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October 27, 2025
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Discover the journey, tips, and ideas from Claudia Yeoh’s writing desk.
I’m preparing for a major revamp of my author site, and I’m
It’s the 4th of July, and I am in the middle of
One perk of being a published author is how many other authors
Hi, all! Long time, no see. I’m stretched pretty thin these days
Environmental stewardship and climate have long been high, high priorities for me.
One perk of being a published author is how many other authors
I was late to the Nicole Baart party. When I read my
OK, I will admit it: I am fascinated with the British royal
“Wicked” is a cultural phenomenon, and with a few exceptions (Marvel, Star
Today (Feb. 27, 2023) only: A SONG FOR THE ROAD is on
I have loved the Anne and Emily books since the first time
In the spirit of the holidays I wanted to share some really
One perk of being a published author is how many other authors
Recently I discovered the site Shepherd.com, which is subtitled “Discover the Best
This month I am blessed to get to participate in Ashley Hasty
A Song For The Road is on sale today only! Amazon made
One perk of being a published author is how many other authors
I thoroughly enjoyed The Jane Austen Society, so I have been looking
Recently I spent a weekend at a writing intensive on the subject
There is a tree not far from town that holds a particular
The spring after my #3 child started scouts, he ranked up for
It’s been a month since we returned from Disney World, and for
I spent the first 8 days of June preparing our family for
Last night I dreamed I had a smart phone and I was
I have been writing stories since I was 8 years old. Seriously.
Last weekend, I was alone in my house for 48 hours. This
I’m writing this on a Thursday night (though it won’t post until
Thank God for good friends. Friends who bring wine to choir practice
Shortly before the Covid shutdowns, I bought a new headjoint for my
I’m presenting a lunchtime concert today for the National Association of Pastoral
It’s one of those tropes in literature and TV and movies. At
Last week, I finished a major novel revision. The kind of revision
I have been a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association almost
We’re 9 weeks into the celiac journey with our daughter. My past
Strap yourselves in, folks, because today I’m talking health care. I know,
Thursday morning, I dropped my husband off at his (closed) office so
Our adventure with celiac-disease-inspired gluten-free cooking has progressed in the last month,
Those who know me, know I am an anachronism: I do not
We’ve been doing the celiac thing now for 2.5 weeks, and I
Last week, my chromosomally-gifted daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease. Let me
In my mid-twenties, I once changed addresses twelve times in twelve months.
My calendar for the next two weeks has written all across it
I doubt anyone will be shocked if I say I’ve always been
I am not one of those people who gets offended when you
I actually debated quite a while about which of my blogs was
One of the great things about being a published author is how
Illustration 1: THE SHIRT. Meet “The Shirt.” AKA “The Apple Festival t-shirt,”
One of my mantras over the past sixteen years of motherhood has
One of the great things about being a published author is how
Yesterday, a friend and I helped organize donations for our local Refugee
It’s time for a reset. 2021 has been–well, a whirlwind. The long,
Many of the authors I know spend their launch days hopping from
It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks, and I actually do have
It’s release day, folks! Tonight we’re partying virtual-style–music, a reading, a chat
It’s THREE WEEKS until Publication Day and I could not be more
One of my daughter Julianna’s IEP goals for this year is to
My sophomore year in college, I entered my first flute competition. As
I am officially ten weeks away from PUBLICATION DAY! A Song For
Head over to Instagram to enter a giveaway for an advanced readers’
I had a lovely writing day yesterday. The Women’s Fiction Writers Association
It is time to choose next year’s classes for my three middle-
A few weeks ago I posted on Instagram about my chromosomally-gifted girl’s
As promised, we’re starting something new today! One of the great things
Normally, my husband’s and my choir does a “Farewell to Christmas” concert
Here’s a heads-up for your early January: I’m starting something new! I’m
For years, I have endeavored to make December—Advent—all about the soul. It’s
The scene: the after-school carpool, yesterday. The characters: A second grade girl
2020 has been a reading year for me–more great books than I
I’ve been having COVID dreams lately. This didn’t happen to me for
When I stopped blogging frequently a few years ago, it was for
I have been writing fiction since I was in the second or
Generally, I would say I’m pretty good at rolling with the punches.
Saturday night, after taking our kids to church and nearly exploding with
When I was in middle school, my parents started a new endeavor
I struggled with which of my sites to publish this on, and
The “I Am From” poems were a big thing a couple years
I realized recently that we’re all going through a universal set of
In the month we’ve been on a stay-at-home order, I’ve realized a
Late last week, I said the only good thing about the pandemic
I’m processing my life right now by writing through it, and the
Normally, I’d say I do pretty well at “adulting.” Let’s be honest,
It’s been a week since the kids came home from school for
So here’s a thing you might not consider about having a kid
It’s been a long time since I started a new novel. Well,
My word for 2019 is “enough”: I am enough, I am doing
Sometimes, I just need to get away. No matter how much work
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com I had a bizarre series of
This is what #IEP prep looks like: notes from parent advocate, part
It’s been a crazy few months for me, both in real life
This Lent, I began a new project called Intentional Catholic, a website
On any given day, you might find on or around my kitchen
It’s been an intense fall. An intense year, really, but particularly an
If every one of us did this one thing, how much impact
In recent months, I’ve been retreating periodically from Facebook as it grows
This past week, we got the results of Julianna’s “re-eval.” Now, for
Today, I visit my blog to talk about this girl: Wednesday nights,
You know how muscles get stronger, right? It’s by being broken down.
Once, I was talking to a favorite uncle about life and all
I am sitting in the dark this morning. Despite my hopes, I
It’s almost too complicated a story to explain. A group of parents
I think the time has come. I’ve really enjoyed blogging, but the
You know you’ve all been waiting for them…but this year, we’re in
A couple weeks ago, I was driving to the gas station to
I learned something about myself in traveling these past two weeks. When
Nicholas and I spent the weekend at Woodloch Pines Family Resort in
A few years ago, when NASA announced the end of the space
Who would ever have thought this pocket… …could hold all this? Have
Yesterday morning, I was scurrying through the bathroom on the way to
At yesterday’s flute recital, I skipped a line in the first movement
We’ve been all drama, all the time lately (read: escalating for months)
Fun fact: I spent 2 1/2 years as a music ed major
It’s been a busy week–busy enough that I forgot I owed a
We’ve been angry a lot this calendar year. Last calendar year, too,
Everybody else’s families had been out at the ballfields for nearly
I am declaring a day off blogging, because, well, this: (In case
As anniversaries go, it wasn’t our best. And it should have been,
Watching kindergarteners “play” “baseball” is a one-hour comedy routine. Among the gems:
The hardest thing about parenthood, to me, is not knowing. I know
In my Catholic elementary school, there were three minorities, all Hispanic. I
When it’s Eclipse weekend and we live in the path of totality…
This weekend, exhausted, while our kids were well occupied with their screen
The wadded up piece of paper shot across the music area right
Well, it’s official: all my kids are in full-day school. For the
¾ of the way through Day 3 of iCanBike camp, the gym
Yup, that’s her in a nutshell, hamming it up at the Children’s
I had a stress dream last night in which it was several
Do you ever have that feeling that there’s just too much going on? No,
Years ago, when I was in my first bout of full-blown anxiety,
I know I said I wasn’t going to post, but some things
I didn’t really intend to take last week off blogging–but my week
Funny: Michael fell asleep on the way to piano lessons yesterday, and
I’ll blame it on watching “Logan” late at night. I had this
There’s a perennial debate among pastoral musicians about the appropriateness or not-appropriateness
I was supposed to take this week, the last week of summer
It’s quarter after ten at night when I get home from my
Monday night, when the coach dismissed the boys from their last (praise
In bullet points, in no particular order: Every time we introduce Julianna
Early last week, we received a fat packet in the mail from
It’s a beautiful thing to see your child getting his bearings in
In the past week, a couple things have happened in my world.
St. Cecilia and all my pastoral music friends…pray for us. (And if
Last week, we watched the movie Suffragette. I hope many of you
“I need to learn to say ‘no’ more.” Those words, spoken by
With Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris agreement yesterday, those
This is a post about this boy… …who yesterday, while I was
I stumbled across a wondrous thing yesterday: how to get through the
Elementary school and junior high were no picnic. I had my first
Michael, with his toy guitar: “This next song is called “Starlight Can
On Holy Saturday, we were running an errand for my mom at the
Christian (whispering to Julianna): Julianna, say “Happy Mothers Day, Mom!” Julianna (out
So I have two things to tell. First, when I was in University
Can someone explain why you would ever put carpet in formal dining
OK, so if you haven’t picked up on it by
If you’re on Facebook, you already saw these, but it’s worth preserving
Seen on Syfy a week or so ago. $115 million dollar movie
Michael had the iPad last night at Julianna’s last therapeutic horseback riding
It’s been happening more regularly lately…I get to midmorning and go, “I
Right after 9/11, a man I know shared a vision he had.
Alex and I took a travel writing day trip yesterday, to visit
This morning’s daily readings included the story of the man begging by
The thing about being a novelist is that you spend your life
I’m having one of those days when it’s hard to look at
Two sixth graders in black T-shirts, in a garage on a warm, windy
It’s happening more and more often these days. I find myself frustrated
You know those trips organized by campus ministries every year, where college
At bedtime during Spring Break, Alex remakes Michael’s pajamas to more accurately
Christian, at bedtime: Hello, Miss Horse Woman. Julianna: Stop that. Christian: Why
When I was newly married, I spent one year substitute teaching in
In which I get off my scaredy-cat box and tell you what I think about the current political climate you and I are all participating in.
On the way to adaptive gymnastics, Julianna sets out to challenge Nicholas’
My kids are really good eaters. I’m kind of surprised at this,
It occurred to me today that if I were Wonder Woman, I
You all remember, I’m sure, the saga of the orthotics. I’ve been
Julianna, standing in the jewelry store while they’re cleaning Daddy’s ring: “I
We just came through parent-teacher conference season again, and what we learned
1. I once played my flute on Circular Quay in Sydney, Australia.
When you go visit the farm with boys, you just never know what you might find waiting in the driver’s seat when it’s time to go home.
Last Monday, I had a great plan for dinner. It was quite
Life has been feeling pretty overwhelming lately. If I haven’t given out
The other day, Michael and I looked through a couple of scrapbooks,
When the phone rang during my oh-so-precious work time the other day,
When I was ten years old, I dreamed of being an Olympic
The youngest child is always the funniest one.
I’ve heard people say that wallpapering is a test of a marriage.
Because you know you ate way too much guacamole, plus a soda
Ear infections always and only come up after the doctor’s office has
I spent last week hobnobbing with my fellow liturgical composers…which means I
I dreamed last night that I met Pope Francis. Well, not so
Alex, upon getting into the car at school pickup, holds up this
When I was in the sixth grade, I wore soft contacts that
I’ve been a figure skating fan since I was 9 years old.
The day school let out for Christmas, I walked seven kids, ages
We went to see “Hidden Figures” last night. Aside from it being
To start off the expected Armageddon of ice in mid-Missouri, I give
It’s one of those days when you don’t feel all that
“Mrs. Basi!” yells Kindergarten Carpool child, upon leaping into the van after
CAPTION CONTEST!
Exhibit A: Um….what’s the point? These erasers are too small to be of any
Well, I had all but decided to quit blogging as of January
Michael, holding a paper back mouse with whiskers on one side: “I’m
When Christian and I left our previous parish so I could I
This past Friday, it rained some trace amount that couldn’t be measured,
I woke up in the middle of the night from a
Can YOUR kids crack a countertop with nothing but a toothbrush?
Julianna has been changing lately. It started a year or so ago,
Sometimes you have no choice but to wait…& wait…& wait. No matter how much you hate it. @Liguori_Pub #JoyToTheWorld
Better a day late than never. Sometimes even a blogger forgets her
White lights, colored lights, first aid kits, and Santa beating her head on the desk. Bring on the holidays.
oes God (or the great nation of America, if you’re not the believing type) want/need our “I’m grateful for” lists on this on one day, only to have us revert to business as usual the following day? Or would the world–and not coincidentally, we–be better off if we showed our gratitude in our actions on Thanksgiving Day and every other day, too?
A sliver of what my life is like #parenting a child with #Downsyndrome.
Lots of people right now are looking for ways to serve. Here’s
Alex, 11, as we pull in the driveway after school: “You guys
How did we get here? We lost the willingness, if not the ability, to empathize with the pain of the Other. #Election2016
Modeling #mercy doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are ten simple ways to teach your children to live #mercy.
…you lead with a big congratulations to the Cubs and their devoted
It’s got to be tough to be the kid who has two
For weeks, I’ve been debating stepping into the online political fray. I
There are 553 books on my Goodreads “to read” list. I
I know I’m not saying anything revolutionary here, but the world is
I had a strangely vivid dream last night. I was a ghost,
I’m in the midst of writing a road trip book right now,
This might come as a shock to many people. (Brace yourselves, sisters!) Occasionally…very
A lot of days, I feel like I live in a war
I came downstairs after my shower yesterday—midmorning, post-workout—to find Michael lying on
I am trying to figure out how to open this post with
When I think about my kids, I often have to chuckle at
Every superhero movie these days involves a mind-blowing escalation of the final
Sometimes life seems like a full-on sprint. I take a deep breath,
Julianna: Julianna’s newest “Julianna-ism” is: “But I like you!” As in, “Julianna,
At the sound of a crash on wood, Christian and I both
In honor of our anniversary coming up this weekend, I thought I’d
The thing about boys is that they’re confusing. Like my laundry pile.
This is the post I’ve been wanting to write for a couple
I spent Saturday at the funeral of a friend. It is sometimes
-1- The kids have been entranced by the Olympics lately. Michael calls
I hope you’ll bear with me today, because there’s a reason I’m
Sometimes it doesn’t make any sense to add my own words to
I’ve wanted to zipline for years, but this is not on Christian’s
I remember as a child going to Confession and telling the priest
“What come next?” There was a period of several months recently when
Since I shared my freak-out about Julianna getting older, I thought I
I have this parenting theory: It’s not that a child is too
I suppose it was inevitable that sooner or later, I was going
For the last four or five months, Trump has been calling me
(Not that I’m excited or anything!…..)
What does a blogger do when she’s feeling frustrated, stretched, and simultaneously
Item: one of Alex’s first words was “creme brulee.” Item: when our
What shall I say about wind turbines? The way Alex geeks out
Because the spiritual works of mercy have always been a little tough to
See you next week! (Photo credit: Sayed Mostafa Zamani, via Flickr)
When kids grow up with musical parents…especially ones who lead a choir (“conduct”
The things you find when going down rabbit holes researching a new novel.
