Part One of a series about reaching out to and understanding those who cope with depression. Recently my book club read “Never Give Up: My Life and God’s Mercy” by John Janaro. Among some amazing insights, we had some very fruitful discussion about depression and its elusive, sneaky nature. We heard from a number of people… [Read More]
Catholic Summer Camp Guide: 2013
There is one word that’s keeping me going until June: summer. I can see sweet tea, swimming pools and no alarm clocks on the horizon. If you’re a mom, you probably have summer camp on that list, as well. Perhaps you’ve been wondering just where you can find great Catholic summer camps for your children…. [Read More]
How to keep your tween a child for just a little while longer
Tween. Tween? Such a strange word. When I was growing up, we didn’t call ourselves that. We were either kids, or teens. There was no in beTWEEN. But, as weird as the word is, there might be some good in setting this stage of childhood off as its own separate category. There’s a lot going… [Read More]
The Irish Struggle (Review: “Flight of the Earls”)
As a Notre Dame grad, I am always in the company of proud Irishmen (and women). Even though St. Patrick’s Day was suppressed for the Fifth Sunday of Lent this year, I managed to wear a little bit of green, and I randomly heard a track from my twin friends’ St. Patrick’s Day compilation on… [Read More]
5 Tips For An Intentional Lent
It is a week or so before the beginning of Lent, and I find myself cringing a bit. We just finished Christmas, for goodness sake! I still have a plastic box of Christmas snow globes on the top of the piano that I haven’t yet put away. And now, we’re edging up on to Lent… [Read More]
The Cooking Priest Brings His Fajitas to Austin
In early 2010, I unexpectedly met Fr Leo Patalinghug at an event where one of his friends was speaking at my parish. Oddly enough, no one else seemed to recognize him, but if you’re at all into Catholic media, this priest is hard to miss. It’s hard to name a place he hasn’t been. These days Fr Leo… [Read More]
Four Words I’ll Never Forget
Four years ago, my son Jonathan found me sitting in front of my laptop, tears running down my cheeks. I had read an email and had been stunned to tears and silence. I was in shock with joy. The email was about Abby Johnson, the director of our local Planned Parenthood (the number one abortion… [Read More]
The ACTUAL Reason Contraception is Wrong
Lately, I’ve been on the Internet. Depressing, I know. But I have. And in particular, I’ve noticed a widespread rash of anger directed at that crotchety old institution full of crotchety old men with crotchety old ideas: the Catholic Church. Seems there’s this thing happening out there in the “real world” (a phrase whose quotation… [Read More]
10 Steps to a Stronger Family in 2013
Our Lord WANTS our families to be strong, holy, healthy and fun! But, in this busy, automated and digitized world, it’s all too easy to lose our cohesiveness as a family. Strong families are families that enjoy each other, spend time together and are aware of the great gift of family that God has… [Read More]
Reading Your Way to Rome (Review: “Rome Sweet Home”)
As many Catholics are, I am a sucker for conversion stories. I was baptized Catholic but not really raised that way, so mine is more of a reversion story, but I even enjoy telling that! There’s something about getting the inside scoop on someone’s journey to God and to the Catholic Church that is so… [Read More]
Epiphany Traditions
Yesterday was the Solemnity of the Epiphany, both the traditional date of January 6th and more recent “transferred date” of the Sunday between January 2nd and 8th, which is one of the marks used to end the traditional Christmas season. Growing up, all of our family traditions revolved around Christmas Day itself—opening presents, Christmas dinner and… [Read More]
Celebrating Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Austin
We got news of a really cool event that is coming up as part of “Celebrating Catholic Schools Week”. If you are a fan of Catholic schools, the Food Network, The Catholic Channel then this is for you. If you’re not a fan of any of those then I’m sure this event might just make… [Read More]
Let Us Make Haste…
I see a preacher. A natural teacher. A simple man, standing at the lectern, in the church full, at Midnight Mass. I see him speaking kindly, periodically gesturing with an open hand, pausing to smile at times, pausing to let us think. I see his eyes gaze over his people with a heart full of… [Read More]
