Living
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7 Quicktakes:November Edition
Happy Friday, everybody. On to the Quick Takes. ~1~ 10,000 Steps (Or Maybe Not) After traveling this summer and walking miles each day with our kids, I decided to try to incorporate more steps into my day. Honestly, I just feel better and have more energy when I’m more active, so I don’t consider exercise a luxury — it’s definitely a necessity. Plus, I’ve been bringing the younger ones outside more to get in those steps, and everybody’s more peaceful after some time outdoors. At first I set the goal of 10,000 steps a day/5 days a week, but I’ve had to adapt those goals to be more realistic. There…
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Why My Kids Aren’t On Facebook, Instagram, or Other Major Social Media Outlets
It was inevitable. Last summer, my oldest daughter asked about getting on Instagram and Facebook. Many of her friends were slowly getting on board, so it seemed like the logical next step. So John and I weighed the pro’s and con’s, and we concluded we just had to say “no” — at least for now. I know that she’ll most likely be getting these accounts when she goes off to college — and I’m okay with that — but for now, I have no doubt that this is the best choice for our daughter and our family. I’m not here to say what you should be doing with your own kids,…
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On Pilgrimage: One Day in Fatima
Why go to all the time, effort and money to go on pilgrimage? Certainly that money could be given to the poor or spent on the many practical needs of every family — so how can a person justify the time and money spent on such a trip? Fortunately for John and I, traveling with our six kids has helped to purify our motives a bit. Let’s be honest, traveling with 6 kids for two weeks can be akin to traveling in the dessert for 40 years with the Israelites — complaining, moaning, hunger, thirst, wondering if the agony will ever end — and did I mention complaining? So, yeah,…
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Close Calls, Liam Neeson & The Danger of Busy
On our recent pilgrimage to Spain, “close calls” seemed to be one of the themes of the trip. We began our trip with a close call with a terrorist attack in Barcelona. We moved on to a close call with a firecracker. There we were, watching an amazing display of fireworks in San Sebastián. I was literally turning to put my baby into our stroller when this blazing ember flew past us, hit the stroller, and proceeded to fall directly in the seat and burn a few serious holes in it! Could have done without that excitement. Then there was our last day in San Sebastián. We decided to hike up…
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Fatima & Getting Schooled by My Kids
It’s been one of those weeks. I’m just holding on by a thread, but I just can’t let this day go by without commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the last apparition at Fatima. Do you ever wonder why Mary chose 3 simple children to carry her important message to the world. They were just simple shepherds — and yet, they were entrusted with a message that was vitally important for the entire world. It was a message that was also incredibly frightening — they actually witnessed Hell — and yet, she still chose children to carry that message. Why is that? Jesus’ own words seem to affirm her choice,…
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San Sebastian: Walking the Camino and Fighting Resistance
Somebody please explain to me why anybody would be tempted to skip a beatiful hike through the the Spanish mountains, surrounded by views like these: For me, it came down to resistance. Resistance: it’s become a popular term among Catholics, but it’s roots reach all the way back to the earliest days of Christianity. Perhaps St. Paul put it best, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Rom 7:15) I often face resistance in my own life: resisting evil, yes — but even more so, I resist doing the good. Maybe it’s because I…
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San Sebastián: Facing our Fears, Weddings, and Finding Hope Again
It’s hard to describe that feeling after making it onto the train. As we stumbled into our seats and the train pulled away from the Barcelona Sants Station, John and I both looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. It felt like we had dodged a bullet — and in some way, maybe we had. Within a few hours of our departure, Barcelona experienced a terrible terrorist attack. Thank goodness we had run our tails off to make that train! As we looked at our baby laughing with our oldest son — with Barcelona fading into the distance — we could only feel grateful. Grateful for everything we didn’t…
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Barcelona: Gaudi, Works in Progress and the Sacrada Familia
“A church is the only thing worthy of representing the soul of a people, for religion is the most elevated reality in man”. ~Antoni Gaudi~ Gaudi is arguably one of the most famous architects of modern times. No doubt, his greatest work of architecture is the Sacrada Familia. It is one of the most thought-provoking, awe-inspiring churches I have ever visited. If you ever find yourself in Barcelona, it is a must-see for the Catholic and non-Catholic alike. Gaudi was not the original architect, but he quickly became chief architect and visionary for this ambitious project. No doubt, Gaudi was the man for the job. He was highly sought…
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Barcelona: Gaudi, Failure, and Being the Light
My last post was not a very pleasant picture of Barcelona. Stolen wallets, the darkness we felt, and a close call with terrorists isn’t likely to be linked to by the Barcelona tourism board any time soon. 🙁 So it might surprise you that if asked whether or not I would recommend a visit to Barcelona, I would most definitely say it is a worthwhile place to visit. Honestly, the darker moments were really good moments for all of us. They left us with the conviction that we must try our best to be the light in the world. And let’s be honest — often our best is pretty darn…
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Barcelona: Stolen Wallets, Terrorist Attacks, and Making Sense of It All
We recently returned home from a family pilgrimage to Spain, Portugal and Fatima. Gotta say, it did not disappoint. It was an amazing journey from beginning to end. So let’s begin at the beginning: Barcelona. Our time in Barcelona began with us deciding to travel as pilgrims do: hoofing it with all of our bags, taking public transportation, and making our way to our hotel off of Las Ramblas. There we were, jet-lagged beyond belief, trying our best to make sure we didn’t lose a child or a bag, navigating the very busy metro system of Barcelona. It was going pretty well — until we found ourselves literally split into…