It’s been a pretty intense week, with Julianna in iCanBike camp in
There are two basic states of being: default happy and default unhappy.
-1- You know that moment when you pull into the garage and
Coach Christian decided to go all-out and embrace the pirate theme for
I must have been six or seven, not yet old enough to
There comes an inevitable day in every parent’s life when you have
Let no one, me especially, claim that boys come without the drama
Why is it so easy to see or hear one detail and
We picked strawberries twice this spring, at the orchard where I had
At present, the web is a hornet’s nest of outrage over the
By the time we arrived at the wedding reception, the room was
First comes the idea. That electrifying, spark-you-wide-awake-no-matter-how-tired-you-are nugget of a concept that
It turns out that physical things don’t buy as much happiness as
It seems that lately, most of the people I talk to about
Last Saturday, I rousted Nicholas out of bed earlier than he wanted
Every so often, I like to share some of Julianna’s school work
On any given day, this blog is my go-to place to wrestle with
I suppose I’ve always known I was an “introvert.” I just didn’t
Sometimes I take things too seriously. Shocking, I know. No one would
1: Crazy Kids in a big hollow tree stump 2: Fire Starter
I’ll admit it: I totally blew it last summer. I tried to
“I don’t know how you blog,” a friend of mine said not
The problems with Mothers Day are legion. 1. It’s not fair to
We have a special guest in the house today: author Camille di
The light at the top of the exit ramp was red when
I can’t be the only parent who lives in dread of playing
A young lady’s big day in the Basi household begins with dancing
Occasionally, someone asks me when I’m going to record an album. I
This week, every single thing that makes life busy is converging upon
There are offenses that we as a culture consider unforgivable. Murder, child
When I first started writing, I had this vision of how it
Every so often a mama has to enshrine the kid moments, even
In our house, a very busy weekend looks like…. Friday: me singing
Whenever somebody talks about sex, ears perk up and strong reactions—both positive
Last Sunday after church, the kids begged to go get some doughnuts after
Shortly after noon on Holy Thursday, I was in my van, ferrying
As we get ready to enter Triduum weekend, followed here by Spring Break,
It was last December when I read the post that kicked off
-1- Have you ever noticed that kids in the movies are never
I’ve been angry a lot lately. The thing about practicing NFP is
We have a tradition of family game night in our house. Actually,
Sometimes I think you guys must get tired of me saying the
I am the weirdo in the room who doesn’t use a mobile
My title today probably evokes an instant reaction. Everyone is well aware
-1- Well, a day has come that I knew would arrive, but
You know how parents sometimes act like their feelings are hurt because
There are days when I look at the words (or the notes)
Parent-teacher conferences + Big submission day + Languishing music projects = A
It has been a source of constant delight for me in recent
There is a reason I generally don’t post about headlines: it takes
When I heard the radio headline yesterday afternoon, I groaned. Because I
1. Alex’s search for the meaning of life is carried out using the simplest
I was on the hunt for little boy dress shoes when I
I try very hard not to be That Parent. The one who
Causing me pain today: My shoulders and back. After twenty years, I
I have a very serious post brewing, but I can’t formulate “serious”
Time for another round of “Kids in Church” moments: the funny, the
I spent last week at the Liturgical Composers Forum in St. Louis.
The things that wake me in the middle of the night and
Item 1: Time plus focus = momentum, the anti-writer’s block. Item 2:
Well, it’s been a pretty heavy topic week on this blog and I
A week or two after 9/11, I was coming out of Aldi,
It didn’t take long for this list of ways to live out
I don’t do “girl” very well. It took me twenty-seven years to
Marriage is such a trust fall. An eyes-closed, over-the-cliff leap into the unknown.
The first “Hulk” story comes from Halloween of 2013, when we all
We’re going to do something a bit different today: it’s your turn
Our family went to Florida after Christmas to spend a few days
A smattering of pictures from this year’s Advent calendar adventures this year, and
-1- You know how you can say one thing one time and
I have a lot of posts started, but this one, from two
It is Saturday afternoon and I am folding baby clothes—new, soft, tiny
Blogging has been hard lately. There are times when I have more
Last night, while I was singing at church, my husband caught my
On the docket for today: More fodder for the “boys are just
Some days are just really good days. Or good evenings, anyway. And
When I was offered a copy of Merchants in the Temple: Inside
Today it is all about this guy: …because it’s a big day in
It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and the thing to do on such
Friday afternoon, Nicholas sulked and glowered and procrastinated and found a dozen
The past two weeks. It has almost been too much to bear,
Lately, it seems that everything–in the news, in my Facebook feed, and
3:05 p.m. and I hear hands rattling the spokes on the stairs.
To my fellow Christians who are up in arms about the so-called
Today I am sharing a story that Alex wrote, which you will
1: to Candy, or not to Candy? Nicholas is studying nutrition right
One of my online writing communities had an in-depth discussion a while
If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you’ll know that
Alex After the LEGO movie a couple of years ago, Alex started
When you have four kids, life is going to be busy, simply
“How do you do it all?” This is the question I get
On the docket for today: the obligatory results of my yearly kid
Ten years of parenting have instilled in me a particular superstition. I’m
It’s That Year for Miss Julianna. Second grade. If you’re not Catholic,
The spring of 1994 was a rough semester for me. It was
I was driving home last night from Julianna’s last horseback riding lesson
It has been a long time since I’ve had a week (and
Girls are supposed to be into shoes. Right? That’s what I hear,
I was a really awkward child. I was forever saying the wrong
The first time she saw this horse, eighteen months ago, she screamed.
She comes into our rehearsal space every week at eight p.m., walking
A little boy comes to me tiptoeing in a whisper, half an
Someone hurt me this weekend. It was like a sucker punch to
1. I think it must be very discouraging to be the Pope.
I ran a 5K this weekend. Technically speaking, it wasn’t my first;
It sounds weird to say, but ordinarily, a country cemetery is a
He wants to grow his hair out. His hair is exactly like
1. Baking soda. I don’t know how entire industries have gotten entrenched
I was twenty-five when I got married, and I thought I was
We spent the summer of 2015 preparing rooms and moving kids around
People are frequently curious about what a child with Down Syndrome is
I’m up against a deadline this week, so I’m bowing out until
It was fifteen minutes until Mass started, and we couldn’t find Julianna’s
We didn’t go on any field trips this year. This has been
I have lots of opinions. I’m sure this comes as no surprise
In grade school, I had a principal who had once been a
This article, “Tinder And the Dawn of the Dating Apocalypse,” was shared on
When I contemplated parenthood, certain things were never a question. For instance:
The summer of 2015, in our family, breaks down like this: Phase
A while back, I posted about my new policy toward kids and
You know that thing about kids? That thing where they act like
Ever since we shared what we were planning to do with our
I’ve been hearing about the Adirondacks my whole life. But trying to
We went to the Adirondacks this weekend—just the two of us. We
More family tidbits today, to hold my place until we get back
Every so often, a girl’s just got to share the collected gems
As we make final preparations for our weekend away, I finally have
We’re preparing for a weekend away in this house—a weekend without the kids.
I didn’t get to hold Michael for the first several days of
The moment we arrived for our play date with Julianna’s bestie and
I intended to share pictures from our Grand Rapids trip today, but
Siri stopped talking to us when we crossed the Michigan border. Christian
When you’re a kid, you take everything you hear at face value,
The timing seemed a little ironic. An old post, called “Words Matter:
We were sitting in front of the TV one night when a
I have four kids, close together, and the reality is that if they’re not hurting anything or anyone, I’m inclined to let them do what they’re doing. Only I worry: what will people think of ME?
On Friday, I shared my review of Barbara Claypole White’s book, THE
This year I’ve been volunteering with the Women’s Fiction Writers Association as
My kids are such jerks after they’ve had screen time. It’s so
I’ve been following blogger Margaret Felice for quite some time, and when
After a week that’s involved this much kid/parent drama, sometimes you need
Summer break? Break for whom? News flash: NOT ME.
It was a bad day in choir. The big boys were out
When I’m not feeling particularly profound, I use my blog space to
(Warning: if you are squeamish about breastfeeding and related anatomy…DO.NOT.READ.) It began
It’s been hard to blog lately. Hard to motivate myself. Hard to
I miss fireflies. When I was little, the fireflies were everywhere. I
What we’re doing lately: Swim lessons. The little boys started yesterday. Nicholas
Even in high school, I thought people were insane when they said,
Earlier this week I told you I’ve started going through old letters
My grandmother once told me that she and my grandfather wrote many
I don’t take enough time off. Which is more than a bit
Alex. Alex brought this home from his gifted program last week. They were
When I heard the story on the news this morning, I couldn’t
1: Horse or Purple Unicorn Almost every day, Julianna’s bus driver has
Most of the time, I blog to inspire, to make you think
There’s a repertoire of “farm kid” stories that country kids have to
Books: A Marginal Jew. This is a series of four books, actually,
One of the things I’ve always admired about my parents is how
It seems to me that people come to blogs looking for one
This week has involved three baseball games, two concerts, a performance, a funeral,
But not my words. Michael’s words, about his dad. Which are a
I had a meltdown on Saturday night.
It was one of Those Weeks. Four baseball games and one practice on top of the ordinary two nights of lessons (Christian’s), one night of choir practice. Piano. Dance. School choir. Oh, and Christian had to stay late at work twice. Oh, and Julianna’s school spring festival. And I woke up at 2 a.m. on Friday and went, “Oh, (redacted), I have a column due today, and I haven’t even started it.”
“Which bone is the extra chromosome in?” This is the question I
Star Wars, Iron Man, and…well I don’t know what to call that infield dance. Boy moments. Gotta love ’em.
Today I’m handing the soapbox over to my husband, who is coaching
This child was in no hurry to make his appearance in the
He hides his smiles. Or at least, he tries. He can’t say
On any given Sunday, you might be sitting in the front row
It is the beginning of a hectic weekend, so I leave you
I am the second of four girls who grew up in a
Excuses are just that. Excuses. For years, while Christian pushed himself to
One of the great things about the magazine writing I do is
We’ve had a DSLR for years, and although I know the theory
The most amazing Easter of my life was the year 1998. I
-1- Can someone explain to me the compulsion to back into parking
When I was a freshman in college, I was required to take
In which plus equals T-R-O-U-B-L-E Our pastor began Palm Sunday Mass by
In which I share recent mannerisms from my two speech-challenged children: Julianna,
I am hopeless romantic at heart–a sucker for a great kiss in
I could swear I can hear the earth breathing in and out
The danger in raising children in a musical household is that car
St. Paddy’s Day is a complete non-event for me. Like April Fools, to
In the midst of the online debate about Ferguson last November, someone
Things I Don’t Want To Forget: Michael saying “I want to tuggle
All of a sudden, it decided to be spring. And on day
Note to self: stop trying to take your family to Saturday evening
The Women’s Fiction Cafe is open at Facebook again this week, this
Today is about (insert epic announcer voice) The Thrill Of Victory and the
I’m not sleeping well lately. Bizarre, disturbing dreams. Waking at three a.m.
No one has ever criticized me for being a work-from-home mom. Not
Stomach bugs, preschoolers who think they’re soooo funny, and pointsettias out of season.
For the second day in a row I am blank when it
This week, I am hosting/moderating an online book discussion about Lisa Verge
Three times in recent weeks, I have drawn the ire of other
In February of 1995 I crashed over the edge of an emotional
RAnn, of This, That & The Other Thing, has been having fun
Every time something bad happens, the biggest topic of (cough-cough) “discussion” is:
True love looks like deciding together not to bother with cards for
The hardest thing about marriage, as far as I’m concerned, is praying
Saturday morning, Christian and I provided music for a funeral at our
Because I would never want to be one of Those Bloggers who makes everyone else feel insecure because their home is not characterized by crabapple blossoms in a soft white blur.
Things are changing in my heart these days. We are five weeks
The school district, obligingly, gave Julianna a great birthday present–a day off
I filled out a survey this week about conservation messaging–which message points
On the tail end of a three-way after-school light saber duel, Nicholas
I wrote my first story in the fourth grade, in the back
Why is it so newsworthy when a kid with DS gets elected prom king?
Okay, we didn’t give it to him. He found the brush that came
Stories about parenthood and family life are hysterical. Except when they’re hurtful.
-1- Michael’s always been a cute kid, but he’s entering that stage
Life is a well-oiled machine, dependent on every cog to keep chugging
At some point, I stopped writing about Down syndrome. The first two
-1- Julianna is sitting on the couch with the Night Before Christmas
The line for the Holiday Train was an hour long, stretching the
“Consent Is Sexy.” That’s what the t shirt said. And clearly, the woman
It’s been eighteen days since I posted a blog. It’s been relaxing
I take a blog break at the end of every year, but
And then, in the course of time, old rituals pass into new.
We are approaching the midpoint of a season meant to focus on
Frozen is taking over my life. Which I suppose should not be
How about a photo-heavy post of Michael? -1- Monday morning, Michael started
A little after one in the morning, I woke from a dream
I stopped carrying a purse when I was a freshman in college.
While waiting for our dinner to arrive Tuesday evening (the Plaza restaurant,
This is what has been occupying my attention for the past several
Christian came to bed last night, laughing after his nightly check of
In junior high, I started wearing soft contact lenses. We had this
#1: Alex Unusually for Alex, he’s been bringing homework home this week.
I don’t know whose bright idea it was to pick November for
Alex was nervous. Really nervous. But he was trying really hard not
-1- First out of the box this week: I am collecting “hilarious/awesome/tear-jerking
Getting myself in trouble at the voting booth. Wait a minute. My KIDS getting me in trouble at the voting booth.
Every afternoon around 1:15 I put Michael down for bed. He’s really
-1- It has been a week of medical drama. Julianna has had
My first crush was Luke Skywalker. My daughter’s? My daughter’s is a boy fairy named Terence.
When I finally got myself under control, I got control of my relationship with my strong-willed child too.
Parades, parties and junk, junk, junk. When does it end?
-1- Last night, I came home from swim lessons to find Christian
I hit a detour this week. I had a vision for how
Accountability is not a sexy concept in modern life. But it works.
