We Plan to Move

March 19, 2004

S.C.C. and I have discussed moving to Emmitsburg off and on for several years now and for whatever reason we now feel the motivation to start the process. The decision to do this has not been a hasty one.

This morning S.C.C. and I sat at the kitchen table and talked more about this because yesterday we decided to make an offer on the house we looked at the other day. The house is actually in Fairfield which is only a stones throw from Emmitsburg. I am scheduled to meet Ray Hennessey tonight at 8 PM to sign the offer on the house. S.C.C. said she was going to tell her mother tonight about our plans.

After we finished talking and I was leaving the house to go to mass S.C.C. gave me my cell phone and said I put another battery in so it will be charged up when you go to Emmitsburg tonight. I turned the phone on and the time display which was off by a few minutes because of the battery change said 8:13. I attended mass at "Parish Church" and then went to work. I arrived at my desk at 9:33.

Throughout the morning there were numerous times that a piercing thought would run through my mind about moving and it would cause me to glance at my watch and each time it would say XX:XX:13 or 33.

Nearing lunch time I had a very sudden urge to go pray the rosary. It was so sudden I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13 (11:31:13). I got up and took my lunch break and as I was walking through the parking lot I had a strong thought about needing to stop by the bank and deposit the money to cover the check I was going to write tonight for the house deposit. I was filled with peace. I glanced at my watch and it said 11:33:33. I started my truck and the time on the dash was 11:33.

I drove to Our Lady of the Blue Ridge and when I arrived I went in the church and prayed the Sorrowful mysteries of the rosary. I prayed that making the decision to move was the right one. I prayed that I not jump ahead of anything. When I finished the rosary I glanced at my watch and the time was 12:13:59. I glanced at my watch as I left and walked out the door and it said XX:XX:13.

I drove to 2nd Bank and Trust to make the deposit and just as I arrived the feeling of peace hit me again. I then noticed the time on the dash was 12:33. I got out of the truck and at that very instant I started smelling roses. It stunned me. I glanced at my watch just as the roses ended and it said 12:33:59.

I walked in the bank and made the deposit with money from the sale of my Civil War relic collection. As I was standing there and the teller was counting the money I had a sudden thought run through my mind about the roses being a confirmation that I was doing the correct thing. I glanced at my watch and it said XX:XX:13. When I returned to my truck to go back to work the display on the CD player randomly displayed 13.

While I was driving back to work I called S.C.C. to tell her that I had made the deposit. I also told her what had just happened at the bank. When we hung up the incorrect time on the cell phone said 12:33.

Later in the afternoon Dr. Joe Ferguson called about the Lay Missionaries of Charity meeting tonight being held at his house. I told him I would not be able to make it because I had to meet Ray Hennessey tonight at 8 to sign the offer on the house.

When I got off work I drove to Emmitsburg and I went to St. Joseph’s first. It completely slipped my mind that the church would be open because of Stations of the Cross. When I arrived at St. Joseph’s the time was 7:13 and the odometer was 33.

I went in and they were just starting the 9th station. When the Stations were over I left and drove to Gettysburg to meet Ray at his office. Ray had all the papers ready and said everything would take about and hour. When we finished and it was time to sign the offer on the house Ray handed me a pen and I signed. I glanced at my watch as I was signing my name and the time was 9:13.

Ray and I continued to talk and he explained the process to me and what to expect from the owner of the house coming back with a counter offer. When we finished talking and said good night I got in my truck to leave and the time was 9:33.

I drove back to Fairfield and rode by the house I had just made an offer on and then rode to St. Joseph’s before going home. When I arrived at St. Joseph’s the time was 10:13. I prayed the Luminous rosary as I walked around the church on the sidewalk and when I finished I walked up to the corner of the church and kissed it as I was leaving. I looked at my watch and the time was 10:33.

I got in my truck and started driving home. I got as far as Leesburg when my phone rang and it was S.C.C. saying Ray had just called and said he made a mistake and had me write the check out to the wrong party. I called Ray back and he explained the mistake to me. I turned around and drove back to Emmitsburg and Ray met me at St. Joseph’s.

I wrote another check for Ray and as I wrote it I noticed the time was 12:33. Ray then left but I stayed and completed the rosary by praying the Glorious and Joyful mysteries while sitting in the truck. When I finished and started the truck to go home the time on the dash was 1:13. I drove home and when I walked in the house I looked at my watch and the time was 3:33.

R_____ C___

March 22, 2004

12:33 Am