I almost brought home a puppy yesterday. She was little and warm and cute, and a baby, and in the past few weeks I’ve been struggling with the fact that our current baby is three. You see, I always thought we’d have eight. I never really said that magic number out loud to anyone. I buried it deep inside like a guilt pleasure of a secret, but that was always my assumption. As far back as my pregnancy with Ella,... Read more

Easter Sunday morning, the church and the parking lot was packed. Extra chairs lined the aisles and spilled out into the narthex. Even with all the extra seating, the 10:00 Mass was still standing room only. It’s a sight that makes me incredibly happy, even if that’s not the prevailing opinion on social media. For the past two days, I saw the snarky comments about the Christmas and Easter Catholics (the Chreasters) on Facebook and Twitter, and heard their presence... Read more

  One of the few memories I have of both of my grandfathers is of their reverence for the Blessed Sacrament.  When we would drive past a Catholic Church, my dad’s dad would always tip his hat (I love that he wore hats) and my mother’s father would inevitably cross himself. I can remember my older brother asking why once, and hearing my dad’s dad say, “It’s because He’s in there, in the tabernacle.” I recall looking at the church... Read more

What if something huge happened, something so monumental that it would literally change the entire course of your family’s lives, something that would fundamentally redefine how you lived…and you completely missed it? What if you thought so little of what had happened that you didn’t even bother to Facebook, tweet, blog, or email about it? How is such a thing even possible? I don’t even know, but it happened to us. I was trying to write a post yesterday about... Read more

Yesterday, I posted 9 things we’ve learned about Health Care this year. (It was pointed out to me that I forgot the truism that mascara makes you smarter – at least it raises the perception of your intelligence.) I felt it was fitting to write today about what I’ve learned, or relearned, about insurance companies. 1) Insurance companies are not on your side – It seems like all that money we pay every month should come with a guarantee of... Read more

It was one year ago this week that Ella was sick with a cold. A year from Wednesday that she complained of her legs “feeling tired.” A week from next Monday that was the last time she stood unaided. We’ve learned a lot this past year about doctors, insurance, family, and faith. I know it’s Holy Week, but I thought I’d share a little of what we’ve learned on our own Way of Sorrows. Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve... Read more