Our ironing board sat neglected in the far corner of the laundry room, bemoaning its loneliness. We purchased a brand new, heavy-duty iron a few years ago, in hopes of an increased usage . . . to no avail. I am very much a reluctant keeper of the clothing. Just recently, the ironing board has …READ MORE
Tales From the Trenches
Offering God Our Days
I have a very hard time not being in control. I am one of those people who has a routine so that I can know what is coming next. One p.m. in our house always means nap time or quiet time for the older ones—always. The kids all know it, and it is so engraved …READ MORE
The Old Black Truck
Mothers of little boys can probably relate to the truck phase—peppering mom with truck questions, “vroom-vrooming” around the house with toy trucks, and pointing out every truck seen from the back seat of the minivan. Three out of four of my own boys outgrew their truck infatuation by kindergarten. However, the love of trucks in …READ MORE
Savor the Moments
We hear this often as mothers, usually from women older than us who have moved beyond the trenches and are haunted by empty bedrooms and quiet dinner tables. I remember well the years I spent in the trenches covered in small people who constantly needed some part of me. I would be in line at …READ MORE
Untangling Prayers
Recently, I walked into our son’s room to find that he had made a holy mess of his rosaries. “Look, Mommy,” he excitedly proclaimed as he lifted up the tangled mess, “I am doing magic!” His sister, and sidekick, chimed in, “He is doing magic! See! He can separate them!” But he couldn’t separate them …READ MORE
Time for School . . . Time for Grace
Somehow the summer is already behind us. Gone are the days of sleeping in, lounging by the pool, and enjoying later nights without homework and schedules. Of course, that also means we won’t be listening to our children argue all day or graze for food like they are in some sort of contest to see …READ MORE