The Little Things Can Become the Big Things
We can all probably recall a time when we first noticed an ant trail marching back to its colony. And perhaps how we fought the temptation to stomp on a few, just to see what would happen. It is human nature to ponder… [Read More]
A Real Baby
“No, he was a REAL baby!” my six year old daughter insists, eye brows lifted as she explains to her four year old sister. “It’s not a just story!” My four year old’s blue eyes are wide as she looks off out the window, pondering. Jesus was a real baby. Even as an adult, I… [Read More]
Keeping Advent Holy
Ahhhh, it’s almost December! What a wonderful time of year! We have SO many plans to make it an amazing time for our family! And we have so much to do! We get down décor from the attic. We put together a tree. We start making Christmas lists. The office Christmas party is marked the… [Read More]
5 Tips: How to Be a Good Mom and Not Lose Your Mind
While I’ve been ‘Mom’ now for almost 13 years, it seems that I’m still figuring out this motherhood thing. It can be hard to balance being an individual woman with thoughts, ideas, plans and inspirations that are all my own with the… thoughts, ideas, plans, inspirations, hunger, laundry, homework and tantrums of everyone else in… [Read More]
How to Create a Family Litany
All Saints Week – here we are! A week of beauty, starting with Halloween full of fun costumes and candy, All Saints Day with our holy heavenly friends, and ending with the ever hopeful and solemn All Soul’s Day, praying for those we love who have died. What a great time for our families to… [Read More]
Authenticity & the Year of Faith
I have to be honest. When I heard that the Catholic Church had declared this year the “Year of Faith”, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. Maybe it’s my ‘convert’ status rising up again, but while those around me were excited about the upcoming Year of Faith, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed… [Read More]
A Proposal to the Youth (Review: “YOUCAT, the Youth Catechism”)
I’m a little late in the game, but I’m also right on time for the Year of Faith: I finally took a deeper look into the YOUCAT*. Released to coincide with the last World Youth Day (WYD) and distributed to all official pilgrims, the YOUCAT was written to transmit content based from the Catechism of… [Read More]
I’ve got your back: 7 Promises to My Middle School Aged Daughter
7 promises to my middle school aged daughter: I will be your friend I know, I’m your mother. And, you already have friends. But, when I’m not telling you to clean your room or reminding you to practice your french horn, I will try to show you how a real friend acts. I will look… [Read More]
they trusted and you rescued them…
In my complicated life, I find it amusing that God often reminds me of His eternal truths by demonstrating them through my children. As intellectual as I might like to think I am, I have probably learned more about the love of God for his people by watching my children play, learn and live in… [Read More]
The Great Party in the Sky
Bear with me – there is a point to all this. In one of my favorite cartoons, Yosemite Sam finally catches Bugs Bunny after the usual chase and associated gags. After tossing some logs and a match into his oven, Sam orders Bugs in at gunpoint. Soon Bugs comes back out of the oven and… [Read More]
Thrive – Adult Education Nights
Despite seemingly endless debates and legislation on sex education, teenage pregnancy rates and the spread of STDs doesn’t seem to be getting any better. As a society, this is causing us to completely freak out about the future of the individual lives of these students as well as the future of our society as a… [Read More]
I’m not afraid anymore…
I’ve just realized it. Just now. I’ve been sitting here at my computer, attempting to design a stunning website for a client, listening to my two little girls (ages 4 and 6) playing in the living room next to me. They’ve been playing ‘Getting Married’. This entails putting on pretend make-up, going dancing and finding… [Read More]
First Week of School? 5 Things Every Catholic Family Should Do
For many of us, the school bell is ringing this week. Oh summer, we already miss you. Then again, the Texas heat will make it summertime well into October, I’m sure. To kick off the school year right, here are a few things every Catholic family can do. It doesn’t matter whether your children are… [Read More]
Family Vacations: Are We There Yet?
