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Let’s Keep the Faith
About this time last year, I started thinking about volunteering to teach faith formation again. I had taken a few years away from it, but I felt a nudge. I had almost no free time, but I also feel the...
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We belong to each other
Way back when one of my summer jobs was as a cashier, I would scan all the items, bag them, and hand the bag to the customer. Then I would say, “Have a nice day!” It sounded so hollow and trite. “Have...
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When the impossible turns out to be possible (or how I earned a grad degree)
It was a kind of crazy idea. Three years ago, our children hadn’t even gone back to school in person yet, and my work life was in no way balanced. In the chaos that was my life, I decided I was going...
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Chicken noodle soup and the Holy Trinity
The other day, I went to Wawa’s to buy chicken noodle soup. I placed my order, walked over to the register to pay, and then came back to stand by the counter. “There you are!” said an employee working...
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The joy of finding the missing cheese
Some days—and they are rare—I feel like I’m on top of my game. Yesterday was one of those days. I ran a few errands that were on my list, fit in a medical appointment, and made sure our younger son had...
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The Wind Is Reading My Book
Earlier this week, my sister brought her six children to watch my son’s baseball game. The children were mildly interested in seeing their cousin play ball, but they were more excited about discovering...
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Birds of a Feather: A Finch Update
We were just a few months into the pandemic when our younger son talked us into getting a pet bird. He got his big brother on board with the idea, and soon we were masking up and heading to the pet...
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Taller Every Day
Every year about this time, I take our sons to the doctor. This week, we went as I bounced from one examination room to the other, asking questions, listening to answers, and letting our sons do most...
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Here comes a saint who gives parents hope
Carlo Acutis has been called “God’s Influencer.” He was born in 1991. He played the saxophone. He enjoyed video games and Pokémon. As a child and as a teen, he loved Jesus and the Eucharist. He showed...
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The Harvest is Abundant
When I was a child, summer was long and restful with plenty of time for leisure and fun. School ended in June, and you knew that the next school year was forever away. The sunny days of summer were...
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Why did the frog cross the road?
Last night as my son and I were driving home, dusk was quickly turning into night. I saw some deer in the trees along the highway and held my breath as we went past. Luckily, they stayed put and out of...
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FOMO and the National Eucharistic Congress
When I saw that the National Eucharistic Congress would be happening this summer, I started imagining that maybe we could make the trip happen. I have been to papal Masses, and there’s something truly...
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The Gift of a Birthday Surprise
My birthday happens to fall on July 26, the feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne, our Blessed Mother’s parents. We don’t know much about their lives, but we know that they became parents late in life—and...
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That Pommel Horse Guy
His name is Stephen Nedoroscik, but they call him Clark Kent. After hours of waiting for his turn, he pulls off his glasses, strides up to the pommel horse, swings around with incredible skill and...
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Food for the Back-to-School Journey
Our younger son starts high school this year, and I find myself sitting with the realization that time is truly flying. I thought his older brother started high school just the other day, but now he’s...
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No warranty needed
’Tis the season for back-to-school shopping, and last week I found myself at the computer store, picking up a laptop. The store employee behind the counter rang up the purchase and then looked at me....
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Keep the Faith, Parents
I love our Catholic faith. I love the Eucharist and the many gifts of the Church. I love being part of the Church that Jesus started thousands of years ago when he asked Peter to build his church on...
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Holding Onto Summer
Summer is my favorite time of the year. I love everything about it—the heat, the long sunny days, and the lack of routine. This summer we didn’t plan much for our teens, and that only enhanced the time...
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10 Tips for New Working Moms
The other day I was chatting with a colleague who is a relatively new mom. We were talking about the challenges of working while raising a child. Her baby boy had started walking while they were on...
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Sadness after the closing of adoption from China
On one of our adoption trips to China, we visited an orphanage. Several of the children there had significant special needs. The director of the orphanage explained that their files would never be put...
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