The morning after our anniversary we hit the road to make a six-hour trek across the state to Spokane.

Before getting too far on the road, we stopped to attend daily Mass together as planned. 🙂 At the beginning of Mass, Father announced that it was St. James’ feast day. I whispered to Rex, “We have a baby named James,” and smiled.

I don’t specifically remember that the day after our anniversary is St. James’ feast day. My comment was light-hearted and sweet. Unbeknownst to me God had planned another beautiful “God-incidence” for us later that day.

After Mass, we refueled with gas and coffee. We took our time by making a couple of unplanned pit stops.

Our first stop was about 15 minutes out of the way at Snoqualmie Falls. It had be a few years since the last time we visited and it was a beautiful day, so we thought, why not?!

About an hour and half later, we stopped for a late lunch at Palace Cafe, a cute historic restaurant in Ellensburg followed by ice cream at Winegars. So good!

By dinner we made it to Spokane and checked in to our hotel. We weren’t super hungry so we decided to explore a bit. I wanted to show Rex the Marian Grotto on the Gonzaga University campus. I also thought it would be a great place to pray the day’s reading since we are reconsecrating ourselves to Jesus through Mary Thank you, Holy Spirit!

So we walked about 15 minutes to the grotto and prayed our devotion. We also offered a prayer for you, our dear reader. It was later in the evening so we were almost certain the church would be locked, but thought we would check anyway. As we approached the front, I saw that the church is named after St. Aloysius Gonzaga. Duh, we’re on Gonzaga University Campus but I had forgotten.  

Again, I was struck again by God’s Divine Providence and His presence was so unmistakable. On the feast day of St. James, we visit St. Aloysius church. This may not seem like anything remarkable but our fourth beloved little one is named James Aloysius! (I’ll have to share how he got his name in another post) There God was again, speaking even louder and clearer, “Rachel, I got you. Trust me,” just in case the day before wasn’t enough. God showed me again that He is truly carrying me through this shroud of grief.

Sometimes I get in my own head and am not sure if what I am hearing is truly God’s voice. There are a handful of moments in my life that I have heard God speak to me so clear that I cannot deny it. Regardless of my own human frailty, the reality is God is always with me and showering me with countless God-incidences, I just don’t always see them.

I hear you, God, and I am incredibly thankful for Your endless grace. Even when I don’t always want to, I will continue to put my trust in You because I need to. Thank You for another incredible gift – a gift I cannot tangibly hold, but one that I will treasure in my heart.

As our story continues to unfold, we remain hopeful that God’s plan is greater than we can fully understand.

St James, pray for us.

St. Aloysius, pray for us.

Our beloved saint, James Aloysius, pray for us.

Praying for you,

Rachel