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The Problem of Santa Claus
This time of year brings with it all sorts of challenges — some serious and some not-so-much — but one question any family with kids has to decide this time of year is, “Will Santa be coming to our house?” You can get away with ignoring this question if it’s just you and your husband and possibly for the first few years after having a child. But if you have kids, eventually this question will become an important one, because it will influence what Christmas will look like in your house for many years to come. We’re talking important stuff here, and if you make the wrong decision, your children will be…
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Things To Be Thankful For
How was your Thanksgiving? I hope it was full of good food, family, friends, and all the things that make this time of year so special! There’s a lot of life going on right now, but I couldn’t let Thanksgiving Day go by without sharing a few things for which I am grateful. 1.I’m really grateful for all the men and women that sacrificed so that we could live in a democracy! Democrats, republicans, independents — and countless other men and women of all faiths and creeds died so that you and I could live freely in this country. They died for people who were very different from them, politically, but…
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The 30 Minute Adoration Challenge
Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you—you can’t begin to know who He wants to be for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him.” ~Mother Teresa~ Happy New Year! Wait, what? That’s right, this Sunday is the last Sunday in the Liturgical Year, which means we are quickly coming upon a new year in our Church — so let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year! Since making new years resolutions is a common tradition, I figured it would be a good thing to do for the new liturgical year. So, my resolution is something I have been thinking about…
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Let’s Talk About … Breastfeeding
Let’s talk about breastfeeding — that’s not controversial, is it? 🙁 I know that this can be a sensitive topic, and maybe this is a bad idea, but please take whatever I say in this post as just one opinion among many — I don’t want to make anybody feel bad about their own choices, especially those made in the past. Do you ever feel afraid to share your mothering tips with people because you don’t want to hurt feelings or offend? I do — but I’m more convinced than ever that we need to be willing to step out of our comfort zones and share what we’ve learned. Take my own…
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Why Having Six Kids is Easier Than Having Three
During our recent trip to Italy, there were many times we’d be walking down a cobblestone street and be greeted by an Italian exclaiming, “Complimenti!” when they saw our six kids. And back home I have had moments when a stranger looks at me with my kids –like I’m some sort of hero — and says “I don’t know how you do it with six kids”. Believe me, there are a lot of other remarks that I have received that weren’t so complimentary, but the point remains that many people look at a mother with six kids and think that they are some sort of phenomenon, a walking Saint, perhaps part angel-part human? Either that —…
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Educating Our Kids for Life
I am often asked how I manage to homeschool my children, maintain the family business, keep on top of 6 kids and their activities, and do everything else that I have to do on the daily to keep our family life from imploding. On most days, my answer to that question, “How do you manage?” is an honest, “Not very well”. 🙁 But despite my failings — somehow — at the end of most days, we have accomplished what needs to get done for that day. I honestly believe that if we try our lousy best to educate our children and keep our eyes on heaven, that God will take care…
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Looking Back: 17 Years of Marriage
This weekend, John and I are celebrating 17 years of marriage! So, I thought I’d dedicate this post to the man I married 17 years ago. On our wedding day, John’s sisters told me that I would never be bored. They were so right. This guy keeps adventure alive in our house! I’m so glad I took that great big leap of faith and agreed to marry him on a sunny day in Glendalough so many years ago! Our Engagement: Ireland was a big part of our beginning. Our first time together in Ireland was when John visited me and my family for Thanksgiving– we were visiting my sister, who was working there…
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Pilgrim Toes, Thirst, and the Canonization of Mother Teresa
The weekend of Mother Teresa’s canonization began quite peacefully. The Romans were slowly returning home from their month-long summer break — boy do they know how to live — and the crowds in Rome were smaller than we had expected. There was a part of me that wondered how the Italians were going to pull off a huge ordeal like a canonization when they were so sluggishly returning to their routines. It seems people were avoiding St. Peter’s because they feared the crowds — that was a big win for us! Thank you Jesus for smaller lines at St. Peter’s and easier access to good food and gelato — I don’t think this tired…
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7 Quick Takes: Life Lately
Life has been so busy and I have finally realized that I just need to stop saying it’s busy and just accept that it’s life — life with six kids. So, here’s a quick glimpse of my life lately in 7 Quick Takes. 1. Called by Name Conference: I just returned from a really amazing conference and I’m so impressed with the way it equipped everyday people like myself with practical tips to reach out to people who have left the Church. You know how sometimes you come back from a conference full of good ideas and nice feelings, but not sure how to actually do anything with it? This wasn’t…
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Called by Name: Inviting People Home
I’m taking a break from pilgrimage posts to share a little about the Called By Name conference I attended last week. The goal of the conference: to equip ordinary people like you and me for the very important work of evangelization and welcoming people back into the Church. Bishop Boyea envisioned this series of conferences to energize members of his own diocese to be part of the solution to the problems within it –he knew he couldn’t tackle these problems alone. Only about 34% of registered Catholics in the diocese of Lansing attend weekly Mass and there has been almost a 30% drop in weekend Mass attendees in the last 10 years. Think about…
