UPDATED with Retreat Couples 6 Word Love Stories! Glimpses & Reflections from Our 2011 Annual Retrouvaille Enrichment Retreat! "It Takes 2!"

The Retrouvaille Annual Enrichment Retreat 2011 “It Takes 2!” was again held on the lovely & restful grounds of Mount Sacred Heart at the Clelian Retreat Center. Many thanks to our wonderful Retrouvaille hosts - Dory & Les Mosko! The day was filled with sharing and enjoying one another’s company within the family of “Retrouvaille” – where we each in our own way re-discovered what makes our “coupleness” unique and special!

Rob & Val’s heartfelt presentations & thought provoking dialogue questions were a wonderful way to begin reflecting on not only our relationships but perhaps seeing things from our spouses perspective. This inspired us to be a better spouse to our soul mate and to appreciate their presence in our lives.

Russ & Kathy’s presentation was based on a book they had recently enjoyed called “2: How Will You Create Something Beautiful Together?” by Dan Zadra & Kobi Yamada. We explored the topic of being thankful for one another and the celebration of that gratefulness. It is not in God’s design that we go through life alone but that everything about us is designed to become stronger, happier and more fulfilled when we have found love with our partner – our matching “puzzle piece”.


Russ shared a very powerful quote by David Grayson – “Looking back, I have only this to regret, that too often when I loved I did not say so. Tomorrow is promised to no one – today is always the best day to say “I appreciate you, you are truly someone I love.” Mission statements were made by each couple to eventually frame and place in their homes. In the forming of their joint mission statement as a couple – each was encouraged to identify not only weaknesses and areas to be worked on, but also to support and reaffirm future goals that would bring refreshment & renewal to their marriage.



The sunflower – a flower attributed to loyalty & longevity – whose blossoming “face” follows the sun throughout it’s course during the day. A large live arrangement of them were the focal point at the front of the room. Later, after the Liturgy – we all were bestowed a large sunflower to take home – much like the rose at our initial Retrouvaille weekends. This vibrant and happy flower is a reminder of our choice to constantly be stretching ourselves in the direction of the Light – the Son, and the higher road that we each want to be on together in our marriages.


Don & Chris Paglia of the Hartford Family Life Office came and demonstrated for us their Family Constellations technique – which through our group participation brings a very fresh and enlightening view of what sculpted us through our families of origin in coming to our marriages. Through this piece of the retreat each couple gained a new awareness and interaction with what had “come before” their coupleness in marriage.








There were times of quiet chatter and restful moments between the couples that came and as usual we found ourselves meandering through the lovely grounds and gardens at the Center. Especially loved are those which surround the path of the Stations of the Cross. The butterflies, though not as prolific on their migratory route this year, were in plain view once again amongst the purple blooms of the Butterfly Bushes that are planted up and down the path. This sign of beauty and hope is a welcome one we have come to enjoy each year!

The random wrought iron loveseat that was entwined with ivy and clematis were an inviting place to sit and reflect on the day together… The daisies, lilies, fuschia petunias, white hydrangea, lavender allium, ornamental grasses and even the apple trees were all beautiful displays of color and signs of God’s blessing, grace and peace for us to behold and take in. Nestled amongst these signs in nature were the many religious statues and sculpted stonework which only added to the reverent reflection and restful peace the couples felt.



Each bountiful and delicious meal we shared throughout the day was met with not only a wonderful array of tastes and aromas – but the sweetness of friendships shared and rekindled between the reunited Retrouvaille couples!




Before our dinner meal and final closing Liturgy we were asked to write a brief 6 word love story that summarized our marriage journeys respectively. It sounded quite easy but truly was not! Choosing just the right words and in those words capturing the essence of our “then-now-and future” moments in marriage was a true challenge! But in their reading – the many “love stories” they truly were all “spot on” in their concise synopsis of each couple’s experience on this path! We hope to publish a few on this blog in the coming weeks so those of you who may not have had the opportunity to attend would be inspired and challenged to write your own!*(see below!) Many thanks to all who hosted, presented, labored, provided & prepared meals/snacks and participated in this year's Annual Retrouvaille Retreat! We welcome all Retrouvaille Alumni to join us in August of 2012 for our next annual retreat – you won’t want to miss it – and we promise you in the meeting up with old friends and new you will ALWAYS come away with something that will build up your marriage and bring it to a higher place!













*Here are some of the "6 WORD LOVE STORIES" that our retreat couples creatively came up with together to describe their own stories! Do YOU have your OWN 6 word love story that you can come up with as a couple??? If so PLEASE write one and COME & SHARE it at CORE!

Romantic Love
Painful Love
Unconditional Love

Blind Date Never Date Weekly Date

New Couple Married Single Committed Couple

God Creates - Anger Destroys - God Rebuilds

Attraction, hope, heartbreak, God, Baby, LOVE

Real Love, Real Hurt, Real Life!

Two Hearts, Drifted Apart, Reunited Forever

Wedding Day ~ Dooms Day ~ Miracle Day

She is, was, will be LOVE

We are, were, will be LOVE

Found Love
Destroyed Love
Rediscovered Love

Love Birds
Broken Wings
Soaring High