“Mom, how much longer ’til we get there?” If you’re a parent, no doubt you’ve been asked that question countless times on a roadtrip. I always feel like replying with a Mr. Incredible-ism: “We’ll get there when we get there!” On our recent family vacation that included 1,800 miles and five states, we heard that… [Read More]
Hollywood Never Gets It Right (Review: “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers”)
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about and discussing media lately. Aside from my recent post on media discernment, I had a lively discussion with some friends about the same subject, and there’s always another trashy TV show or a movie like Magic Mike to start a firestorm. It’s enough to make you want… [Read More]
The Healers Presence; Everyday-Saint Beth Odom
“Christ has no body now on earth but yours…” -St. Teresa of Avila understood that Christ today speaks to us through his followers. That is why I collect so many quotes from saints like Teresa of Avila. But if we believe that Christ is still speaking today why limit ourselves to saints of the 16th… [Read More]
Parents: Quit Dumbing Down Sex for Your Kids
“Oh, we haven’t had ‘the talk’, but I’m dreading the day he asks,” a friend recently lamented. I was at a loss for what to say. You see, I think we dumb down the wrong things for our kids and focus, instead, on the silly things.We’re quick to buy that ticket to “Magic Mike” or… [Read More]
Comparing Conversions
When the well-known atheist, Leah Libresco, announced her entrance into the Catholic Church’s RCIA program I was blown away, like many others. I have to admit that, after reading her posts, much of what she said went over my head. I’m not up on ‘athiest’ speak. But, I was very excited and encouraged by the prospect… [Read More]
How God Calls Us Back (Review: “Brideshead Revisited”)
Sometimes, I fail at being Catholic. As I’ve mentioned here before, I try to live my faith and usually succeed, but I am far from perfect; if anything, I am acutely aware of how imperfect I am. The one constant is that I always come back. God is loving and merciful, so he always takes… [Read More]
How I Fail At Summer
Summer! Finally! While kids haven’t been in class for awhile, my wife has had to report to work until the beginning of this month. She has a month where, while she is working, she doesn’t have to report to the office for work. It’s great! She’s home, our little girls get to spend more time… [Read More]
Even Jesus Took Vacation!
As summer starts, we all begin to make summer plans. Much of what we decide to do will likely be local, and simple enough to do on a weekend or during the day/evening, such as a swim at the local swimming pool (if you’re in Austin, Barton Springs and Hamilton Pool are top choices), grabbing… [Read More]
With This Cross, I Thee Wed
Today my husband and I celebrate our 4 year anniversary! It seems like our wedding was just yesterday! With marriage comes a lot of unknowns. Saying “I do” in some ways is like walking the plank without knowing whether the plank gets you to land or to a long drop into the ocean! None of… [Read More]
I am not Brandon Vogt
I know you can’t hear me sigh when I type these words, so you’ll just have to imagine it. I am not Brandon Vogt. A couple of months back, I made the fortunate mistake of following Brandon Vogt on Facebook. For those who don’t know who Brandon is, he’s what I’d call a celebrity. Not… [Read More]
And I Find Myself Smirking at God
Does your child ever do something so witty and surprising that you just shake your head and let a smirk creep across your face? My son cracked out with a clever quip last week and I just burst out laughing. I don’t often burst out into anything. I like that feeling. Over the past few… [Read More]
VBS is for Catholics, Too
As a Protestant “it” was a must-do summer event. Every church I knew saw “it” as their greatest evangelizing week. Of course, I’m talking about one of the greatest weeks of summer, Vacation Bible School, otherwise known as VBS. Growing up as an evangelical and mainstream Christian, some of my fondest “Jesus memories” stem from… [Read More]
To Bikini or Not?
“Moooommmm. WHY do we have to wear a coverup with our swimsuit?” my oldest daughter whined. “Because, sweetheart, it’s what girls do,” I replied. But is it really what girls do? Do girls and women really know how to be modest? Do they know how to feel beautiful without adding sexy into the mix? I’ll be… [Read More]
Ordinary Time Still a Time for the Extraordinary
I learned the importance of celebrating holidays in our own environment from my mother-in-law. Dating my to-be husband in high school, I was always pleasantly surprised how their house was always decorated to match the holidays! Doing so really created a sense of the season and excitement over whatever was coming or being celebrated.This practice… [Read More]