I’ve been outlining a new novel lately–no, outlining is too glamorous a
1. If I ever write a memoir, I think I will call
Friday morning when I came home from Jazzercise, speech therapy, and a
I’ve ceased to be surprised by major shifts that happen without apparent
The weeks fly by so quickly, and every moment under pressure to
In the spring and early summer of 1994, I was a sophomore
…in honor of Down Syndrome Awareness month. #1: Julianna and Lightning Julianna
I have quite a few projects in the hopper right now, and
It’s been a busy several weeks months and I have not been
-1- The fall portrait taking has begun. Julianna looked so pretty on Sunday
I’ve been thrilled to plug my good friend Kelley’s blog on this
After having to push Alex to go through altar server training, I was
(Text, more or less): It has been about ten years since I
-1- I came in from putting Julianna on the bus the other
Some days the words are like a wrestling match. Some days they
1. The dawning of imaginative play, round 1. The other day, she
___1___ I think I know how the word “buns” came to be
Margaret Felice has been running a series the last few weeks about
On Friday morning, at the end of two weeks’ worth of puzzling
I realized something this morning as I sat here trying to figure
There’s a plastic surgery business in my town that’s been advertising heavily
For the last couple of years, I’ve had a project in the
For the last couple of years, I’ve had a project in the
___1___ Well, I did the ice bucket thing this week. I’m kind of
There was an article in the Washington Post last week about
When you’re a kid, certain ages stick out as milestones. Ten, and
So what have we been up to, this middle-of-August, as summer break
Oh, right. I’m supposed to blog today. But since I have to
Friday morning, I flew into church at 7:59 a.m. for 8:00 holy
I intended this 7 Quick Takes to be all about the kids,
It lingered so much longer than I expected. When Nicholas first left
Because I’m crazy busy this week, I’m apparently doing photo posts all
Nicholas wanted a picnic. I wanted a low-cal lunch. So we made
There are days when a blogger has to rack her brains for
___1___ As of this week, half our children are wearing glasses. Alex
My second collection of pieces for flute and piano is now available
If my husband is upset, he cannot eat. But he can always,
I suppose I need to start with this Facebook status last week:
Joining up with the gang over at RAnn’s This, That & The
___1___ Let’s start with a story about this boy: Alex loves to
Over the Fourth of July, our family got together at
I spent last week at a conference for church musicians. I want
All-Star Game and Break CONTEST and BOOK SALE Busch Stadium by Phil
I’m off to the National Association of Pastoral Musicians convention this week.
___1___ Wednesday night, we took the kids to a symphony concert. This
I always knew the day would probably come when Michael would cease
This is what we spent our 4th of July weekend doing: Day
___1___ Michael’s newest word: “baby doll.” He also, abruptly and without prompting,
After yesterday’s post about why I don’t like birth control, I think
It is no secret to anyone who reads this blog that I
One of the blessings prayed over the couple at a Catholic wedding
___1___ Does anyone know the logic behind the numbering of houses in
A photo post for a Wednesday… On Monday night, Alex volunteered at
I’ve been firmly entrenched in the “small child” phase of parenting for
Time for Sunday Snippets, hosted by the one and only RAnn of
I’ve been feeling particularly snarky lately, and although I realized it before
There comes a day in the life of every toddler when the
There are times when you walk through the world filled with awe
I’m joining up this week with the Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival
___1___ Today would have been my grandma’s 99th birthday. It’s been nine
“Does pizza come from chicken’s feet?” Nicholas asked the other day. Christian
There must be some Murphy’s Law of parenting that says the moment
My kids want a treehouse. They want a treehouse really badly. But
I’m not sure what he had on his hands. All I know
I want to start today with a question: When you read (or
Joining up today with RAnn’s Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival. Our question
___1___ A billboard for a casino says: “JUNGLE FEVER: Our new slots
Every so often it occurs to me that to many people it
He thinks he’s soooooo funny. There’s a basketball hoop at one side
___1___ ___2___ ___3___ ___4___ ___5___ ___6___ ____7___ And this one speaks for
We don’t parent on our own. Or at least, we shouldn’t. If
Life is unpredictable, but over the past several years I’ve learned there’s
___1___ It began Tuesday morning, when I pulled into a spot at
I think I was in the sixth grade when it happened. At
It’s been far too long since I joined you all. It’s just
___1___ We had a friend over for dinner last weekend, and as
Things Nicholas said and asked in the twenty-minute drive from Daddy’s office,
On a beautiful Sunday evening, the whole neighborhood goes outside, something deep
1. Julianna funny A: Julianna’s been cracking me up lately. She’s missing
Last week I read a news story that really disturbed me. It
Sunday nights when I have novels critique group, I usually don’t sleep
Today is about you, sweetheart. ___1___ Alex’s birth story began with three
It happens more often than I’d like to admit: Someone comes up
Here’s what I didn’t share while I was cleaning, cooking, running errands,
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross Jesus is taken from the
I’m supposed to be writing about being taken down from the cross
Things I don’t understand: ___1___ Seen at the medical park: a Porsche
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross Jesus Dies This Lent I’ve
1896, Philadelphia. In this sequel to “In Name Only” (2009 FQP), “A
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross Jesus is Nailed To the
Because I can tell those Stations of the Cross posts just aren’t
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross Jesus is Stripped Of His
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross Jesus meets the women of
___1___ I planned a trip to the zoo this week for spring
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross Veronica Wipes The Face of
At the end of November 2011 I learned two terms I’d never
___1___ HAPPY T21 DAY!!!!!!! Three copies of the twenty-first chromosome, or 3/21.
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross Jesus Meets His Mother Does
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross: Jesus Falls Sunday morning, 8:35
___1___ Twice this week I was asked if we bought a new
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross The Second Station: Jesus carries
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross The First Station: Jesus is
1: Stealth Stripper Wednesday morning I took the kids to the school
At the end of last school year, Christian suggested to me that
Welcome to Sunday Snippets, hosted by the one and only RAnn of
___1___ Conversation #1 in the car on the way to the Lego
Sometimes in the sheer busy-ness that is our life, I lose sight
We stretched out across the front pew when we arrived at church
___1___ The Olympics–especially the winter Olympics– are the only sports events I’m
I can always tell when I’m getting burned out. First I get
It is probably not a secret–or a shock–that I am a die-hard
I have been absent from Sunday Snippets over at This, That &
___1__ We became a Minecraft family this week. Alex, proving the point
If I had to sum up my youngest child in a pithy
Author Elizabeth Aston (or anyway, her Polish character in Writing Jane Austen)
It’s been one of those times lately, when the soul goes searching
___1___ After the processional-cross-and=sound system Sunday, and the what-happens-when-we-push-the-sound system-slides-all-the-way-up? Sunday, I
The bells of St. Brigit’s are calling tonight, winging over the
Yesterday afternoon I was talking to a friend about various topics in
She’s been a little girl for so long, I’m just now starting
___1___ Michael Mayhem moments of the week: Friday night, he pulled Strawberry
What is in this box, I wonder?….Not meat, I’m pretty sure. Hmmm,
Julianna likes to run away. Actually, she doesn’t really run, and to
Bedtime on a Tuesday evening is a zoo. Christian is in the
___1___ I mentioned last week that we’d had Julianna’s IEP meeting. I
The facts? The facts are these: I am wholly ordinary. Black hair,
Our associate pastor talked this weekend about giving our burdens to Jesus.
If you’ve read this blog for any length of time you know
Time for another round of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival at This,
I’ve been really floundering on 7 Quick Takes lately, so this week
I try not to write about writing too often, but I hope
Raise your hand if you fret about keeping your life “balanced.” Come
I was nine years old the year I discovered figure skating. That
Some weeks are really productive. Effortlessly productive. Others, not so much. Take
Being in the deep freeze for a couple of days reminded me
My baby came over to me last night while I was on
It’s Sunday Snippets time over at This That & The Other Thing.
___1___ Michael is in underwear! I admit, when I
I didn’t intend to write today, as I’m on double deadline with
There is no such thing as a truly quiet day (holiday or
Every year when Christmas comes around, we get treated to a lot
Time for another gathering of Catholic bloggers over at RAnn’s This, That
___1___ On November 30, we went to St. Louis for the day.
A commenter once took issue with a post I wrote about parents’ responsibility
When I was twelve years old, a teenage kid working the ticket
Last week Huffington Post ran a story on “how I told my
___1___ I spent almost three minutes sitting in front of a blank
The last few days of Advent have been big activities, beginning with
By the time the fourth child passes milestones, they often slip past
I learned the ghastly truth about Santa Claus in the first grade.
Time for another gathering of bloggers at RAnn’s place for Sunday Snippets:
My mother told me once, “There were a lot of Masses when
This…. leads to this…
Julianna is in love with Mary Poppins at the moment. She asks
“Mommy, get me some dessert!” Nicholas stood at my right elbow. I
I’ve set up an Advent board with some (not an exhaustive, but
Some thoughts from liturgical composer Rory Cooney for the first Sunday of
Michael Mayhem is two! Nov. 30, 2011 and…
I have a sneaking suspicion that nobody’s reading blogs today anyway, so
Let’s face it: My house is stuffed with Stuff. I am engaged
There are days when you can feel it barreling down the highway
___1___ Someday I’m going to have a very good household helper in
Today I have a special post–a chance to chat with the author
I had hoped to give each member of our family one of
Katy Perry was singing on the radio when Nicholas popped out with,
**Note! Please take this as a lighthearted reflection, not finger-wagging! I’m well
Time to link up with the Sunday Snippets community at RAnn’s This,
___1___ With Nicholas in the house, we have the most random conversations.
They say you can tell a lot about a baby in the
“I’m sure you know this already,” said Julianna’s teacher, sitting in our
Last Tuesday I got out of the house late. I was in
Time for another linkup of Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s This, That &
___1___ At 3a.m. on Thursday, I heard a telltale, muffled sound coming
All of which I will sum up in the phrase: Oooooh, you
Did I mention last week that Alex has FOUR DAYS OFF SCHOOL
___1___ I went to a family wedding in southern Missouri last weekend.
I’ve been wrestling anxiety the last few days. The trigger is less
It’s been a month of Tuesdays with Julianna in honor of Down
I’ve spent my writing time the last several days researching literary agents.
It is time to join up with the Sunday Snippets crowd again
___1___ It’s almost Halloween, and our superhero-obsessed family has decided to go
St. Michael the Archangel is in the house! Good thing he has
First, I am fully aware that many people are going to look
The other day, Christian looked up from Discover magazine and chuckled. “Guess
Today at Sunday Snippets, a Catholic Carnival, we’re answering this question: Do
___1___ You know how some writers insist they have to have a
As if Tuesdays weren’t enough of a zoo–Christian went downstairs to teach
I always wanted a girl. A little girl to dress in adorable
If there is one thing you can get both sides to agree
___1___ It was a late night last night. I took the older
On any given choir day, we are likely to lose a child
They sit at the kitchen table, my husband and my only daughter,
Last week, NPR reported about a Syrian town blockaded so effectively in
I’ve been absent for a couple of weeks…life is really such a
___1___ We finished Jazzercise last Friday and Michael ran away from me
It began on a magical night beside the river Thames… or so
The first few times it happened, I was disconcerted. Whenever I would
When I was a kid, I thought it would be great to
___1___ This week in novel writing I have been tackling the dreaded
“What d’you wanna be when you grow up?” asked Steve. “What kinda
Over the weekend we had a memorial service for my grandmother. When
The great thing about the online community is the way you can
___1___ There’s just nothing quite like being awakened at 3a.m. by every
When Alex was a baby, the time I felt most secure in
My oldest child got in the car last week after school, his
Welcome to my corner of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival! Today RAnn
This entire week, the subject of death has been front and center,
When I was a kid, my sisters and I stayed with my
I’ve been reading a lot of women’s fiction lately, and reading it
It’s been a while since Julianna’s taken the spotlight. And considering that
Time for another roundup of Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s This, That &
As promised, it’s time for a post of Nicholas-isms. Are you ready?
…this is what we were doing. ___1___ ___2___ ___3___ ___4___ At the
A couple of weeks ago, we had quite a discussion here about
The boys have been taking center stage on the blog lately, so
Joining up with RAnn’s This, That and the Other Thing Sunday Snippets:
This week, I had occasion to spend two hours in the back
He’s so good-natured. He’s so quick to smile, and it’s such a
How many people can actually enter through “the narrow gate”? The priest
You might remember that early this summer, Alex asked for a diary.
It’s Sunday Snippets time again over at RAnn’s This, That & The
___1___ Julianna’s spotlight. Here’s a little slice of my life. She uses
When I was a kid, we had one spoon in our silverware
Over the summer, I have been to the doctor with my kids
This is transition week in our house. Two kids start tomorrow and
Sunday Snippets is a gathering of Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s This, That
___1___ Michael Mayhem, Illustrated: (I neglected to mention what he’s doing on
Generally speaking I think it’s a good idea to follow up a
There’s a blog post making the rounds right now about the dismal
It started out so well. We’d had two days of solid-packed family
It’s time to get together and share posts with other Catholic bloggers
(The world’s all-time record for a long blog post title?) ___1___ I
Some words of wisdom from Thomas Merton for your Wednesday. I put
If you only ever share one post I write, this is the
Sometimes I forget how blessed I am that what I do and
It’s time for another round of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival, hosted
___1___ It seems to be one of those universal truths of parenthood
The trail map claimed it was only fifteen feet’s worth of elevation
First, I just have to say thank you for your response to
It’s time to admit it out loud: This has been a rough
___1___ After much deliberation, we decided to go to the county fair
It’s been about three months since I officially kicked into “maintenance” mode
At 3:30 this morning I woke up when Christian got up briefly.
