First of all ... welcome home!!!
What a wonderful devotion you have in mind for the Rosary! I've been praying it for some time now, and the blessings and graces that God has bestowed on me throught the intercession of Our Mother Mary have been many. When I pray the Rosary, I try to imagine that I'm at the foot of the cross, praying to My Jesus, the One who died for me and for all of my sins. Then, when I pray the mysteries of the Rosary, I see how they fit in to my personal plan of salvation. I try to meditate on the lesson of virtue within each mystery. For example:
- Joyful Mysteries
- Annunciation - Obedience
- Visitation - Love for Neighbor
- Nativity - Love for the Poor
- Presentation of Jesus - Humility
- Finding of Jesus - Prayer
- Sorrowful Mysteries
- Agony in the Garden - Submission to God's Will
- Scourging at the Pillar - Loathing of our Sins
- Crowning of Thorns - Christ, the King of Our Hearts
- Christ Carries the Cross - Our Daily Crosses
- Crucifixion - Sacrifice
- Luminous Mysteries
- Baptism by John - Renewal of the Holy Spirit
- Wedding Feast At Cana - God's Transforming Power
- Proclamation of the Kingdom - Word of God
- Transfiguration - Christ the Light
- Institution of the Eucharist - Christ in the World
- Glorious Mysteries
- Resurrection - Overcoming evil
- Ascention (sp?) - New Life
- Descent of the Holy Spirit - Ourselves as Temples of
the Spirit
- Assumption of Mary - Peaceful Death
- Coronation - Glory of the Kingdom of God
So, when meditating on virtues such as these, I can (most of the time) try to remain focused on prayer to Christ through the intercession of Mary. What a wonderful thing to do...pray the Life of Christ through Mary, his Immaculate Mother!!
I hope all of this helps. Good luck :)