My heart is pounding and I am smiling ear to ear as I have just finished reading this article. Pope Francis, during the closing Mass of World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, welcomed a baby with anencephaly and her family during the offertory procession, giving all of them a blessing. Although most babies with anencephaly do not survive more than a few minutes following birth, this sweet baby girl has defied the odds and is still alive. Pope Francis... Read more
After several housing situations fell through for our family this spring we have had to readjust our plans. What our family is looking for (a home on land for our boys to be boys outside) does not exist in the area in which we need to be. Which leaves us with the option of building a home, which is simultaneously exciting and terrifying. It is fun to look at all the great ideas out there and then come back to... Read more
We live in an era when it is easier than ever to self-promote, due in large part to immediate forms of communication like Facebook and Twitter. Without even realizing it, some people have gotten into the habit of advertising almost everything that they do, including their good works. What is a Christian to do? On the one hand, we want to witness to the world that we are “practicing what we preach,” namely, carrying out Jesus’ commands to serve the... Read more
Apparently, I allowed my 3 year old to wear a bikini. It was a hand-me-down, but still. In the other pre-digital photo from this summer day, my 18 month old son Charlie wasn’t even wearing a bathing suit, just a cloth diaper (those days are long behind me!), so I guess a bikini is a step up from that. Read more
We are headed into the city this morning to visit American Girl Place. My 8 year old daughter is into the historic dolls, in particular Samantha, and she has been waiting for months. She loves having tea parties, taking care of babies, and playing school with Samantha. I am so thankful that she and her friends get jazzed up about the historic American Girl dolls instead of having “crushes” and watching Jessie. She has developed patience by saving her money or... Read more
Many Christians find themselves joyless at the end of the day not because of any enormous problem, but becuase they haven’t known how to sanctify the little difficulties that arose. From: Overcoming Lukewarmness by Francis Fernandez-Carvajal Read more
Last week our family took a trip up to NJ/NY/PA, visiting with extended family and good friends and attending a family wedding. In the process, we had the chance to visit with Kellie and her kids in Princeton, and then with JM and her entire family in PA the next day. What a blessing these visits were to our family! Below are a couple of fun pictures – enjoy! Kellie and her kids were nice enough to make the trip... Read more
Have you seen American Ninja Warrior? While not quite as good as the original Japanese version, the show is highly entertaining. My son has quite literally been climbing the walls since he watched the show. I think Charlie (age 7), might be the first ever American Ninja Warrior. Read more
A great antidote to summer boredom, especially on long, hot afternoons: A Lemonade Stand!! Here in our area, if you see a lemonade stand, it’s usually an Alex’s Lemonade Stand or Lemonade for Cancer Research — in other words, the purpose is to raise money for a good cause. I can’t say we were quite so noble. Our fundraising was for my kids’ upcoming trip to the Magnificent Mile of Chicago, more specifically American Girl Place and the Disney Store.... Read more
I love to keep it simpler during summer. One of our favorite meals is just pasta with tons of fresh tomatoes and basil from our garden (picked by the boys) with fresh mozzarella, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. It is fresh and filling, but light and easy for when it is 1000 degrees in Texas. Throw in a few toasted pine nuts and your family will treat you like a rock star! I also like to bring this meal to... Read more
Building Cathedrals
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