One sure-fire way to avoid the pitfalls of complaining in pregnancy is by stopping to smell the roses in life, the abundant blessings which He has given to little, old me. I am undeserving and yet acutely blessed. And I’ve been challenged more toward an attitude of gratitude in the wake of these blessings. I am acutely aware of the blessing of the life growing within. Many thanks to this lady and this one, I have been learning about walking... Read more
How’s this for exotic? AWOL Mommy and I spent much of this Tuesday and Wednesday together in Bella Roma, along with our families, feasting in our apartment, attending an audience with Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter’s Square, and picnicking at the playground behind the Castel Sant’Angelo (pictured above). How delightful it was to share family adventures with our dear friends AWOL and Mr. AWOL and their loving, creative, fun children! Wish you all could have been here. (The kids... Read more
Juris Mater’s Roman adventure has me thinking nostalgically of the time I spent living in Roma, working as an intern at the US Embassy to the Vatican. I thought I’d post one of the vignettes I sent out during my time there. This is the one about coffee. Which reminds me, and maybe I am the last person in the world to figure this out, but I have started pouring my coffee into a travel mug in the mornings, even... Read more
Do you have allergies? Do your kids? Do you treat them? I feel like an antihystimine ad right now, I am walking through my day with a cloud around my head, my nose runs, my throat itches, and my kids seem to be the same. I took an OTC generic medication today and I don’t think it helped, except that very honestly I feel a little bit jumpy, and I hesitate to give it to the kids, should I be... Read more
What’s almost as cool another family moving in with 3 boys and a little girl on the way??? New neighbors from England!!!! The boys and I delivered cookies there yesterday and enjoyed meeting new friends from “across the pond”. As we were chatting, they asked if our homeowners’ dues covered the cost of the “bins”. I was confused at first until realizing they were referring to the trash cans! Love the Brit terminology. We all had a good chuckle. And... Read more
Ladies, I write to you on this Monday morning looking for some culinary advice. My almost 6-year-old would like a frog cake for his birthday party, and I’m trying to figure out the best way to go about making it! The last time that I attempted a frog birthday cake, the guests all thought that I had made the Arthur character – somehow the frog eyes looked like glasses. I’m considering just making a round cake, frosting it with blue... Read more
My sister was in town for Easter, and in the past few years she has taken up photography as a new hobby (and she is getting quite good!). There are definite perks in this for me, and I took full advantage during her visit. I’m shamelessly posting some of my favorites from Claire’s 6 month photo shoot. Enjoy! Read more
…Then you will appreciate the Divine Mercy Chaplet, found here in beautiful sung form. Perhaps we could each take some time to pray for each other’s intentions sometime over the weekend, and most especially that our families and marriages would be strengthened as we walk through our daily lives together. For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world… Read more
Dear friends, we are in week #2 in Rome. The kids are thriving on all the sunshine and good Italian food (there’s my happy boy enjoying Nutella pizza outside St. Peter’s Basilica), we are filled with grace from our daily visits to holy pilgrimage sites, and we are reveling in all the unique aspects of family life in Italy. There are fewer comforts and conveniences, but people take life more slowly and seem to embrace it more here. Things like... Read more
We got some new patio furniture, which came with a free toddler bed. Read more
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