Our Lady of Good Help!

Ever since the shrine of Our Lady of Good Help became the first and only approved Marian apparition site in the U.S. in 2010, I have been telling myself that I have to get there. It's actually pretty sad that it has taken us this long to make the trip, since it's practically in our backyard (just a 4.5 hour trip to Wisconsin, totally do-able!) So this week, we both had some time off and decided it's about time we get ourselves there. And boy did I need it! This trip could not have happened at a better time. I feel like I have been living in a whirlwind the past few weeks, with the school year ending, Dan out of town for work, and the never-ending anxieties that come along with this adoption wait. My anxiety was seriously through the roof, worse than it has been in years. I felt sick for several days straight, it was a battle to even make it through mass. And to top it all off, this week marks a year since baby girl was born and the "change of heart". I try not to think about it, but it still creeps in when I'm asking God "Why?" to this crazy journey we're on. Anyways, the point is I DESPERATELY needed peace.

So Dan and I made a trip to "the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin" to visit the shrine of Our Lady of Good Help on Monday and Tuesday. No joke, it is seriously in the middle of farmland. There is a small sign where you exit on the interstate and one more at the last turn onto the country road that leads to the shrine. The simplicity of it all is so beautiful, so fitting for Our Lady. Now my plan was to have tons of pictures to share, but a) You truly just have to be there to experience the beauty and peace, and b) I never really got around to taking many pictures.

When we got there, I made a B line to the crypt, the exact location of the apparition. By the way, it's pretty incredible how they know this exact location. We bought the DVD and learned all about it :) She appeared to Adele Brise between two trees. When renovating the church to build the current one, they discovered the stumps of the two trees under the altar. And so, the crypt contains a beautiful statue of Mary surrounded by flowers in the exact location that she appeared. Amazing! The crypt is located in the basement of the church. And that is seriously what it is, the basement of a church. No bells and whistles. It is dimly lit by the rows and rows of candles people have lit for their intentions. Like I said before, the simplicity is just so beautiful. I am now realizing that if I share every last detail of this visit, I will be here all day. So I better start to summarize. Over the two days that we visited, we had the opportunity to celebrate Mass, confession, do the Stations of the Cross, and do a couple walking rosaries on their grounds. We left all of our written intentions (along with yours) in the church, which will remain there for a year and prayed for each of these intentions in the crypt as well. We were given a blessing by one of the priests who sat by the checkout at the gift shop, waiting for people to come by to bless. The whole place is just so Catholic (obviously) and so cool! You just immediately feel at home.

The Stations of the Cross on the property behind the church.

It is just such an amazing place! It is so peaceful, something I so desperately needed. After our first visit Monday, I immediately felt so much more peaceful and content. I could go on and on, but like I said we'd be here all day. So I will leave it at this: Go! If you can, take a trip to the shrine. You will not be disappointed. Numerous miracles have occurred at this location to people who have come to Our Lady with their intentions. None of these miracles have been investigated by the Church, but all you have to do is ask and you hear about so many that have occurred there. The priest that blessed us talked about how many miracles have occurred, and the cashier also shared with us that her grandson(I think?) was cured there. How cool is that?!?

While visiting the shrine, we stayed in Door County to make a little vacation of it. And so I leave you with some pictures from our stay.

We "hiked" a bit around Cave Point County Park near Sturgeon Bay. I use the term hiking loosely.

Also Cave Point

We went to a fish boil in Fish Creek. It was delicious!

This one is just for fun. How hilarious is this?!? We found these collectible NSYNC dolls at an antique shop on the way home. No, we didn't buy them. If they were Backstreet Boys, maybe...