Here are some thoughts as we begin Holy Week -- Mothering our families can feel overwhelming at times, can't it? Well, I came across this quote today, and I really love it. --"Do everything calmly and peacefully. Do as much as you can as well as you can. Strive to see God in all things without exception, and consent to His will joyously. Do everything for God, uniting yourself to him in word and deed. Walk very simply with the Cross of the Lord and be at peace with yourself." - St. Francis … [Read more...]
I’m Sorry, I Can’t Hear You
March 1, 2013 By
One day, when I'm old and gray, I want to look back and remember what it was like to have my 5 little souls at the ages they are right now. Trying to talk on the phone with my sister yesterday afternoon reminded me why my life is crazy and so, so good. I always tell the kids that I love my job and that I'd never trade it for the world. They need to know how much I love being home with them even if there are moments of total chaos. My sister called at 3:30 in the thick of our afternoon. … [Read more...]
Simon of Cyrene and My Way of the Cross
February 26, 2013 By
I'll admit, yesterday was a very lousy day. It was one of those days where I wanted to crawl into a hole, sob, and just go to sleep. I did a lot of crying, and that always gives me a nice pounding headache. My name, Kellie, means warrior, and so I often look at the sufferings in my life as parts of a great big spiritual battle. Holding onto that analogy, last week ended with some sparring, and this week began with a great big uppercut to my jaw. It was the type of uppercut that knocked … [Read more...]
When Your Baby Turns “3″
February 24, 2013 By
When your baby turns 3, you... ...Think about selling the exersaucer. It's been sitting in your attic for 2.5 years and regardless of what the future holds, someone else could be putting it to good use right now! ...Sleep through the night on a fairly consistent basis. On the nights when you need to wake up with a child who is sick or has a bad dream, you feel like a zombie the next morning and wonder how you ever woke up several times a night with an infant. ...Can sit around the … [Read more...]
10 Ways for Families to Enjoy Little League
February 22, 2013 By
Just yesterday I received a Little League notice in my inbox. Registration is happening now, opening day has been scheduled, and I’ve already calendared our mandatory “field clean up day.” Mr. Red is all signed up to coach our oldest son, and my body feels warmer just thinking about baseball. Every year since my childhood, the beginning of baseball season was such a hopeful time. The world was coming out of its dark slumber. Birds were in the air, tulips were blooming, and … [Read more...]
Feeling Loved and Field Hockey
February 6, 2013 By
My winter blues began in January. So at the end of January, I developed a battle plan for February that included 2 key parts. First, we are going on vacation. Not just any vacation, but our first family trip to Disney World. Not only are we all escaping the cold weather to go do something fun, but the weeks leading up to the trip have passed quickly as we pour over maps and plan our days in Florida. The second thing I am doing--I am playing field hockey. Last night, I dusted off my … [Read more...]
Confessions — Cutting Mommy Corners
January 31, 2013 By
So on this Thursday morning, the last day of January (Praise God!), I'm going to list 5 things that I do to cut corners on a somewhat regular basis. It's a hard time of year right now. Days are short, and the darkness and cold and grey skies seem never ending. Kids are sick. Moms and Dads are sick. And while we live in a rather large house, every winter it feels just a little bit smaller. The builders have been e-mailing each other in the past few weeks, and these e-mails have … [Read more...]
Drawing the Line Between Pretend Play and Reality
January 29, 2013 By
One of my daughters LOVES to pretend, which I think is fantastic...most of the time. I love that she involves her sister in her games of school, gymnastics, and hospital, and that she is exercising her creativity and imagination. However, sometimes her pretend play causes problems in the reality of our daily life, and I'm looking for some suggestions on how to ease the frustration that we are currently experiencing. The scenario is usually this: It's a Sunday morning, and my daughter has been … [Read more...]
Sabbatical Lesson #2: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
January 23, 2013 By
This post is part of a series of reflections on the time I am spending away from my regular life, read more about it here: Ski Sabbatical Sabbatical Lesson #1: Joy This year, with encouragement from my dad, I decided to bust outside of my comfort zone as a ski instructor and take a training course that has challenged my skiing in new ways. I have learned to tether a bi-ski, which is a sit down skiing apparatus for skiers with limited mobility and strength. I took the training, got … [Read more...]
On the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
January 22, 2013 By
This is so beautiful, I have tears in my eyes. Thank you to Lori at Grace in my Heart for this link. … [Read more...]
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