It’s time for another gathering of Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s This, That
Yesterday morning I hired a sitter so I could go someplace offsite
I’ve never had my IQ measured. Have you? I’m not going to
* * * Teaching a cousin to knee dive (who knew you
Friday was not a good day. I’ve had several months to accustom
Quote of the day, from Ultimate Silly Songs commentary: “Yeah! Barbershop quartet
___1___ What is it people say about summertime being easier than the
They called him Elder, because his eyes looked old although his face
As bloggers, sometimes we take ourselves too seriously. We get so caught
For the last two weeks, my mind has been on family
Hey everybody! It’s been a couple of weeks since I was able
If you’re just joining me from the blog hop, we just came
Thursday: Today about half of the cousins go up the Estes aerial
Tuesday I’ve reached the point in a vacation when I’ve lost the
Sunday-Monday, June 23-24, 2013: After Alex falls off the zipline and sprains
We’re not even to the first stop sign in our neighborhood when
I’ll be back tomorrow for real, but today I wanted to share
Since my reflections on stillness and busy-ness at the beginning of this
I first saw these tiles at the home of a good friend
It’s Friday afternoon and out in the country, the air smells sweet
Joining up with RAnn and co. over at Sunday Snippets: A Catholic
___1___ I am beginning to accept an incontrovertible truth: if there is
* Go on, click on them. I uploaded them full size so
I love having a real reader in the house. A bona-fide, chapter-book-devouring,
I have a question for you today, my Catholic readers. What is
Hello, Sunday Snippets folks! I’ve been absent for the last several weeks
___1___ Last week was not a good week–the first week of summer
This is the topic of my newest post over at Catholic Mothers
First, an introduction to Julianna-speak: Kwawk-wee–chocolate Kee-yoh–carousel Kohl-ee–Nicholas Al-ee–Alex Bah-koh–Michael Bah-ee–Mommy Geepaw
Last week, Alex asked for a diary with a lock. “Not a
(Which is why I had to push so hard late last week,
The crescendo of madness this week has finally overtaken me. Between another
My sister and her baby girl were in town for Memorial Day
I’m working right now on the last (I hope!) major revision of
At 3p.m. on Sunday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend, I am lying
___1___ Today is the last day of school. The kids have been
It’s the last day of my blog tour, and guess what? I’m
There are people who, when you first meet them, remind you of
Having wrestled anxiety for most of my young adult life, I don’t
___1___ Alex brought this home from school this week. They had to
This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes is written not only
Today’s guest post comes from Barb Mecker. Barb is my sister-in-law’s mother
Can I just say how annoying I find the American obsession with
I was missing last week from our get-together at RAnn’s This, That
___1___ The decision was made at the end of last week: Julianna
This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes is written not only
Dan Quinn was the youth minister, and thus my “boss,” the year
When I was a kid, my little parochial school–200 students, grades 1-8–had
___1___ A couple of years ago, I read about a study that
Chapter 5 of This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes ties
Today I welcome blogger, columnist and author Sarah Reinhard to the blog.
Financial guru Dave Ramsey often talks about “powdered butt syndrome.” Once you’ve
It’s time for another edition of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival, hosted
___1___ I’ve been so busy lately, I just now realized I never
There’s been a snag in the blog tour plans for This Little
Chapter 4, “Blessed are They Who Hunger And Thirst For Righteousness,” focuses
Where do I begin to detail a First Communion weekend? Perhaps with
Taking a brief respite from crazed First Communion/birthday weekend preparations to share
___1___ When Christian came downstairs to go running on Tuesday morning, I
About this time every year I get that itch. I start poring
This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes is written not only
Today’s guest post comes from my good friend Kelley, whom I got
There’s a rabbit under the red maple in front of my house.
Sunday Snippets time, hosted by RAnn of This, That & The Other
Congrats to Jen, Hallie, and Christina on beautiful new babies! After last
This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes is written not only
I met Barbara Shoeneberger through the blogosphere, as we both participate in
There’s a hum of anticipation in the air tonight. It’s been building
Spring is here at last! Hope it’s going to stay. It’s been
___1___ Michael weaned this week. Or, I weaned him. Holy Saturday he
This Little Light of Mine: Living the Beatitudes is written for use
For our first guest post of the This Little Light of Mine
Spring Break simply Will.Not.End. For that matter, neither will winter. Today’s forecast
So glad that RAnn is hosting Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival this
Triduum with young children is not a blissful devotional experience. But we
Call it reversals, call it paradox–Christianity is full of them, and they
Birthdays in our house seem to be lasting a week this year.
It’s been so busy lately, I hadn’t realized how many beautiful moments
Time for a roundup of Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s This, That &
(You all love my descriptive 7QT post titles, right?) ___1___ What a
3/21 is World Down Syndrome Awareness Day. Why? Well, it’s the numbers.
Most of the time, my brain clicks along like a 6-part Bach
If I have to pick a favorite person of the Trinity, there’s
___1___ Alex is a great kid, but he can’t find diddly squat.
A bit of fantasy for your Wednesday morning, inspired by this picture
It started with the skulls sitting side by side on the table
I confess: I have an idealized view of Lent. My first spring
Ready for another week’s Sunday Snippets, hosted by RAnn of This, That
Time for some updates on the kids. ___1___ Alex received a “cultivation
There is nothing quite like a Sleeping Through The Night night…especially after
Today is about good ideas that go bad when they are held
It’s not the big stuff that gets you, it’s all the little
Here we are again…does Lent seem to be crawling painfully slowly to
___1___ The other day Alex and I were walking through Macy’s on
For your Lenten Wednesday: a couple of Thomas Merton quotes from The
Sunday morning, exhausted after weeks of sick kids and bad nights, we
I’ve said before that I’m obsessed with sleep. This is because i
I’m up late tonight after interviewing The Catholics Next Door, Greg &
___1___ We’re snowed in today–and yesterday–and although I don’t like being snowed
The fun continues. Having figured out at last what was troubling Michael,
Something is not quite right in my nursing corner. Something is missing.
It’s been a rough couple of weeks. Michael has spiraled downward, steadily
Joining you bleary-eyed after a white night with a child who, we
___1___ I’m not a very good Catholic blogger this week. It’s Lent
Those two words are Write At the Merge’s prompt for this week.
Oh, what it takes to get a not-quite-four-year-old to take a usable picture…
About a month ago, Julianna’s school finished her “re-evaluation.” This is required
Another weekend, another night picking up Michael’s newest mess, and another get-together
___1___ “Mommy,” Alex said the other day on the way home from
The winner of Lenten books by Sarah Reinhard and myself is……. ERIN
Carlo was waiting at the ninth hole with his business partner and
I don’t know about you, but I loathed much of the reading
There are many mysteries in the world. Like my computer, which for
Another weekend and another gathering of Catholic bloggers over at RAnn’s This,
___1___ It’s going to be one of Those Days. I can already
Today I would like to welcome Sarah Reinhard back to the blog
Every January there’s a day or two like this: shorts weather in
One of my blog friends has helped start a new meme. It’s
Time for another get-together of Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s place. This week’s
___1___ Last night Alex had a Cub Scout pack meeting. His den
In the moment before the first shot was fired, Clarissa’s entire life
We had a pretty good discussion here last week on the topic
NPR did a series last week called “Losing Our Religion.” In this
Weekend and time for Sunday Snippets again, hosted by RAnn of This,
We’ve reached a wonderful day in our house, when I can sigh
At eleven p.m. on Sunday night, I was the only one in
When I was ten, I thought I was going to go to
It’s time for another round of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival, hosted
___1___ I am wondering how people get such lovely pictures of themselves
I capitulate, and confess: my fourth-born has officially outstripped my third-born for
I haven’t written about Julianna’s speech and cognitive development in a while.
I have never understood the concept of paying a membership in order
Sorry I missed you all last week! I took a blog break
___1___ The day after Christmas, we were at my parents’ house, and
He never stops moving these days. I could spend my entire day,
I love the idea of celebrating New Years, but in reality the
Loading the car to go to the in-laws’ house takes forever. There’s
I originally intended this to be an Advent Calendar wrapup post, with
It’s the last Advent season edition of Sunday Snippets, hosted by RAnn
It’s been quite a while since I did an edition of “Things
Today I want to point you to a post by another blogger:
When the first updates appeared on Friday, I searched Google just enough
My husband has been driving the same miniature pickup–stick shift, no CD
The weeks are flying by–positively flying. And here we are on the
___1___ I saw something this week I still can hardly believe happened.
What I love about the blogosphere is the way we can touch
I was pulling into Macy’s yesterday afternoon when a story came on
I had two ideas for blog posts to enlighten and enrich your
It’s another Sunday Snippets day, hosted by RAnn of This, That and
___1___ You know you’re in a breastfeeding home when your three-year-old BOY
Just before dawn, Matthew wakes abruptly from a nightmare. Shivering, he looks
April, of My Feminine Mind! April, email me at kathleenbasi <at> gmail
Well, here you go. If you’re a make-it-yourself kind of person, you
There’s a topic that people of faith spend a lot of time
Last week I posted a review of Sarah Reinhard’s book, Welcome Baby
Welcome to Sunday Snippets for the first Sunday of Advent! If you’d
one…. How does a name like “Boo Boo” become associated with a
In these last few days before Advent begins (does anyone else feel
I dreamed last night that Julianna had to have surgery that was
When my husband was growing up, he lived a thousand miles from
It’s been such a relaxed weekend, I forgot all about Sunday Snippets
___1___ Guess what? It’s only a week until Advent! Are you ready?
For weeks after Alex was born, I cried every day. I was
It’s no secret that I have a healthy skepticism of a lot
At 6:55 a.m., the household sleeps, but I know it can’t last
Joining RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing for Sunday Snippets
This is an excerpt from the novel I’ve been querying…slightly condensed to
___1___ The best thing about Michael: how attached he is to me.
In the quiet of early morning, I bundled up against the newly-arrived
It must have been the convergence of James Bond with a bedtime
Sunday Snippets is a diverse bunch of Catholic bloggers who get together
Sometimes people think I’m crazy for having a fourth child. Sometimes I
___1___ Last night was First Reconciliation night. Alex came home from Cub
I spent several Thursday mornings this fall attending a class at our
I’m qualified to write on that topic, don’t you think? 🙂 Today
That’s it, it’s official: I HATE time changes. I don’t care what
Of course you do. So let me share some kid moments. This
When you’re raising a child with a disability, you have a fine
Most days, I know what I want to blog about well before
There seems to be an inevitable progression women follow in the childbearing
Another weekend, and another gathering over at RAnn’s place for Sunday Snippets:
This is a post about this boy of mine: ___1___ Finger games
She always picks Daddy–always–so on Wednesday night, when Christian asked Julianna which
Scene 1: Friday night, and the ballgame is not going well. Christian
I don’t understand the aesthetic that governs the catwalk model. The last
Joining up late this week with Sunday Snippets. We had a date
___1___ Remember a few weeks ago, when I crowed that I had
“Hey, Jenny!” My little brother’s voice pokes through my hazy brain as
For this week’s Down syndrome post, I invite you to hop on
I remember a day, long ago, when we had a long list
A professional musician is supposed to be ready for anything, so that
Time for a gray, peak-color-autumn edition of Sunday Snippets, hosted by RAnn
“It must have something to do with the Aztecs,” said Matt. I
There are moments in every life that I call “precipice” moments, when
It began with Christian shouting up the stairs on his way down
I have been blessed with many gifts in my life, but none
On Sundays, a bunch of Catholic bloggers get together over at RAnn’s
___1___ Last week you all gave me such great feedback for my upcoming
She’s a charmer, my girl. Adults everywhere within her sphere of influence
Monday of last week, I hired a babysitter and ate my lunch
There are times when I realize I will never understand my children.
It’s the weekend, and time to get together at RAnn’s This, That
___1___ Write On Edge told us to share our writing goals this
I have my places–places I go to be quiet and still. Although
In the dead of night, something wakes me, I don’t know what,
Man, the weeks are flying by. Ready to hang out with all
At every wedding I’ve ever attended, when the minister gets to the
___1___ First off, I need to issue a qualification to a post
I think it started the day I hurt my knee. I wasn’t
The first Friday of kindergarten, Julianna brought home a progress report. In
Growing up on the farm is on a short list of things
Another weekend, and another chance to gather at RAnn’s place for Sunday
___1___ I’m Wonder Woman. Did you know that? I’ve been outed by
I’m a multitasker. Shocking, I know. But it’s true. I’m a make-lunch-while-feeding-baby,
It’s seven-thirty on Saturday morning, and Alex is already in trouble. He
I think most of us, most of the time, don’t think about
It’s time for another roundup of Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s This, That
___1___ Alex and Nicholas have been adorable lately. They’re playing Batman, Transformers,
This week, Write On Edge asked us to explore locale–local flavor that
Friday afternoon I finished the last chapter of my new book for
I think there is some cosmic law of the universe, related to
___1___ “Oh Iiiii-saaaaac. Here boy!!! Come on! Come here!” This was my
No one likes having to confess that they lost their cool in
Conventional wisdom takes one of two arguments. Some say the transition from
For most of my life, my birthday and I have had a
It’s my birthday weekend (38, to be exact 😉 ), and time
The first time Ned laid eyes on Zin, the sight hit him
I gave to a homeless man. Two pennies, a nickel, a couple
I owe you an update. You might remember that when we first
A few weeks ago, I was driving to a neighboring town to
The weeks are flying by, and it’s time for another roundup of
___1___ We went to the pool on Wednesday. I put one toe
It’s been a summer of field trips: to the observatory, to the
It’s quiet outside this morning, and the slim sliver of cream-colored moon,
I completely lost it last week. Twice. The first time was on
Time for another edition of Sunday Snippets, hosted by RAnn of This,
1. You know what the worst part about having four kids is?
Early Friday morning, we loaded up the van and headed for Target,
I’m sitting in the back of the van with the kids, watching
Sunday Snippets time again over at RAnn’s place! Come on over and
___1___ As of Thursday morning, the scales read 141-point-(something, I was too
I made a somewhat horrifying discovery last week. As I excavated the
This summer, I’ve been doing everything BUT cleaning my house regularly: field
In retrospect, I should have handled things differently. David came home from
Not that long ago I wrote a blog post called Too Big
This weekend, my family hosted a baby shower for my youngest sister,
There’s a quote I think of often, from a movie that never
Is it the weekend again? Already? What a week! The kids and
___1___ A couple of years ago, my editor wanted me to add
We dance round in a ring and suppose, But the Secret sits
God’s been calling me lately. As the blasted earth bakes and leaves
I’m teaching at a liturgical music camp this week, and yesterday afternoon
Day in, day out, people spend so much time being so angry,
Time for another weekly roundup of Catholic bloggers over at RAnn’s This
___1___ Sign that we are entering a whole new phase of babyhood:
* * * * * * * * I realize as
A family in our town is burying two of its children this
“There’s a brick wall–go beat your head against it!” That’s how our
Tis the 4th of July “weekend” and as I was far from
Last week, I shared some general style tips I’ve gleaned from reading.
Since last year’s Fourth of July post is hard to top, I’m
“On judgment day, you will answer to FATHER GOD, not mother earth.”
