During Mass this past Sunday, my 4 year old asked me, “Mommy, when Jesus Christ was a baby, who made him so cute?”me: “God did.”him: “Because God was his daddy?”me: “yes, because God was his daddy.”him: “No. You’re wrong. It was his mommy.”me: “Are you sure about that?”him: “Yes.  It’s the mommies who make the babies so cute.  The daddies will let them wear anything.” Read more

When I was in high school at Incarnate Word Academy, I had a favorite nun, Sr Philomena. She was all of 4’10” with the best Irish brogue I’ve ever heard. After more than 30 years in this country, she still had that lovely lilt and cadence to her voice. I loved her. She was wry and sarcastic and had a merry step and twinkling eyes. I could never figure out why she had never married, but had become a nun... Read more

And he came to her and said, “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you!” -Luke 1:28 I actually think the original Greek word kecharitomene sums it up best. It means so full of grace that you literally can not add another drop. Wow. The first person since Adam and Eve to be created without the stain of Original Sin, the only human being ever to be protected from Actual Sin. (Christ was incapable of Actual Sin, that’s different... Read more

  I promised to share my explanation of how Purgatory is like the Wizard of Oz on Monday; I just didn’t get to it. So, here it is today. Do you remember on the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and her friends got to the Emerald City? They went right up to the door and asked to be admitted. The guy in charge of the door inspected them and found them to be worthy to be allowed in the presence... Read more

Alright, it’s just occurred to my that my approach to Catholicism is almost all through analogy. Hmmmm… If you have patience and time for another one, here’s how I explained Redemptive Suffering to a Baptist minister while in labor with our dead child. I could have included it in the Ru-486 post, as it was the same day, but I think it needs its own spot. Do me a favor and breathe deeply every 2 minutes as you read it…I... Read more

In honor of our first week of homeschooling, I’m taking a break from the blog to whip the kids into shape, so I’m digging back through the archives and digging out some things you might have missed the first time.  Enjoy! ************************************************************Ummmm sort of…except I’m not wealthy, or a guy, I live in Oklahoma City, I’m not a racist….Okay, I’m not Spike Lee, but I watched a basketball game like him on New Years Eve, right there courtside. I was... Read more

 There’s a big ol’ pot of chili simmering away on my stove right now.   Happiness!  Who cares that it’s 110* outside?  I’ve been craving traditionally cold weather foods like chili and chicken and dumplings.  Just wait for winter when all I want to eat is a heaping helping of ice cream.  I wish I could blame being pregnant, but this is normal for me. *********************************************** I keep forgetting that I’m pregnant.  I’m not doing anything to jeopardize the new girl,... Read more

Here are my favorite picks for homeschooling young children including links and prices.  As with everything else homeschoolers do, this is what works for us and may not necessarily work for you, but this is where I always recommend that people begin.  If you can get things for free at the library, I’ve mentioned that and always recommend that you take a look at books in person before you buy them if you can.  If you can’t, most homeschool books... Read more

Curious Husband asked on the last post: I’ve been thinking about doing this with my wife, but I have always thought about how to handle the baby during “school.” How do you do it? Also, does school happen 5 days a week or can that be flexible as well? My wife just started working as a nurse 3 days a week. Do you have a special room or area set up for “school”? Dear C.H.,I’m so glad you asked.  Sometimes... Read more

Around this time every year, while I’m unboxing the new textbooks for the coming school year, the non-homeschooling moms I know wrestle with the question of their children’s education. “I’d love to homeschool, but I’m not you.” I’ve heard more than once. So, you don’t have ADD, a lack of natural organization, and you’re not lazier than snail snot? CONGRATULATIONS!  That should make it easier for you.  You do struggle with all these things?  CONGRATULATIONS!  Me too, so I know... Read more