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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…
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7 Things that Make Family Travel Easier
I know that school is beginning soon enough for most of us, but as I’m preparing for a family pilgrimage to Spain and Fatima, I thought I’d share some of those things that have made traveling with the whole family far more manageable — dare I say, even enjoyable? To be honest, I love the adventure of traveling with my kids — but it’s not easy. A few years back, we made a little shift in our mindset about traveling and it has made all the difference for us. It’s hard to believe, but just recognizing that family trips aren’t easy or relaxing has helped tremendously. Honestly, if you keep…
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What Happens in Japan, Stays in Japan
It’s been getting kind of serious around here, so it’s time to write about something that is absolutely ridiculous. Consider this a PSA. I’m here to help. Japan Syndrome: It’s for real, and it’s not pretty. 🙁 If this post can spare even one person from a similar fate, than I can say that all the effort was worth it. Let me set the scene for you. You are in a far off place — exotic, perfumed breezes, not a care in the world. You are feeling good about life. You’re on top of the world. And then you see it: that item that encapsulates everything you are feeling in…
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David Harburg, Daring to Dream
David Harburg is daring to dream. He’s putting on a concert to raise $11,000 to restore a vocational school in Kyakatara, Uganda. I have to say, it’s refreshing to find somebody whose “dreams” include putting their gifts at the service of helping those in need. This is all the more reason why we just have to help him reach his goal! The story of how he got here, is an interesting one. It began somewhere over the rainbow — quite literally. David is the great grandson of Yip Harburg, probably most famous for his song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Yip Harburg was friends with the likes of Ira Gershwin and…
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A Catholic Perspective on Suicide and Depression
A few weeks ago, I attended a funeral. It was the funeral of a young woman, loved by so many, who had come to the conclusion that her life wasn’t worth living. It was a tragedy. Her uncle, who also happened to be the priest presiding at her funeral, said it best, “It wasn’t supposed to be like this”. He was absolutely right. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. That’s not how her life was meant to end. She was loved by so many. Her life had infinite value. There was so much good left to do. And the question remains, How did she not know how loved she…
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Mackinac Island, Building Community, and Taking a Break
Do you ever dream of days gone by, when life was simpler than it is today — no cars, no phones, no television — time to just be with people, and enjoy the simple things of life? Yeah, me too. The only problem is that when you actually think about all the time that was spent on cleaning clothes, maintaining a house, and cooking meals — you realize that those who have gone before us might have actually had less time to just be than we have. Sure, we can choose to get distracted by our phones, our televisions, and the things that don’t really matter — but we can also…
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Happy 4th of July!
Here’s wishing you a day full of faith, family, friends, fun, and yummy food. Days like this make me reflect on the many blessings we have received, but most especially the gift of freedom. Thank you to the men and women — both here and around the world — who have fought and continue to fight, so that we might be free. May we take that freedom and do good in this world, and prepare the next generation to do the same. Happy 4th of July!
