Of all the girls in my little social circle growing up, I’m the only one who has more than one child.  They’re all driven career women with big plans and goals, and those goals don’t include a half dozen children.  We’re all still in contact with each other to varying degree.  Some talk weekly; some are only Christmas card friends.  On the rare occasion that we all get to see each other, we laugh and tease each other and fall... Read more

A facebook friend of mine recently touched off a firestorm of criticism when she wrote “At target and a guy is buying flowers here. He deserves a slap in the face. Don’t buy your girlfriend a $5 arrangement from target.” When met with a maelstrom of  negativity, she defended her position. When I get flowers from my husband, he uses a flower shop and pays good money for a great design. That’s when it’s really sweet to get flowers. And... Read more

Lately a lot of people seem to be making assumptions about what we will do for #3’s  schooling next year.  The homeschoolers seem to think that this year was a total disaster and those with children in school think we’ll be enrolling everyone next year because it has to have been so much easier.  They’re both wrong. He’ll be home next year because the whole school system just seems wrong to us.  We’re his parents, but are expected to surrender... Read more

My sweet 9 year old spends every afternoon at his best friend’s house.  His friend’s mom, Mrs C, is as close to a miracle worker as anyone I’ve ever met.  She can get my pickiest eater to try anything.  I’ve begged her to share her secret, but she just smiles and shrugs.  “I just ask him if he wants to try a bit,” she says. There’s no way it’s that easy.  I live with this kid and I know that... Read more

I recently received an email requesting that I post something on my blog.  I don’t always respond to this type of request, but this seemed like a nice one, so I’m happy to help out. 84,000 Novenas for the Pope’s 84th Birthday! Will you join me in giving the Pope a huge gift for his birthday? Pope Benedict XVI is celebrating his birthday on April 16th and I’m joining up with praymorenovenas.com to get 84,000 people to pray a novena... Read more

The music at daily Mass is awful.  I know I’ve said so before, but I’m surprised by it every morning.  Some mornings it makes me cringe, and others it makes me smile. Catholic Mass is not about the music.  It’s about the Sacrifice.  It’s about the Eucharist.  The whole of the Mass is designed to build into a crescendo at the Consecration.  The Eucharist truly is the source and summit. Because the music is not the focus, it becomes instead... Read more

We are within spitting distance of the end of the school year.  I can see it from here.  (Literally.  May just came up on my digital calendar.)  It’s almost the end and I’m hitting homeschool burnout in a serious fashion.  I really just want to stay in bed to day and read a good book.  That’s not happening.  The fog and gray skies are not helping my lethargy at all.  Can I just declare today to be national “Mom Needs... Read more

The Computer Guy and I went to the military retirement of a friend of ours this afternoon.  We, and a neighbor of ours, were the only Catholics at the reception which was held in a Baptist church. At one point, a joke was made about the retiree’s dad sending one of his grandchildren to get him a beer.  The listeners were clearly shocked, not just that he sent a child but that he was drinking at all.  His daughter-in-law quipped... Read more

(I know I promised to write about the beauty of the bad music at daily Mass, but that will have to wait until another day.  I’ll get to it, but this seemed like a better topic for today.) Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the day we celebrate the moment of the Incarnation.  It’s the day we remember an angel coming to a simple peasant girl and asking her to be the Mother of God.  Earlier this week, I... Read more

For this Lenten season, I’ve been trying to go to daily Mass every day.  I haven’t been perfect but keep resolving to be better with the help of God and a good alarm clock.  The church where I have been regularly attending daily Mass sings the entrance hymn and recessional.  It’s kind of awful sounding.  The priest announces the hymn’s number as he walks into the chapel.  We all scramble to turn to the right page and everyone just begins... Read more