I’m not a fashionable dresser. Never have been. But in the last
The thing about having four children close together is that I’ve been
It was quite a weekend. On Saturday I found out two of
It’s the weekend again, and that means time for an e-gathering at
___1___ I’m combining posts tonight, so I begin with ~100 words of
“They say that during adolescence, the teenaged brain develops from back to
I’ve been trying to do too much in this time with the
I have this recurring dream. In it, it’s opening night of a
It’s Sunday Snippets time over at RAnn’s This, That and the Other
___1___ Someone in our house went to see The Avengers recently. Can
The words leaped off the page, preventing me from skimming through the
(Stepping onto my soapbox) You know, dads really get shafted, compared to
Adorable, easygoing six-month-old seeks baby-loving companion susceptible to flirting. Best qualities: starry
This weekend, we took a trip to Iowa City. It was the
I know you have all been dying to find out how our
After my sister and I drove my parents to the brink of
Alex and I had a date last night. At 4:30 we all
Let’s talk kids’ portraits today, because after yesterday we need a change
(WARNING: This is another one of THOSE POSTS. Read at your own
Time for another roundup of Catholic bloggers at This, That and The
Last week I introduced you to Patrick. He’s one of the major
I’ve missed the last couple of weeks–in an effort to keep myself
During my first pregnancy, I was a voracious reader of all things
Not long ago Jen, a friend and fellow blogger, sent out a request for
Summer break begins officially today. It feels like a watershed summer; in
Alex didn’t have a good last day of school. Silly school, they
It’s the weekend again, and time for a roundup of Catholic bloggers
The moment Patrick opened the door, heat punched him in the chest,
In six days, Michael will be six months old. You know what that
It began with my sister’s Facebook status: at the Steak & Shake
Nicholas rode in the tractor with his grandpa for a couple of
It has been a month of craziness unsurpassed. I held my breath
Those damn yellow shoes. Zin massaged her ankle as she watched Ned
The world is black and white and silver beneath the full moon
Today, I am thankful for sleeping till 7:15, and being awakened by the slanting
I sent my boys off on a trip this morning. For the
In case you missed the memo, yesterday was a big day. Mothers
Happy Mother’s Day to all my visitors from Sunday Snippets! Here are
1. People-first language. When we were new to the world of disability,
People are always asking me, “Is Michael always this happy?” The answer
The smells, fruity and heavy and spicy, and the colors–oh, the colors
I wasn’t there. I was supervising the little ones at Children’s Liturgy.
We made the decision on the spur of the moment. “Julianna, do
It’s another weekend and time for another Sunday Snippets, hosted by the
His crossed arms answered her question before he spoke. “I’m sorry,” he
Note to the driver of the red sporty car on the interstate:
Remember this picture? When Christian saw this picture, he shook his head
When a non-cuddler cuddles on a cool, wet spring night, it’s Heaven.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a piece of fiction called
It’s been a crazy weekend, and today’s slated to be an even
After a crazy two days of cleaning in preparation for a first
My baby, the child of my heart, turned seven this week. With
“Mommy, that boy called me stupid.” I shaded my eyes against the
Look who got a big girl bed this weekend! It was quite
I used to think I was an “attachment parent.” I have kept
Michael and I went to the Newman Center for Mass last night.
Another weekend, another round of Sunday Snippets with RAnn: I realized this
Was that her? The image reflected in the window of a real
For example: ___1___ Early this week, in the middle of the night,
It’s a crazy day as usual in the Basi household. My mother
After two blissful weeks of uninterrupted sleep, Michael started waking to nurse
Remember this quote? “It is no good to tell an atheist that
For the past seven years, my days have been defined by the
Time for a weekly get-together of Catholic bloggers over at RAnn’s This
I’m typing these up on Thursday night as I listen to my
Scene: Morning on Spring Break, time to go outside and play. I’m
There are days that are full of moments. Moments of pristine clarity,
Twenty years later, I still cringe at the memory. Oh, let’s call
I’ve been out of balance lately, and it showed: short fuse with
I didn’t expect to do Sunday Snippets this week, but Ruth has
Three quick thoughts for Good Friday: 1. I don’t think I can
Today is the first day of Triduum, and I am beginning to
We’re not big on nicknames in this house. We’ve given all our
It was 6:20 a.m. on Palm Sunday when I smelled smoke. I
I have this persecution complex. It dates back to the days when
The end of another busy week sees us gathering at RAnn’s place
___1___ I wrote yesterday about teaching a holistic, healthy sexuality to our
I learned more about my son’s first grade class in ten minutes
Sharing some moments via the “1000 words” model today… Proof that transcendent
I’ve got a busy day ahead of me, starting early, and anyway,
Every time the next big thing in YA literature comes out, everyone
Time for a weekly roundup over at This, That and the Other
Nicholas needs to go to preschool. He’s extremely precocious and determined that
It crept up on me, this wistfulness. A feeling that these days
Today is World Down Syndrome Awareness Day. (3-21. Get it? Three copies…twenty-first chromosome.) Since
“Julianna, stop grunting and use your words.” Christian rested wrists on the
When I was writing about Lent, an odd theme kept cropping up:
Time for another roundup over at Ruth’s place…come join us! My contributions
___1___ We registered Julianna for kindergarten this week. Can you believe it?
This isn’t something I do often, but just for my own sake,
Please help me welcome a guest blogger today. Most of us are
Call me dense, but I just realized the other night that the
Is it the weekend again already? Unbelievable. Time for another roundup of
The convertible sped at breakneck speed along winding roads wreathed with green.
___1___ Yesterday we got an email about a “Miss Amazing Pageant,” for
It was one of those days.To wit: Michael would not consent to
I was offline all day yesterday, and I haven’t even checked my
I’m posting today on a subject very close to my heart. I
I seem to be collecting a lot of prayer intentions lately. Not
It’s Saturday evening & I’m over the moon: date night! So here’s
It was a rainy night in Dusseldorf, but not nearly as stormy
If you knew you only had twenty-seven days, how would you live
I don’t talk much about music on the blog, which is actually
Being a Christian and an aspiring fiction writer, I’m always interested in
When your voice rouses me from deep sleep, a hair shy of
It’s that time again! Head over to Ruth’s place if you want
___1___ I forgot to share this picture last week. When it’s been a
About a month ago, a friend stopped me after church and asked
Well, it’s here! Lent 2012 began in our house with Hooked on
She was young and pretty and sweet, and from the first day
Click here for Part 1 Click here for Part 2 There’s a
Sunday again, and joining all the fine people over at Ruth’s place
___1___ The funny thing about remaining in the parish where you used
I am a mother of boys by nature, so it’s a good
We tend to think of conversion as something that happens and is
I feel bad. All personal writing is cyclical: it reflects the overall
This weekend, I read the most beautiful description of a place, a
It’s Saturday afternoon, I have a pile of laundry five hundred items
I’m dancing with the prince when the text message comes in, but
It woke me up sometime around four this morning, less than an
Oh, let’s be honest. Where faith is concerned, it’s way easier to
….Alicia of http://through-my-is.blogspot.com! Congratulations, Alicia! Look for an email in your inbox.
Image via Wikipedia I’ll admit it. I was jealous of Christian. Christian,
The thing I love most about motherhood is the physicality of it.
Time for another get-together at RAnn’s place! Here’s my contribution to the
___1___ You know you are a confirmed scrapaholic who has been in
I take a break from the chronicles of sick this morning to
You would think by the time you hit kid #4, you’d have
One of my blog friends has been doing a series of posts
When sick moves in, you don’t always know it’s happened at first.
Sunday Snippets a group of Catholic bloggers who gather weekly to share
___1___ It’s almost Lent, folks! I know, I’m ahead of the game,
Guess what? Lent is less than four weeks away. I know, probably
There comes a time in every young child’s life when he or
It’s 1:15 when the last door upstairs closes. I hear her patter
Jonah had a really bad attitude. God gave him a job he
Time for a weekend’s roundup over at Ruth’s place. My contributions for
___1___ Last night was one of those nights when I think we
Last Friday was Julianna’s kindergarten IEP meeting. The wisdom of my fellow
There are too many pictures on my computer. Digital photography has absolved
My life is crazy now. As I try to get back into
We were gone all day yesterday, and pretty much all day Saturday.
Time for another roundup of Catholic bloggers over at Ruth’s place. Come
(Men: I’m being pretty woman-frank today. Consider yourself warned.) ___1___ When I
Today’s PARENTHOOD moment is a guest post by my DH, Christian: *
I feel a need to pause today and say thank you. On
There are certain times of the year when the whole blogsophere latches
On December 30th, we got a phone call early in the morning:
Well, it’s a housecleaning night following a funeral day, and it’s time
___1___ Last night I went to the home & school meeting. When
Image via Wikipedia People are better once they’re dead. The sun beats
If you’ve never been walking with Julianna when she runs smack into
My cousin Chrissy, my very first and very longest friendship, spanning 32 out of
“And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.“
Image via Wikipedia We didn’t expect much of a crowd this weekend.
Whew! New Year’s weekend and Sunday Snippets with RAnn of This, That
Oh, I had so much fun in the last twenty-four hours, watching
So here’s the test, to see if my boys really do all
Photo by jameschew, via Flickr Anne Rice once wrote that Christians are
Well, folks, it’s here at last. Here’s a little slice of what’s
The nights are harder this time around. Maybe it’s being older, with
She adores him. He’s like a magnet, a little baby black hole
I should have realized sooner, I suppose, that sexism begins on day
We sat in the front pew at church yesterday, our first Sunday
I missed the Sunday Snippets roundup last week because we were coming
___1___ Before I begin, let me share my success of the week:
The thing I’ve always valued about breastfeeding is that it is a
I already wrote Michael’s birth story, but since I did it from
There’s an old truism that says, “Man plans, God laughs.” The entire
I think I’ve been pretty clear that I am not a great
1. We have now been in the NICU for over a week.
Worry is a parent’s natural condition. especially a new mother. Even if
This hallway has figured in my dreams for months. I’ve always loved
It’s odd, how sitting by a crib side can evoke such different
Unexpected nany, crazy long hospital stay or no, how can I miss
And I can’t find the end of the last post to add
For those following the saga of Michael’s birth, whe is still in
I had this post written and scheduled several days before yesterday’s drama…so
Please welcome Michael Basi, born Nov. 30,2011 at 9:05 pm, 7 lb.
How to begin? Well, after 3 C sections, I am not allowed
News flash: we’re having a baby in two weeks! So what does
If you’re not a food person, you might not get it. But
It hangs in the the closet, tucked in the back with all
I dreamed I kissed a man who was not my husband. It
At my OB visit the day before Thanksgiving, the doctor put me
…At 9:00, Christian and I make our way upstairs to do a
I want to say that I was a princess kind of girl
Advent is upon us! I invite you to join me this December
On Saturday night I was singing Julianna through hair washing (“I’ve got
Time for another roundup of Catholic bloggers at Ruth’s place. My contributions
Lately I’ve been enjoying the mental challenge of writing to a prompt
I’ve talked before about how I view prolife work, but today I
The smell caught me…that distinct, absolutely divine scent that only comes in
The kids are in bed, the TV is off, but we’re sitting
“The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional
Tis the weekend again, and we’re gathering at Ruth’s place for a
Today’s prompt for Red Writing Hood was to write a conversation that
___1___ I’ve been reading “No Ordinary Time,” a very dense book about
I’ve reached that point in pregnancy now where I just want it
In natural family planning circles, there are certain words you’re not supposed
I should have known it couldn’t last. Frankly, I didn’t even really
They say parenting is a long process of letting go. From the
The weeks always seem to go by so quickly, except when I
After yesterday’s motherhood moment (it was a good one!), I decided it would
Hope you’ll enjoy hearing a bit more about Alison and Carlo…. *
The moment snuck up on me on a night when I was
It seems like there are stages in my life when everywhere I
On days when crisp fall fades to a dusk that chills the
There were many mornings in my childhood when I would watch my
Time for another roundup of Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s place! This week,
___1___ What a week! We had a bad virus on Tuesday that
…I get an unplanned, unwanted, but maybe much-needed computer break. Yes, we
They’re so small. You’d think that a mother approaching the birth of
We were at church, waiting…me, in line for Confession, the children, in
Time for another roundup of Catholic bloggers at Ruth’s place. My contributions
___1___ 31 weeks, and…am I still running?…I don’t really know, because I
The magical thing about waiting for a baby is the anticipation of
My children have the most beautiful laughs. But it’s a funny thing.
I think I’ve probably established by now that I hate politics. My
I don’t freak out about my kids…unless the topic is Julianna and
Time for another round of Sunday Snippets, hosted by RAnn of This,
__1__ Pregnancy update: At 30 weeks, I’m still running. Although it hardly
This is a story about this child of mine: The one I’ve
I know this will come as no surprise to those who know
“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things
I don’t host guest posters very often, but when I received this
It’s time for another round of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival, hosted
___1___ #1 is for Catholic parents. I need input! I’m brainstorming a
Today’s excerpt, a description, comes from my WIP, the story of a
Some days, I wonder what my kids will remember. I’ve been slowly
Sometimes, you need inspiration. Or motivation. Other times, you need a nice
I can go two days without. On the third, I start craving.
They were doing so well. So far, they’ve braved a two-hour trip
It’s the first weekend of the months, which means I’m sharing with
Today’s “Red Writing Hood” fiction prompt was to write a scene based
(Note to 7QT readers: I’m doing a Fiction Friday this week, so
Whenever the same theme keeps popping up in my life again and
If I wasn’t a mom, I’d have so much time to for
I had a dream last night. It began as a movie preview
It’s time for another round of Sunday Snippets, hosted by the lovely
___1___ Believe it or not, even before Simcha stole my thunder, I
We’ve been having insurance problems lately. (Lately? When have we not had
Yesterday afternoon, Julianna and I went to talk to the “M3”’s—the third
Lately I’m suffering from extreme lack of creativity in blogging. Of course,
(Photo credit: Sudamshu, via Flickr) The post caught me off guard, late
It’s time for another weekly roundup of Catholic bloggers over at This,
I talk often enough about being a fiction writer, but with the
___1___ Oh, the woes of technology. I really wish I understood a
This was supposed to be a crazy busy week full of deadlines,
(Actually, writers, you go ahead and weigh in, too!) I have a
“I think about the years I spent just passing through I’d like
Any day that starts with homemade cinnamon rolls, ends with homemade cheesecake,
It’s Saturday evening, which means another round of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic
___1___ It’s been so long since we got to experience it, I
Not long ago, someone very dear to me expressed reservations about parenthood:
We always knew she was musical, but on Labor Day, it took
On nights when the incessant traffic noise mysteriously vanishes and the sound
They don’t know they have an audience. I had hoped that the
First Saturdays are for Elizabeth Esther‘s “Saturday Evening Blog Post” get-together. This
___1___ Those who have been reading for a while will know that
You’ve heard of Stockholm Syndrome. Lately Julianna’s been making me wonder if
Words can be a funny thing. They are my specialty, and I
Face it, ladies: we like to gripe about pregnancy. We share our
By the time we pull into the parking lot on Sunday morning,
Time for another weekend’s roundup of what’s on our minds at RAnn’s
___1___ For the last two weeks, I’ve started taking one child to
Photo credit: LWPrencipe, via Flickr I’m beginning to think I take the
Novel writing is a bit touchy in our house. My husband supports
“Okay, everybody!” I call. “Time for books!Everybody onMommy and Daddy’s bed!” The
I think it happened because my dishwasher broke. It’s ridiculous, really, that
Time for another roundup of what’s on Catholic bloggers’ minds this week,
___1___ Last Friday, we took Julianna to the ophthamologist to have her post-lazy-eye surgery
I love the way, when I threaten to “get” him, Nicholas decides I’m not
It’s the first day of first grade for Alex, and only five
The idea that our children teach us at least as much as
At 9:55 a.m. on a Sunday morning, we wrestled one unwilling girl
It’s time for a roundup of Catholic bloggers over at Ruth’s place.
