So, a good friend of some of the builders blogs over at Capturing Motherhood. She hosts a Picture Me Imperfectly meme, where she writes about and takes photos of the many things in her life that are imperfect. I am joining her here ~ Claire is 3.5 and loves to get herself dressed. I allow her to leave the house in these clothes because ~ (1) I am busy and (2) it makes me laugh. She loves to be barefoot and... Read more
I am one, and I’d bet most of our readers are right there with me. Hope this inspires ~ “Let God tend to the hopeless-looking things. …It seems to me quite entrancing to be able to pile into bed realizing there is someone as big as God to do all the worrying that has to be done. Worry, you know, is a kind of reverence given to a situation because of its magnitude; how small it must be through God’s... Read more
A couple of nights ago, Christopher pulled out Maria’s first tooth. It has been wiggly for several weeks now, and when she came out of her room after bedtime complaining that her tooth hurt, Christopher said matter-of-factly, “I’ll pull it out for you, Maria, but I’m not going to stop until it’s out. Even if it hurts a little bit, I’m going to get it out for you, okay?” And then he did what my husband and I have been... Read more
What does this picture tell you about my morning? I didn’t sweep last night. You will notice that there is both dinner and breakfast food in that pile. I had time to sweep this morning. I also had time to take a photo and type this post. The pile is large, which means that there are many of us, and we are messy when we eat. There are no green vegetables in the pile, which means we didn’t have any... Read more
I’m dreaming of this… While actually doing a lot of this… Vacations and fun blogger trips have come to an end and the result? I’ve been muddling all week in home life, trying to get it all together and feel like my ducks are somewhat orderly and our family is up and functioning well. The reality of life post-travel is always a bit mind-numbing; for me, my true nemesis has been the negative voice in my head saying that perfection... Read more
On behalf of all of the Builders, I want to say that our fervent prayers and thoughts are with the victims and their families in Boston, MA, in the wake of the horrific marathon bombings yesterday. It is amazing how one person (or perhaps a couple of people) can cause such terror and destruction, all in the blink of an eye, and how life is changed forever for so many. Countless stories of heroism are already being told and in... Read more
We were so blessed to spend a long weekend together! What a fabulous time full of love, laughter, encouragement, rest, and fun. Highlights include — 1. A house full of women who love God, the Church, and their families. Friendship is so important as we walk on this journey of faith. What a precious gift to have time to encourage one another. 2. Warm Texas sun. 3. The beautiful home and amazing hospitality of Texas Mommy — great food, great... Read more
A recent trip with our family of seven caused me to sit back and reflect how much joy my older kids are bringing me these days. I had to stop and share some hope with all the fledgling parents out there… Here are the top ten reasons to hang on through the toddler years: 10. Someday your children might learn to drink out of a cup. And might just manage to hold the cup still and not knock it over(!!!!)... Read more
This week’s forecast finally looks like spring! My younger children are outside, my older children are hurrying to finish their schoolwork so they can also play outside, and things feel very much under control. Considering our recent battle with strep throat, I am thrilled. Last week ended with 5/7 of our family on antibiotics. Two confirmed cases of strep, one lingering ear infection, and two more kids with newly sore throats. Years of experience led my pediatrician to recommend putting... Read more
I appreciated a handout that I received entitles “Nine April Activities for Catholic Families,” from this website. Here are the ideas: 1) Plan a trip to a farm: In the Spring, new life abounds on the farm. Arrange a trip to see some baby animals and talk about new life. *I know that where I live, it’s starting to become strawberry-picking season. We have never done this before, but I would love to take the kids! 2) St. George and the Dragon: Read... Read more
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