Synod Mass at St. Peter's.

Our last day in Rome happened to be the opening Mass for the Synod of the Family. Our friend Becca who happened to be in Rome that weekend picked up tickets for us and held seats on the aisle so the boys could be close to watch the processionals. We were excited to attend our first papal Mass inside St. Peter's!

Waiting for Mass to begin.

Watching all the bishops and Pope Francis process in. It was a beautiful Mass and Pope Francis preached on the value and beauty of the family, especially as revealed by God.
"What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mk 10:9).  This is an exhortation to believers to overcome every form of individualism and legalism which conceals a narrow self-centeredness and a fear of accepting the true meaning of the couple and of human sexuality in God’s plan... Paradoxically, people today – who often ridicule this plan – continue to be attracted and fascinated by every authentic love, by every steadfast love, by every fruitful love, by every faithful and enduring love.  We see people chase after fleeting loves while dreaming of true love; they chase after carnal pleasures but desire total self-giving."

Michael was sad he couldn't see more.

The recessional. Many bishops stopped to say hello to the boys or give them a blessing.

Michael was waving as hard as he could to Pope Francis, but he didn't stop for anyone on the way out.

The Swiss Guards!

Our wonderful Becca, also a student at ITI.

We stayed for the Angelus immediately afterward.

After lunch and on our way to the train station, we stopped at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggjore to venerate the relics of St. Therese the Little Flower, and the relics of both her parents, Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, which were all being kept in Rome for the duration of the Family Synod. St. Therese's parents were canonized the next weekend - what a beautiful testimony to the rewards of married life, and possibility for greatness and sainthood even among the diapers and squabbles. It was so special to pray before these relics (the Martins' are on the altar, and St. Therese is below)! A wonderful ending to our weekend in Roma!

A jaunt through Austria.

With our blessed car-on-loan, we took a 5 day trip through Austria; camping, hiking, swimming in its lakes, enjoying the more relaxed and very friendly Austrian culture that exists beyond the high-class societies of the Viennese woods. We stopped at Hallstatt, a charming salt-mining town clinging to a hill overlooking Hallstätter See. This town is one of Europe's oldest, with origins back to the time of the Celts. We camped right on its outskirts. 

Pre-dinner stroll through town. Such picturesque loveliness!

Morning sun rising over the lake.

We took the road around behind the hill of Hallstatt to drive up into the Dachstein Mountains for a hike.

We parked at the trail head right on the shore of Gosausee which is a prime spot for mountain climbers, as there is a mountain gondola and guest hutte/restaurant. In the morning, it was so very peaceful and all one could hear was the tinkling of cow bells in the meadows. We proceeded around the shore of the lake to head in and up towards Dachstein Glacier.

Michael did amazingly on this hike; it was the longest and steepest we have done with children and he didn't whine or fuss. He would stop for breaks after though, and I'm sure it was the knowledge of the post-hike reward of an ice cream that kept him going!

Getting closer!

"I need a little rest."

Finally! Our destination of Hinterer Gosausee right under the Dachstien glacier at 1160m.

Tuckered out! Snacks and naps all around before we trekked the 3 hours back to our car.

  The glacier looked so beautiful in the late afternoon light. So so wonderful to be in mountains.

Last morning walk through Hallstatt.

Side trip to hike the Leichtensteinklamm (Leichtenstein Gorge) which was quite thrilling with thunderous amounts of water pivoting through narrow rock channels. The boardwalk often led us directly over the rushing water, up sets of stairs, or had us ducking our heads in dark passageways cut right into the cliffs. Michael thought it was great fun.

 

We love witnessing Michael and Dominic's pure enjoyment of God's beautiful creation and the patterns of nature.

Rewarded by a lovely waterfall at the end of the gorge.

Our agenda for the rest of the day was only to drive to Hall in Tirol, right next to Innsbruck. We enjoyed taking some side roads to relish the charming Austrian Alpine countryside!

Our campsite in Hall. We took off down to the Inn River that evening to cool off.

 

Showing off their tummies full of watermelon. Oh, those baby skins.

 

 How I found them sleeping in the tent one night. Oh my heart!

We met up with a very old family friend, Sr. Christine, who lives in Hall! A long time ago, she meet my grandparents up in the Austrian mountains, befriended them, and kept in touch, eventually meeting my family, and I have always reminded in contact with her. She was so happy to see us and to show us the picture of her holding Dominic the day after he was born, which she keeps on the front of her personal door. We had a lovely visit with her: tea, and a tour of her convent chapel and grounds, especially the gardens and orchard.

That afternoon we drove up into the hills above Hall, parked when the road stopped, and hiked a bit.

Giving me a flower for my hair.

We came back to this spot twice per the boys' request. So beautiful.

We came upon the cluster of 3 dairy farms that comprises Walderalm, and had fun peaking in the barns at the cows before enjoying the scenery of the Karwendel Mountain range.

Mama nursing. Baby playing with feet. Eldest maneuvering the iPhone for a picture.

We stayed soaking up the majestic mountain scenes as long as we could. 

 All that hiking deserved a schnitzel! 

Our last morning, we walked around Innsbruck.

Remains of Emperor Maximilian I's palace, especially The Golden Roof, a balcony topped with 2,657 gilded copper tiles.

Michael and I climbed the Stadtturm (city tower) - 148 steps!

 

Dom zu St. Jakob

Last stop on the way home outside of Salzburg at Mondsee for a swim! I still cannot get over the turquoise color of Austria's lakes in the summer.

Austria is finally touching us with her spectacular natural beauty! We wish we had taken the opportunity to see more of Austria closer to when we first arrived, but, better late than not at all!