Celebrating Grandparents on the Feast Day of Saints Joachim and Anne

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We celebrate the Feast Day of Saints Joachim and Anne on July 26th, who are the parents of Mary and thus the grandparents of Jesus and thus the patron saints of Grandparents and Married Couples.  I think of them and the amazing job that they must have done having parenting Mary worthy to be the Mother of God. 

To celebrate this special feast day we spoke about the importance of parents and grandparents and had our children make special cards for their grandparents.  They had a lot of fun coloring and making their own masterpieces!  While we did this we talked about why Grandparents are so awesome!

Our children are so blessed that they have all four of their grandparents and five of their great grandparents living and an important part of their lives.  Two of their great grandparents our oldest two children had the opportunity of meeting and two of them had already entered heaven.  Either way, each and every grandparent and great grandparent is so important to us and thought about and prayed for often!   Grandparents are such special role models and have such a special way to love children and so today we honor them in a special way!

Great Grandparents Who are Now in Heaven

My husband and his Grandmother in 2006 (7 months before she passed away)

My husband's Grandfather who passed away when my husband was 6 weeks old

I also love this special prayer in A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms by Lisa. Hendey:

Saints Anne and Joachim,

you trusted that God's grace would guide your family

even when it brought you sadness and loneliness.

You welcomed a daughter and nurtured her in love and faith,

instilling in her profound trust in God and a generous heart.

Help our family this week to treasure and care for all of our elderly loved ones.

Let us be good listeners, strong helpers, and faithful students of these wise ones.

We pray this week for their health, their ultimate rest with you in

heaven, and for our own ability to trust in your will for our lives.

Amen.

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us!