The Patheos Catholic Channel is hosting a Symposium on the Family in light of the upcoming Extraordinary Synod on the Family in October and the recent release of the working document for the Synod. When Sienna was a few months old, the Ogre and I began the pre-Cana process with our beloved priest. Being Protestant, I assumed it was just another in the series of endless hoops the Catholic Church made you jump through to do anything. There was... Read more
The Patheos Catholic Channel is hosting a Symposium on the Family in light of the upcoming Extraordinary Synod on the Family in October and the recent release of the working document for the Synod. We went to Mass on Sunday at a parish outside of Ave Maria. It’s the kind of parish that was totally familiar in Vegas…guitars, responses to everything on screens above the entire circular nave, lots of elderly people, lots of jeans, and lots of comfort. After... Read more
The Patheos Catholic Channel is hosting a Symposium on the Family in light of the upcoming Extraordinary Synod on the Family in October and the recent release of the working document for the Synod. In January, Pope Francis set people’s heads exploding when he baptized the baby of a couple who were married civilly, but not sacramentally. Seven years ago, the parish where I was undergoing the Rite of Christian Initiation set my own head exploding by refusing to baptize... Read more
I know that there are many couples who have wonderful marriages that are peaceful and joyful, with few disagreements and lots of harmony. My marriage is not like that — it never has been. It is tempestuous and painful and passionate and exhilarating, and I’m coming to realize that I love it that way. I love my husband, and he loves me, but we’re both hard-headed, strong-willed, intense, and a little bit crazy. And we are all of those things... Read more
I’ve always thought my husband, the Ogre, was essentially Daryl Dixon with Russel Crowe’s face. He’s such a visible badass that our neighbors’ master plan in the case of a zombie apocalypse is to “find and stick with the Ogre.” His badassery is so deeply ingrained into his character that it doesn’t often occur to him that other people don’t have the same potential buried somewhere within. When I was 8 months... Read more
Last week, I posted this hilarious article on my facebook page, a critical analysis of the deterioration of a comment thread for a rainbow cake tutorial posted on an Australian Radio Show’s website. What started as helpful tips and clarifications devolved into an outright combox culture war. Getting a little worked-up here, folks. It’s rainbow cake. Can’t we just be happy that we’ve learned to freeze our numbers first? … “Facebook balls”? The infinite regress: It begins! Yes, lmaooooooo indeed,... Read more
I have some kind of flu-like death cold and am convinced that I have chikungunya, because why not? So this is for you. And for me. Because it’s hilarious, and this lady is doing parenting right. I only hope I can be that awesome one day. “Do you know how hard it is to find a uterus pinata?“ Read more
The Ogre and I had an amazing night last night. It was the kind of night where after a few hours I started feeling giggly and schoolgirl-ish again, and I couldn’t stop smiling every time he looked at me. We didn’t do anything extraordinary…put the kids down, ate dinner, watched a hysterically bad movie, and then, you know, did some other stuff. But I was so stupid happy, anyway. While I was getting ready for bed, he asked me a... Read more
Sienna: “Mom, can you tell me what the Blood of Christ tastes like, since I’ve never had it before?” Me: “It tastes like wine. Just like the Body of Christ tastes like a cracker, even though it’s become the actual Body of Christ.” The Ogre: “That’s just because Mom’s a sinner, sweetie. When I drink it, it tastes like blood.” Read more
My friend Rebecca, of Shoved to Them fame, has a 9-year-old daughter named Ella. Ella was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis two years ago, and after long, painful, difficult treatments (think thick, burning, weekly injections) they got it under control. Last year, she had an accident on her scooter and broke her jaw. Because of the medication she was on to keep the JRA under control, she couldn’t take any painkillers (no, not even Tylenol). She went through the whole... Read more
Barefoot and Pregnant
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