___1___ Alex decided this week he doesn’t want to take a bath
By the time I got there, Alex was crying. It began, as
You know me: I am Mme. Au Naturel, the one who finds
“Mommy, guess what? Did you know this bracelet was MADE IN CHINA?”
Image via Wikipedia My family loves to discuss political issues with great
Time for another weekend’s wrapup of what’s on the minds of Catholic
___1___ When Christian is on vacation, the days feel like a long
A blog friend of mine likes to pull out posts about her
It’s time for another edition of “Search and Spam,” in which I
Today I’m guest posting over at Catholic Mothers Online, reviewing the books Bad
Time for another weekend’s wrapup of what’s on the minds of Catholic
___1___ I would just like to say: THANK GOD FOR RAIN! Thank
At nineteen weeks, I get a rare privilege: a trip to the
Part 1: Origins Part 2: The Onset of Freaking Out Part
Part 1: Origins Part 2: The Onset of Freaking Out I was
As most of you know, I am a magazine writer with aspirations
It’s time for another round of Sunday Snippets, hosted by Ruth of
___1___ When I was in college, my family drove to Cape Cod
I wish I had a picture. But there is no way to
“Teaching girls that their appearance is the first thing you notice tells
For part one, click here. When I introduced the topic of anxiety
As expected, Harry Potter blew out all the competition on its opening
It’s time for another round of Sunday Snippets, where Catholic bloggers get
___1___ After six phone calls in three days to the Michigan Avenue
A while back, when I was wrestling with guilt over not being
For quite some time I’ve been thinking of writing a blog series
I always expected that Nicholas would leapfrog past Julianna by the age
Dear Alex, You’ve been saying a lot lately that you don’t feel
Time for another round of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival, hosted by
We spent the Fourth of July weekend with my in-laws, where we
The words caught me off guard Tuesday evening. “I hate being six
I don’t know about you, but I dreaded the end of the
Happy 4th of July! I’m taking a break for a couple of
___1___ I don’t often get to share my paid writing with you
It’s official: we’ve reached that icky time of year when stepping out
After yesterday’s manifesto, I think I owe you something light and fluffy.
Almost universally, women—regardless of political, religious or philosophical persuasion—agree that the treatment and portrayal of women in advertising and media is infuriatingly unjust. But what people don’t seem to get is that when you hold up multiple partners and child-proof or premarital sex as a standard of behavior, you automatically reduce women to objects of lust.
“Every marriage has it’s good years and bad years. We ended on
Happy birthday to Ruth, our lovely host for Sunday Snippets! If you’re a
___1___ Anyone who knows me can attest that I am NOT a
The doctor was running late, and the tiny waiting room teemed with
Julianna has a pair of pajamas covered with strawberries. It says, “Being
We have become a cliché: We can’t keep straight which child we’re
Because Christian’s on vacation, and because we have a long day planned,
It’s Sunday Snippets time, when Catholic bloggers get together over at This,
It’s Father’s Day weekend. Father’s Day gets some serious short shrift in
We don’t find out the sex of our babies. I know many
This is one of those days where I’m going to be very
It was September of 1995 when Christian appeared in my life. (Actually,
The doorbell rang at 5:15 p.m. on Friday. “Hey, guys, Mr. Kyle’s
It’s time for another round of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival, hosted
___1___ All the talk lately about cars got me to thinking. My
Most of the parents I know eschew the first trimester screening. Before
(Warning: This is going to be an uncomfortable read.) One of my
It’s been just over two years since Julianna’s last major hospital stay.
When my sister Cecelia lived at home, she had two posters on
It’s the first Saturday of the month, which means it’s Saturday Evening
___1___ What time zone do they use in Antarctica? I mean, think
So I’m a slow learner. I know that attitude changes everything. I
This is the Eucharistic chapel at our local Newman Center. It sits
Some people say the hardest transition is the first. Others say the
I got up on my high horse last week. We’re car shopping,
It’s Memorial Day weekend, and it’s NOT pool weather. So let’s spend
___1___ Okay, this is just weird. What a way to open my
Sometimes Alex gets short shrift on this blog. At the moment, he’s
If you knew this was your last day on earth, what would
It was a bad, bad night…I was up for three hours with
Catholics catch a lot of flak about guilt. Supposedly, we’re much more
It’s Sunday, and time for Catholic bloggers to get together over at
___1___ We’ll start with a quickie. I’m working on a reflection piece
Yesterday morning, after the big ones were off to school, Nicholas and
When you’re pregnant, the standard question of greeting—you know, “How are you?”—takes
“How did you know, Mom?” My mother paused in the act of
It’s Sunday, and that means it’s time to get together with other
___1___ Alex brought home a sheet of paper this week from
At the end of another busy day, it was just me and
If you’ve spent half an hour in my presence, you’ve probably heard
Christian tells me I’m incapable of keeping a secret. There’s some truth
The problem with special, “all about me” days—birthdays, Mother’s Day—is that you
Aside from being Mother’s Day, today is the day Catholic bloggers get
___ 1___ Saturday is housecleaning day, not because there’s some magical formula
It’s a truism of parenting that no two children can be treated
It’s ridiculously cold for May–frost the last two mornings! the outrage!–but nonetheless,
A few random observations about the royal wedding: Why don’t we all
I had another post mostly written, all about royalty and riches, but
It’s Sunday Snippets time over at Ruth’s place, and because I was
___1___ Since last year, when I gave up blog stats for Lent,
They bicker all the time. Julianna takes Nicholas’s toy. Nicholas falls apart.
“Mommy,” Alex said as he reluctantly brought his plate and cup around
We (or more specifically, Nicholas) are enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,
Ah, the lengths to which we go to preserve the illusions of
For any Christian, the memorials we observe for the next four days
I’ve been singing a lot of Carey Landry’s songs to Julianna lately.
My sister posted this on FB, and I thought it was too
It’s that time of year again. Sloppy rows of birch, maple and
Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival is a group of Catholic bloggers who gather weekly
___1___ I received an email this week from a Down syndrome parent
I had intended to piggyback on my Tuesday post, and wax sentimental
This is a tribute to all those beautiful souls out there. The
(Note: if you’re one of the many who skip my “writing” posts…don’t.
Do you go through stages where you keep talking about the same
It’s time for another roundup of Catholic bloggers over at This That
___1___ The Denver Redemptorists are gathering information about Catholic mothers & future
Early in March, I participated in the local Children’s Miracle Network radiothon
This is too cute to bury in another post. For those who might
One of the funniest things to do as a blogger is to
Just before my alarm went off, 5:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning,
On the first Saturday of the month, Elizabeth Esther invites us to
__1___ I suppose it was, um, highly optimistic to expect that I
On any given day, there’s not a whole lot I can be
My freshman year of college, the director of bands came into an
My cute little blond niece came out to the bus with me
One of the things I love about writing nonfiction is the opportunity
Typing with a cut pointer finger, so I’m keeping it short. Ruth’s
Before I begin, I need to be clear: the following post is
Last weekend, as I was assembling Alex’s backpack to put it away
I came across this exchange of emails recorded in my Journal when
“Why is the “e” word (evangelism) so hard? How can the Christian
I loathe conflict. Whenever I exchange heated words (emails, blog comments) with
It’s the weekend and time for Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival over
Dedicated to memorable happy moments from the last week. ___1___ Have you
There’s only one rule on a day when the weather hits 65
(For volume 1, click here.) “Honey, knives are not for two-year-olds.” “I’m
After yesterday’s topic I’m having trouble finding anything to blog about that doesn’t
I’m going through one of those raw times in life at the
Dashing this off quickly this morning, as I have a lawn to
___1___ First out of the box: I am writing a short magazine
One of the most unsettling things for a stay-at-home parent is that
Time always moved more slowly there– Too slowly . . . we
7:30 a.m., breakfast finished, and both my little ones transfixed by the
Call me crazy, but I actually like matching socks. I know, most
First Saturday of the month is “The Saturday Evening Blog Post” at
___1___ It was really hard to get out of bed and come
I guess I got spoiled. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard
“What were you blogging about last year at this time? What has
Last night, we spoke to the parish Confirmation class about the sacrament
It’s the weekend, and that means it’s time for a roundup of
___1___ Wrapping up “Julianna week” here at So Much to Say, So
It’s a funny thing about parenthood: the moment you have a child,
I realized something yesterday. I really don’t “get” my daughter. As much
I need an excuse to put up a blog post, so here’s
I’m addressing this question over at Real Zest today. Note: if you’re
They say Hollywood keeps making the same movies over and over again.
It’s Sunday Snippets day, when Catholic bloggers head over to Ruth’s place
___1___ Here’s something to listen to. This is a CNS report about Mass
a child’s prayer Originally uploaded by nancybcrow It’s 9p.m. on a choir
If you’ve ever expressed frustration, annoyance, or anger over something your kids
“Everything seems so close together…all the good and bad things in the
On Julianna’s birthday, Alex came home from school in great excitement. “My
Today is Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival, hosted by Ruth over at
___1___ Need a gift for a new mom you know? I’ve got
Late on a Wednesday evening, past time for bed on a choir
With the changes to the Mass less than a year away, it
I’ve been singing the national anthem at sporting events for six or
It’s easier to be thankful in the crisis moments. Crises burn all
The first Saturday of the month over at Elizabeth Esther’s place is
___1___ For, lo, the snowfall is past, the wind has
I’ve made a valiant effort all week to keep blogging intelligently as
Well, we’re officially snowed in. By which I mean that we cannot
From day one, one of the most intimidating things about parenthood for
After spending an entire week focused on infertility, my brain has been having trouble
It’s Sunday, which means another weekly roundup of Catholic bloggers at This
Whew! It’s been a very intense week around this blog, going through our
For part 1, click here. For part 2, click here. For part
If you’re just joining us, click here for part 1 and part
Venus Originally uploaded by Daquella manera ****** For part 1 of my
I spent the month of December writing a huge article on infertility.
Normally I wouldn’t combine posts like this, but I’m planning several days
___1___ It’s been quite a while since I reflected on the gift
You know you need a new wardrobe when your not-quite-4-year-old daughter has
This year, Christian and I decided to make some New Years Resolutions
Remember the boy named “trouble”? It was Saturday afternoon and the poor
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…and not,
It’s time for another weekly roundup over at Ruth’s place. Recent online
Okay, my sister-in-law Michelle gave me this recipe, which we are trying
___1___ I don’t understand gas fireplaces. It’s a great idea, except for
Image via Wikipedia Last night, we left the house for choir practice
Because I’ve finally tipped the scales into the brain-dead zone after more
Image via Wikipedia For the last couple of days, everyone has been
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what
It’s Sunday Snippets time again–a day when Catholic bloggers around the web
___1___ I owe everyone an apology for yesterday’s rant. I showed myself
Since the night of Dec. 27-28, there has been someone sick in
Lately it’s become clear to me how often men and women willfully
On a New Year’s Eve when the old, tired year refused to
When I was a kid, I was terrified of Superglue. This
First Sunday Snippets of the new year! Thanks to Ruth for hosting.
I hurry up the stairs, en route to some vitally unimportant and
On Monday morning after Christmas, I found this comment, on an earlier
…and clearly, I need one. I’ve had a post in mind for
My yearly Christmas post…because I can’t say it any better than I
I’m beginning to realize how brief is the period of time in
It’s one of the critical memories of my childhood. No year went
The key to successful aging is to pay as little attention to
It happened one night toward the end of dinner, a time when
I’ve been missing from Ruth’s roundup for a couple of weeks…it’s been
One of the fundamental underpinnings of everything I’m trying to get at
One thing about Advent activities: it translates to a lot of “moments”
Monday afternoon, I loaded the two little ones into the van and
Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life
It seems ironic to me that in this season of Advent—the Advent
I thought by the time I’d done enough research to write a
For today’s Thursday Motherhood Moment, I present a “caption this photo!” contest.
In honor of the season, I present: Songs that should be banned
On a morning following a night when a child wakes up sick,
I have a dirty little secret to share. Brace yourself. Are you
Here are some pictures from our first week of Advent. For discussion
Welcome to Friday Advent Adventures! For the next three Fridays, we’re going to
(Try saying that ten times in a row.) Scene: Monday of Advent,
On a lovely fall afternoon in 2008, when my oldest was 2
You might have heard recently that the Pope changed the Church’s position
For the past month or so, my life has been all about
Just two to share this week over at RAnn’s place…one funny, one
Like many others, I’m going offline for the holiday. Here’s best wishes
It was that sound that put me on alert: the pushed, monotone
Things are just funnier when life has driven you to the edge.
Welcome to Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival. This is our weekly opportunity as
___1___ It’s been a crazy November for publicizing my Advent book. Among
Sometimes it’s easy to…not exactly forget, but to grow complacent in memory,
I prepared for this for weeks. I mean it. Weeks. Notes in
Advent is almost upon us. When I told Alex that in two
I promise, I didn’t just make those terms up. Really. Go Google
I really thought that November had at last settled in, and I
Is it the weekend? Hm, doesn’t feel much like it…but Ruth’s got
___1___ So…Christmas gifts. We are not terribly fancy people, and I don’t
It seems like I’m always looking for one moment each week that
This is my month to blog (hastily) (without much deep thought) about
There’s a prayer I say every time I go up to sing
It’s been a weekend (and a week) of little graces, none of
Has it been a week already? Must be, it’s late on Saturday
___1___ It’s officially National Novel Writing Month. Naturally, this means that this
It’s Blog Tour day for Joy to the World: Advent Activities for
Every now and again on the journey of life, it’s like you
I’ve been methodically reading through my book list this year, and I
When I was a kid, and I first got contacts, I was
Twilight comes early these days. When choir practice ends on Wednesday evenings,
It’s Sunday Snippets day again, when Catholic bloggers meet up and swap
___1___ I hardly ever click on anything in the Facebook sidebar, but
You know that pig in the Geico commercial, that says “wee wee
Did you hear about the graphic anti-abortion ads airing in D.C.? I don’t
“Christian, guess what? I found the old thermometer.” “Oh, yeah? Where was
90’s stuffed animals Originally uploaded by Patrick Q Alex is
It’s time for another round of Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival, hosted
___1___ We took an overnight trip to the Lake of the Ozarks last
Thursday mornings can be hard in this house. Wednesday nights, we get out
“It’s not fair!” It’s Alex’s new favorite phrase. It’s not fair that
Maybe it only happens to me, but it seems like some of
My daughter has elfin ears, impossibly long eyelashes, and super-fine, straight brown
It’s Sunday Snippets day over at This, That & The Other Thing,
___1___ Best link of the week, hands down, in honor of
Dear Ms. Carnahan and Mr. Blunt, I will not be voting for
con·sci·en·tious (k n sh – n sh s) ob·ject·or (ˈäb-jikt-ər) Noun Abbr.
