exited the auditorium...

They are all winners....

~Any child with a heart for life from conception to natural death.

~ Any child with an understanding of the need to promote the facts

  within our culture of death.

~Any child with an awareness

 of  the beauty and sanctity of the gift of life...

is a winner.

What a lovely chapter in our family's journey...

and we are proud to walk it with all those who 

are also voices of the pro-life movement.

I am presenting  my son's video here....

We're rather proud that he is part of this generation of kids 

who have a clear and strong  vision of  the sacredness of life.

And that he worked for close to two hundred  hours on the creation...

the research, photo editing, quote sourcing,

music sourcing, loading to DVD.

~I hope you enjoy it~

God bless,

Until next time,

~Chris