Wow, it’s been awhile since I’ve done an old-fashioned blog update. And I apologize for that. I know that these are my favorite types of blogs to read, and maybe they’re yours too. We’ve had a lot going on over these past months, and an extra ton happen in this past week. First and most … Read more
A family pilgrimage can be a wonderful and fruitful summer activity, an opportunity to grow in faith together as well as explore a new part of the country or even a new-to-you parish in your town. Whether you choose a location near or far doesn’t matter, as long as you enter into the spirit of … Read more
We have had a full and busy week, so I thought I’d do a quick update on what we’ve been up to with the help of some visual aids. 1.Pool Time The start of the week was HOT, and as we do not have A.C. in our house, and my in-laws have a spectacular pool, … Read more
Tonight while we were decorating the Christmas tree, or rather, preparing to decorate the Christmas tree, which, with three littles, took about 3 hours, Gram was remembering aloud how her father always insisted on decorating their tree himself growing up. It was his gift to the family. I asked about her mother, hoping to spark … Read more
This one is a tough one for me to write, but after a little incident we had tonight, I realized that I need to be writing about this aspect of my life because as tricky of a subject as it might be, it’s part of who our family is. My Gram, who lives with us, … Read more
One of the many, many things I love about Catholicism is how tangible it is; the Church makes use of all of our senses to teach us the riches of the Faith. Once upon a time, when most people were illiterate and couldn’t read the Scriptures or stories of the saints, images were made that … Read more
Once upon a time, in what feels like another life, I was a missionary with Life Teen. I lived in community with other missionaries and families at Camp Covecrest, in Tiger, GA. It was there I first encountered St. Benedict. We missionaries lived by a Rule of Life modeled after the Rule of Benedict. It … Read more
Gianna’s earliest memory is of her great-grandmother’s funeral. She remembers the day clearly- the mass, the cemetery, the time with family. I have been surprised at what an impression this memory has made on her. Grandma P passed away in March of 2017, and G still speaks of it regularly. She asks a lot of … Read more
Mark has been on the interview trail a lot lately. This week the kids and I tagged along for his trip to Case Western in Cleveland. My cousin, Taylor, is based there for work, and it had been ages since I’ve seen him, so it made for a great opportunity to sneak in a visit. … Read more
One of the most wonderful things about marrying into a big family has been gaining so many siblings. Mark is the exact middle of the seven, with three older sisters and three younger brothers. His youngest brother, John, is a junior in high school. I have always had a special love for John, probably because … Read more