How do I write what I’m feeling without passing judgment? On the
You know how you take the weekends and you cram them full
___1___ I’ve heard about this one before, but I’ve never seen it
He goes off to school now, and last night, as I lay
I married an Italian man, which means it’s all about the food.
On a busy day, I didn’t have time to brainstorm something deeply
Fall Elements Originally uploaded by One-Speed Photography I didn’t want to come
It’s a busy weekend, so I’m going to combine carnival posts today.
___ 1___ Well, folks, it’s early, but it’s not too early to
Guess what my daughter did on Sunday? Hint #1: we were in
What do you do with two punkins on a Friday morning? Make
You know it’s time when every billboard between home and southern Illinois
Super Harvest Moon Originally uploaded by Steve Rawley 8:30 p.m. Friday, and
My weekends have been busy the last several weeks, and I’ve been
1. Late last week, I short-circuited from novel rejection letters and general
Alex was in trouble on Sunday. I’ll spare you the details, but
I realized something this week: It’s never going to end. For the
The post I intended for today didn’t turn out quite as I
Not everybody has one–this place called “home.” Not the place where you
1. A friend shared this C.S. Lewis quote yesterday: “Aim at heaven
They tootle down the sidewalk this morning as I sit with my
Conventional wisdom says that writers should never ask family members for feedback.
Christian likes to say that baby drool has explosive properties. After all,
Orion Originally uploaded by Stigs I slept poorly last
1. I’ve got a couple of great slogans to share today. First,
I always thought Alex was a mama’s boy, but Nicholas has him
You know how God keeps banging on a theme until you finally
(written Saturday, 9/4/10) We’ve had a long hiatus from walking in the
I’m guest posting today over at Catholic Mothers Online, and I’m very
1. Alex brought his first school library book home this week–a book about
Two hours after Julianna was born, I was chomping at the bit,
Last night was one of those nights—you know the ones—the kind that
It’s been almost a year now since the moment I heard music
Every so often, I run across something that evokes such a visceral
Linking up today with Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival. Although I blogged
1. We took the kids to the annual “Tiger Walk” on Sunday
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Originally uploaded by hailebet It’s been quite a
When I was growing up, my bedroom faced north, toward the pond
After our trip to Florida last month, I’m a firm believer that
At 6:01 a.m. on a Sunday morning, I trudge down the sidewalk
Hello, folks! Welcome to Sunday Snippets, where we all head over to
1, 2 and 3: Alex’s school years begin. I was a
Dear Novel, I swear you are killing me. I’m sacrificing sleep for
I wanted to give my son a gift, before he enters a
On the day we baptized each of our children, we heard these
We began the process sometime in the spring, hopping from one furniture
It’s Sunday Snippets time, a chance for Catholic bloggers to swap posts.
The Mostly-Funny Moments Edition 1. Alex, at dinner, poking at his plate,
There’s a commercial on TV these days for Kleenex. The woman goes
It was the fall of my sophomore year of college, and I
Yesterday Christian, Alex and I had the opportunity to tour Whiteman Air
This weekend, my parents celebrated their 40th anniversary. In lieu of regular
Has it been a month already since our last Saturday evening blog
1. Welcome back, Carpal Tunnel (not). I first developed tendinitis and carpal
I followed Christian up the bleacher steps following the Royals game on
For a Sunday, it wasn’t off to a great start. We were
Kauffman Stadium Open House Originally uploaded by smysnbrg At 2:30 on
…with some help from Christian, who took over at #6. Top ten
I missed last week’s Sunday Snippets, as Christian and I were enjoying
1. I got a speeding ticket last night. (Yes, Kelley, on the
Here we go again. Did you see the piece in New York
This spring, I had the opportunity to interview Kimberly Hahn for an
I’m going to go out on a limb today and say something
For the first time in our five years as parents, we left
1. I always love to see what search parameters bring up my
It hangs in the the closet, tucked in the back with all
Red Crown and Telephone Originally uploaded by jakevol2 “If there was a
Crozet Archipelago – King Penguins Originally uploaded by ¡WOUW!
There are some things I will never understand. Oprah’s magazine, for instance.
1. I’ve been having one of those weeks again. One of those
It’s taken two weeks to gather the photographic evidence and the permission
Ann Voskamp has us thinking about rest this week. But in my
The Super Kiss Originally uploaded by Mild Mannered Photographer I’ve been reading
Because of a faceless, anonymous jerk somewhere out in the e-universe, our
It’s Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival time, where we get together to share
Takes 1-3: Wardrobe Malfunctions 1. On Wednesday morning, we actually got going
I swear, he thinks he’s five years old. If anybody else has
I begin with a story. I am pregnant, and I have poison
Our computer is sick. Yesterday afternoon, quite suddenly, it began popping up
When our family first stepped on the shores of Holland, we used
It’s Sunday Snippets day, and on the Fourth of July, I’m seeking
It’s the first Saturday of the month, and that means…Saturday Evening
Someday, my kids are going to hate me. In ascending order of
I have a terrific Motherhood Moment in the making, but I have
Soemtimes, it’s not easy bein’ green. Green isn’t my favorite color…and yet,
New Boxing Gloves Originally uploaded by markhillary He’s at it again. After
I was hot in pursuit of a giggling Julianna down the sidewalk
Two weeks ago, I was doing market research on Parents.com, looking
It’s been quite a while since I participated in Sunday Snippets…nice to
Oh, if only I had the guts (and the money!) to redesign my wardrobe…
(or, What Happened Because of a Tire, Part Two. ) Post-tire adventure, we
Uniroyal Tire – Detroit Landmark Originally uploaded by James Marvin Phelps (mandj98)
At quarter of nine in the morning, the mercury stands at 83
Father’s Day in the Basi house: …A far too early start after staying
In honor of my daddy, I’m reposting from last fall…. It is
Well, here’s the link to my essay on NPR. I’m very excited
1. Feast or famine, that’s the title for this week. Last week
Yesterday, I realized that two weeks in, we were wasting the summer.
We’re going to take a detour today from reflections on family and
Father & Daughter Originally uploaded by Enigma Photos
She was born on June 13, 1915, to a farm family in
1. I thought I was going to pass on the 7 quick
Today, he stands. Holding onto the coffee table, my unhurried child pulls
“Pray without ceasing.” I Thessalonians 5:17 I’ve known a lot of faithful
I’ve been thinking about hand preferences a lot lately. As I try
Saturday night there was a doozy of a storm north of us.
1. Last night I started a Wilton cake decorating class. It’s very
As a parent, you’re not supposed to play favorites. But kids don’t
[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=wedding+gown&iid=226380″ src=”0222/02586eb3-14ad-4891-80f2-a9195ef3a446.jpg?adImageId=13072607&imageId=226380″ width=”337″ height=”506″ /] The day was not
I have a confession to make: It’s not often that I get
There’s just something about running water. It’s one of the most familiar
…and he loves to be down in the woods, exploring the creek
Every family needs a motto. I discovered ours one day last fall
Aren’t they pretty? Kudos to Spring Hill. Today I am guest posting
“Our view of the Holy Spirit is too small. The Holy Spirit
Due to some programming uncertainties, I begin this a.m. with some (fairly)
Every so often, I just have to write a Journal entry…because life
Sometimes we don’t even pay attention. We spend so much effort looking
CAUGHT IN THE ACT! Oh…you want to see the culprit? Okay, then.
The problem with keeping a gratitude list is that I tend to
It was really bad timing for a moment of doubt: right smack
Yes, I’ve got a lot of links today. But they’re awesome! 1.
Today’s Motherhood Moment comes to you from the floor of the Missouri
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Part One: Fifty seconds. Ears popping, rising ninety-five floors above overtired children,
It’s just one of those days, folks, so here’s a repost from
Today I am delighted to welcome Amy from the Never-True Tales to my
“There is magic in that extra chromosome, I tell you. Magic.” –Kelle
Spring is… …a trip to the state Capitol… (This picture was taken
I’m going to do something I don’t usually do–namely, put up two
1. Sleeping through the night is a myth. 2. If you don’t
It used to be that you went to the movies so you
It’s time for the Saturday Evening Blog Post again, hosted by Elizabeth
1. I have just finished reading “Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen
It is spring, and I return to the woods. To the
As of Sunday, I’m on a mission to reclaim the old-fashioned, have-it-at-home
His name was Bernard, but we knew him as Fr. Ben. He
I suppose it’s writer’s block. The swirling of ideas without focus. The
1. Yesterday I wrote, in part, about Nicholas’s antics while nursing. But
5:30 a.m. The day begins bleary-eyed after wakeup calls at 11, 1:30,
It’s a sad fact of life that it’s easier to set goals
If there was ever a morning when a person was justified in
Last week, I had one of those moments—the creepy-crawly, embarrassing moments that
Note to Target, Kohl’s, Penney’s, et al: Seriously, people. Who are you
This was the evening. The evening when, a thousand miles from home,
There’s a moment every day that I love. It comes in the
Reluctantly, at the end of a very busy day, I left Christian
[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=dandelion&iid=87178″ src=”0083/e9465b66-4b51-487b-9247-7dca2981e7bb.jpg?adImageId=12404365&imageId=87178″ width=”380″ height=”253″ /] I am at war
1. Jennifer asked this morning if anybody else is making permanent changes
Who would ever have thought I’d be a mom of boys? Yes,
(Warning: If you’re not interested in reading about the writing process, skip
On Holy Saturday night, I dreamed that we were all on a
Am I first a wife, a mother, or a writer? Like most
Have you ever looked at the Shroud of Turin? When I was
Like all school kids, I adored Spring Break—no school, no homework, but
The mere phrase stirs up my heart, opening up a conduit
I stumbled across a CD of pictures the other day, and I
[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=wedding+rings&iid=183505″ src=”0179/44c285ca-a17a-4f7e-9e29-a24c45b752db.jpg?adImageId=11831217&imageId=183505″ width=”500″ height=”333″ /] Yesterday morning, I sat
1. Not so long ago, there was a stink about
How do I choose the moment? It was a week of moments.
She wrote her story anonymously for O Magazine—the story of a couple
I live inside a filter. The first touch of my baby’s cheek
Today I’m guest posting over at My Cup 2 Yours. Check it
After a day of noise and chaos, of grandparents and carnival rides,
1. I’ve spent this week finishing my novel. It’s a job I’ve
Well, baby boy, here you are, on the cusp of a year.
Everybody’s thinking about the environment these days. And that is a very
There are times when, as a parent, hysteria reigns. You don’t know
The day after Julianna was born, an acquaintance of a relative, a
1. I have a new blog I want you to visit: http://www.kellehampton.com/.
On Wednesday, spring arrived. I heard it in the darkness before dawn,
There’s a new series starting on NBC this week. It’s called “The
Quiet quiet quiet my soul like a child at rest
My baby is definitely not a hurried child. No, Nicholas is milking
Here in my tiny corner of North America, it sometimes seems as
It’s the first Saturday of the month, when bloggers gather to showcase
1. I’m going to start out with two stories that bloggers shared
In stillness. In silence. In the stark cut of light
Alex hates going to the grocery store (which is a good thing,
I cruised into church twenty minutes late, delayed because the sitter got
Michelle at Graceful is my guru this Lent. First, she gently prodded
I swear I have an elf for a daughter. Not a Lord
1. This week I saw two more “make me happy” figure skating
It’s been a while since I took the kids to the
A few weeks ago, we gave Alex the opportunity to earn an
When various blog-friends began talking about an internet fast for Lent, my
On Friday, Christian took the day off and we all went to
1. Very sweet comments on my Ash Wednesday post…if only I lived
[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=olympic+rings&iid=7902333″ src=”c/e/2/4/Olympic_News_7961.jpg?adImageId=10450603&imageId=7902333″ width=”500″ height=”277″ /] We interrupt regularly scheduled
Lent is my favorite time of the year. There. I’ve said it.
They can be so darned adorable. Last week, Christian took Alex to
“Become Who You Are.” — Friedrich Nietzsche The last few days,
It’s time for Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival , when we all
1. Generally speaking, I am not a fan of Saturday Night Live.
Normally I don’t post twice in one day, but this week, the
Ah, my son, the ladykiller: Exhibit A: Alex, sitting at the dinner
A few weeks ago, we got an unexpected windfall: a $50
It is 5:55 a.m. and a thin sliver of creamy moon reclines
I’m going for a different look on the site, but have no
I’m rooting for Brangelina. It goes without saying that relationships in Hollywood
It’s Sunday Snippets day–when Catholic bloggers share our week’s reflections over at
Elizabeth Esther offers bloggers a chance to do a little shameless self-promotion on the
Whew! How much can you cram into a week? 1. Over the
I am standing at the changing table trying to plan a visit
1. It’s OK to spend the time blogging, even if you aren’t
She was so cute, standing there in front of the mirror, entranced
I don’t understand… …why every single spoon made these days is SO
In the two weeks before Nicholas was born, I wrote a post
My apologies to anyone who tried to look at the pictures yesterday.
