“…We had gotten into a horrible rut of rolling out of bed and into our day, facing the day’s tasks unkempt and unenthusiastic. I was constantly having to will the boys to get dressed–who wouldn’t want to stay in his jammies all day? It wasn’t uncommon for me to have to take clothes to the car because someone wasn’t yet dressed before we headed out on an errand. When I would finally have them dressed, clothes would often be strewn... Read more

The Pope has appointed a new Archbishop for my home town, please keep Bishop Dolan in your prayers as he prepares for this difficult and very important ministry. I think that our church and political leaders become even more important in difficult times when we find ourselves open to, and desperate for, inspiration. Read more

A reader writes: how do you argue against contraception from a secular point of view? The Pro-Contraception Argument: The procreative and unitive aspects of the marital act are separable, that is, that the procreative aspect can be nullified without in any way vitiating the conjugal act or making it less a unique expression of marital love and union. Brief Response: If one deliberately destroys the power of the conjugal act to give life, one necessarily destroys its power to signify... Read more

We have been chatting about the hardships of February, and I wanted to share that one of the things that is really getting me through is sneaking out for a run whenever I can. This afternoon I was just totally exhausted and working out seemed like the last thing that would help (shockingly, I was so tired that I was even longing for a cigarette) but going for a run in the clear, cold sunshine really changed me attitude and... Read more

A friend recently wrote with the following query: How in the world do you handle cloth diapering with older toddlers (and their disgusting output)?  I was grossly unprepared for what I’m handling and was ready to quit altogether last week.  We currently have some flushable cloth diaper liners on order and I’m wondering how you address the cleaning, smell, etc.?  Help! No doubt, the bigger your diapered child gets, the more disgusting his #2 diapers!  Thankfully, the cloth community has... Read more

Oat, Fruit, and Nut Bars Ingredients: 1/2 c. honey 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter (I used natural) 2 T. maple syrup (I would suggest real maple syrup) 1 T. canola oil 1/4 c. brown sugar 1/4 t. cinnamon 1 t. vanilla extract 2 c. oats 2 c. crisp brown rice cereal (I used puffed wheat) 1/4 c. toasted wheat germ (I didn’t use this) 1/2 c. chopped nuts (I used almonds) 1/2 c. chopped dried apricots 1/2 t. salt 1)... Read more

I meant to get this up earlier, but we were having Internet trouble. Over the past few weeks, the builders have been emailing some special needs among ourselves and offering our housework for one another. This week, I wanted to extend a prayer request to all of our readers. K is a young woman like us with a young family, but she has heart complications and as a result her current pregnancy is high risk for mom and baby. Can... Read more

On this Valentines Day, I would like to confess that this is the first year (of my modest 27) that I have actually known what is the historical significance behind the holiday. Thanks to this Catholic homeschooling resource, my eager 4-year-old and I read the true story of Saint Valentine. He was a Christian priest and physician who lived in Rome 200 years after the death of Christ. He treated the ill of the city’s slums — accepting whatever payment... Read more

On this St. Valentine’s Day, the counselor side of me would like to remind all of us that we cannot fully love others until we first have a “rightly ordered love of self.” In an effort to promote a healthy and integral love of self, I would like to propose a definition of “Normal Eating” that I have found helpful over the years. Many people are unhappy with their physical selves and thus have an unhealthy relationship with food. Hopefully... Read more

It began as a casual Athletes In Action midterm prayer meeting where I happened to sit myself next to the cute guy from “Rocky” (Rockefeller residential college). It all started with his earnest prayer for a friend’s salvation. Not only was he handsome, athletic, friendly… but he also had a heart for Christ. You could say he caught my attention. We finished our freshman year at Princeton, talking occaisionally and seeing one another at AIA. I ended a relationship with... Read more