Frustration is an additive problem. What I mean to say is that
1. Travel with a kid who plants his feet and says stubbornly,
Like Emily at chattingatthesky.com, today I have feverish children and a house
I think it’s safe to say that most of us have no
On Thursday, Abigail at Diary of a New Mom nominated me for the
Alex and I played glow-in-the-dark miniature golf this week. I learned
It’s a funny thing, beauty. You know what they say: it’s in
Lately I’ve been linking up with various photo Wednesday carnivals…most particularly over
I used to think that the poems, stories and songs that came
It happens to me quite regularly. I’ll be talking to someone and
It’s Sunday Snippets day–the day when a group of Catholic bloggers link
…I thought at first that I would just add another comment to
1. I begin by sharing this series of pictures. 2. I’m sure
At 8:15 p.m., I was sitting in a hard metal folding chair
If your family is anything like mine, bath duty is one of
Well, I finally got my wish: we got enough snow to play
At the moment, my children are displaying tremendous generosity of spirit: They
Sunday Snippets is a group of Catholic bloggers who get together once
1. My favorite blog post this week came from Jennifer at
Today’s Motherhood Moment comes from Amy at Seeing the Wind, who writes:
Saturday afternoon, we arrived home to a relatively clean house, a stack
I realized something just now. Call me dense for not realizing it
The Basi family, twenty-six strong, gathered on New Year’s Eve to celebrate
We spent last week on Longboat Key, Florida with the Basi family,
We are home, and I have three blog posts lined up and
I originally wrote this last year, but when I ran across it
My favorite recent Facebook exchange: URGENT FACEBOOK UPDATE: As of today, Facebook
Today, I’d just like to share a few links. The first presents
I am reposting this from last year. I hope your holy day is
It sneaks up on me sometimes…usually when I haven’t had a chance
(Setting: the kitchen at my parents’ farm, three days before Christmas. Me:
Julianna loves books. She loves music. And especially, she adores reading books
My dad has had kidney stones for…a while. I’m not sure how
Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival is a group of Catholic bloggers who share
Christian likes to make fun of parents who think their kids are
1. Last Sunday afternoon at nap time, I tiptoed down the hallway
I’ve been navigating some deep waters this week, so let me lighten
“Is it not possible for us to do with gender, sexuality, and
A few months ago, I learned something I would rather not have
This week, I just have links to share… First, there is this,
1. The local “Christmas station” plays a sometimes-delightful, often appalling mix of
Ah, Nicholas. You wake up in the night for reasons I can’t
Once again, my baby is proving to me that sleeping through the
The house smells like gingerbread this morning, which I suppose makes the
It happened again on the way to the grocery store. “Mommy,” Alex
Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival is a group of bloggers who share
It’s the first Saturday of the month, and I’m joining The Saturday
1. My sister Andrea once asked where I come up with the
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
Ah, it’s that time of year again. Carbo heaven in November, cookie
It was the first Sunday of Advent—a time, if there ever was
…I have added “email subscription” to this blog. If you want to
It’s been four years since we went ice skating. Pregnancy, nursing babies
Advent. It’s a time of new beginning, a time of expectation of
Even as I typed the words on Thursday morning claiming “sleeping through
For the last two weeks, I’ve kept waiting for things to turn
On occasion I have mentioned Gerti, Julianna’s physical therapist. What you may
Hallelu–jah, Hallelu–jah, Hallelu–jah! In the early morning gloom, I sat in my
There are occupational hazards to motherhood. “Mommy, I haven’t got to pway
Sunday Snippets is a group of bloggers who gather once each week
7 Quick Takes, as hosted at www.ConversionDiary.com (BTW, I just love this
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
Ah, the joys of preschool humor. Sometimes they don’t even know they’re
Did you know there is a whole Bible study based on “wives,
There’s no doubt about it: in the “Love Languages,” my primary language
Sunday Snippets is a group of bloggers who gather once each week
For today’s Seven Quick Takes, I’m going to take a slightly different
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
It is so easy to get into a negative funk. Sometimes it’s
“I think about the years I spent just passing through I’d like
OK, all you NFP users out there…I need your help. I’m writing
The day I received my first-ever rejection letter, I burst into tears
Well, we had another hospital visit yesterday, so I’m putting this together
Julianna is home now. It looks (knock on wood) as if we
The hits are jumping skyward so clearly people are jumping over from
…hosted by #1. A first word. Well…let’s call it a proto-word. For
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
Who’d’a thunk it? A vaporizer has kept us out of the hospital—twice.
I was listening to Faith Hill yesterday on the way home from
Someday I’m going to write a book called “The Conflicted Parent.” No
I just figured I would combine them this weekend, instead of writing
I didn’t get to experience this first hand, but it was funny
I’ve been exploring blogs recently, and I keep coming across really good
I didn’t originally intend to write this week for Genny’s “Talking About
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
Oh, for the innocent days, before I knew that croup was not
1. Doo-do-doo-do-doo, if I just sidle up, maybe no one will notice
It’s happened three times in as many months. The first time, we
Just a few interesting things I ran across this week… http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/153.html –An interesting take
Of course, as soon as I wrote about how much I had
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
Fall color is peaking this week, here in mid-Missouri. And this year,
There’s nothing quite like a deadline to motivate you. I have been
I suppose that no matter how hard you try to give each
The serious… www.theologyofthebody.blogspot.com/2009/10/gardasil-what-we-knew-all-along.html I can’t find anything more official than this; it seems
Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival is a group of bloggers who gather once
One of Christian’s biggest pet peeves is the treatment of men in
It was one of those days, followed by one of those nights.
Christian just sent this to me, and I thought it was funny
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
Today I want to share a some links that I ran across
Call me paranoid, but I think the toy companies and the battery
I’m a little late in joining the Sunday Snippets Catholic Carnival this
I don’t understand how they get store-bought bread to rise in a
As I write this morning, Alex is sitting beside me playing the
I’m officially a guest blogger. 🙂 Today I’m sending you over to
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
The day after Julianna was born, Christian’s sister-in-law brought two hundred pages
I want a crock pot recipe for life. One that tells me
Recently, I read a blogger whose point was that moms are not
It’s been a pretty insane week–one of those where you close your
With number 1, I spent nursing time watching hours of movies, reading
Precious moments. We’ve all had them—those moments that make your heart catch
This is shaping up to be one of those weeks. The busy
I would never have guessed it, but the path to talking lies
Words. We use them, stumble over them, repeat them, misuse them, throw
We’ve been trying to work out a way to get family pictures
Families. They’re a source of comfort and joy, support and unconditional love.
The cliché says, “easy as pie.” But long ago I came to
If I could live on a diet of Baby, How much better
It hasn’t been a great week so far. I haven’t had much
It is fall, and in the mornings now we run in the
“Why are you here?” Monsignor asked us during his homily this morning…and
Trying something new today…I’m joining “Sunday Snippets,” where Catholic bloggers share their
Okay, so it wasn’t a toad. It was probably a tree frog.
…I’ll lighten things up and share one of Christian’s favorite jokes. What
It’s tempting, because it’s so easy. We live in a culture where
My critique partners are always scolding me to describe my characters better.
9/14/09 4:15 a.m., respiratory distress; 6:15, seal bark, but giggly. 3p.m., greater
What was THAT?????? We had a very nice weekend with a
Dear Nicholas, In some ways, it is much harder to write this
I realized that I failed to include Julianna’s picture in her letter
I have one more letter to my children to write, but I’m
Dear Julianna, As I sit here in the dewy twilight of predawn,
9/8/09 Dear Alex, You’re crossing a milestone, little man. Last night, I
Working drive-thru is not a particularly fulfilling experience. In college, “Beavis &
“He lay on his back in the dirt of the Pittsburgh ballpark.
“People don’t really talk like that, you know.” “No, but they think
I’ve been thinking a lot about weddings lately. It’s coming into that
Moonlight has a color all its own. We call it silver, white,
Every afternoon, while I’m putting the kids in bed, my brain works
My whole life, I have been a poster child for Catholicism. I
Read this. Wow, what a post. http://justwallpaper.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/an-open-letter-to-those-who-have-been-burned-by-church/
I have a new hero: John Lithgow. He is an inspiration to
At 12:30 a.m., I turned off my alarm and added the loss
A couple of FB friends asked for this recipe weeks ago, but I’ve
It is now precisely twelve days, two hours and forty-five minutes until
My birthday and I have a very checkered history. On the plus
Someone sent this to me on Facebook. It’s long (20 minutes), but
Today is my birthday. I am 35. Tomorrow, I’ll have things to
I don’t know when it happened…after all, every nursing baby belongs to
Once, my mother told me that everything in her life had been
I wasn’t thinking, that’s what. Uh…the kids were distracting me…yeah, that’s it. It’s
We have chosen to have our kids close together—21 months between Alex
It’s a truth I should have remembered from childhood: The fun in
Bright yellow daisies gleaming at the edge of the woods Spaetzle A
Scene: Overland Park Arboretum, my cousin’s baby shower Time: mid-afternoon nursing KATE
Thursday, Aug. 13th 10:45a.m. During the homily at the Mass for principals
Right now, Alex and I are reading Little House on the Prairie.
This week, CBS “discovered” that breastfeeding cuts the risk of breast cancer:
The gold standard in special education is full inclusion: the child spending
It happened for the first time over the Fourth of July weekend.
Every so often, you get a day that reminds you of all
This summer, GIA released The Image and the Hope, a CD of
They say that the hardest transition in parenting is not from 0
“…every now and then I think of who I was and who
Sometimes, you just need to get away. It’s fun for everyone. For
Things are changing in our household, as the advent of walking shifts
Dear Christian, It’s very hard to be sweet and sincere in writing
Christian has been coming home for the last three days talking about
This week, I mowed the lawn with Nicholas in the Snugli. This
There is an up side to being nearly blind. If I take
Yesterday my dad was on KRCG news talking about cool weather and
I am omnipresent in Nicholas’s world. Throughout the day his bright little
Since returning from NPM, my baby boy has become a demanding child.
There is a time for everything under the sun, Ecclesiastes says. Late
The other day I was listening to my WLP showcase CD in
This morning, with baby screaming and toddler whining and preschooler asking nonstop
Lately, I’ve developed a new appreciation for “Green Eggs and Ham.” Have
Amazing, how long it takes to write 97 words. Ten days of
I had forgotten. The creative process is a consuming one in any
The summer we moved into this house (two years ago), I was
I happened upon this feature story this morning in Vox Magazine. Having
I’m really mad at my kids today. But let me back up.
When my husband and I started wedding planning, the first song on
July 7, 2009: I began the day with “O God Beyond All
Nicholas and I had such a beautiful week together. He gurgled and
This will be considerably longer and less polished than my usual but
There’s a rule in the house that says you tell no one
This isn’t exactly fresh news anymore, but it’s still worth a look.
I adore bath time for babies. Can you see why? Rock it,
At the end of a couple gripey, negative weeks, it seems appropriate
The last couple of months I’ve been starting to focus on colors
In six months, Julianna will exit First Steps and enter the public
There was a day in high school when my car broke down
1. If I am to have my picture taken, I must have
Several years ago, a liturgical songwriter I admire made the comment that
Yesterday, I took Alex and Nicholas to a children’s concert by the
I don’t understand why, if the whole floor is clean except for
When a famous person dies, it’s always interesting to see how important
I want to follow up yesterday’s post about unstructured play by saying
A few days ago, Christian called from work and said, “Guess what?
It’s a running joke between Christian and I, the difference between my
Before Children, or when you have only one, and you get sick,
It hit me at midnight. I felt better all morning but now
“Night Growler”–that would be me. For the last five nights, Julianna has
To Nicholas The connection between us stretches back to the moment you
I don’t know about you, but I am essentially lazy. Now, that’s
I am standing at the changing table trying to plan a visit
Christian was off work last week, and our home project was painting
When I was a little girl, my grandparents had a player piano
After a day of noise and chaos, of grandparents and carnival rides,
The last two weeks, I have been reading a book called Dead
Yesterday was a good day. The danger in being too busy, particularly
A while back, I wrote about doing too much. Shortly after, I
I had a writing goal for today, and I have a very
There’s a poem I ran across tonight while blog surfing. I’d love
Alex eats everything in very small bites. The more he likes it,
Fresh home from the grocery store, where Julianna flirted with every person
A filigree-and-marmalade sunrise A perfect evening for a mile and a half
Vignette #1: Seriously Scary Foliage Perhaps you might remember how Julianna deals
Life with Alex has not been easy in recent months. Not so
Alex doesn’t nap much anymore. He goes to bed willingly enough, because
This is not what I wanted to spend my writing time on
We did a wedding yesterday, and brought Nicholas with us instead of
All right! I capitulate! So they look like each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Alex,
It was a perfect morning—70 degrees beneath a flawless blue sky, washed
It’s been six or seven weeks since I last wrote in my
It’s definitely getting easier to get submissions sent out. Now, instead of
They say there’s no such thing as magic, but they’re wrong. There’s
Once in a while, it’s nice to go somewhere without internet access
It was the end of an afternoon that had been devoured by
Last week, I parked myself on the floor with a boppy and
Crises tend to bring out the best in us. We rise to
I’ve said before that one of the goals of my writing is
How nice, to actually (gasp!) skip a day on blogging! I close
… that we might get to take Julianna home …… TOMORROW (as
He leaned on the foot of the crib, watching Julianna while he
When I came in this morning, the flow-pap was gone. After bath
Yesterday, Julianna continued to scream at me all afternoon, refusing to sleep
Julianna spent the entire morning screaming. Those who have ever heard her
My van smells like the hospital, my clothes do too, Haven’t slept
(Christian with his nightly report) I hope I can make sense with
Three weeks ago (has it been so long already?), I gave a
(Christian here) What’s the saying, two steps forward, one step back? After
It’s odd that I don’t write much about music, considering that my
Well, we have the tube out of Julianna’s throat. And while he
Christian here again — just a quick note before we all try
Love. We pursue it, we sing about it, we write stories about
Well, it’s a little after 10:30a.m., so here’s a quick update on
It turns out that croup is secondary. Julianna has pneumonia. But they
Overnight, Julianna lost her IV and did not sleep. By this morning,
There are mothers out there who don’t want anyone’s opinion, ever. Mom,
Whenever I watch Nicholas sleep, I think of my brother-in-law Matt, who says
Since Nicholas arrived, Julianna’s developmental struggles…or more accurately, our struggles to get
It’s been another busy week–Christian’s been out of commission every night this
As of ten minutes ago, I’m more or less done with my
Amazing, how those alliterations roll off the tongue these days. For
Here on the cusp of spring…or really, deep in the glorious wonder
We’re up late tonight waiting for the first of our weekend guests
Check out Niki’s blog today. You won’t believe it till you see
The smell of spring permeates the air—the sweetness of crabapple, the heady
Out of the blue, as we drove down the road today, Alex
It’s psychological, I’m sure of it. I’m so insecure about this
Ah, the things you forget. Saturday evening, Christian and I went
I heard this on my way home from the conservation area on Friday.
Lunchtime at the Basi house Alex: HAHAHAHA, I’m gonna get you, my
The focus has been on the younger two kids lately, such that
I should re-label this blog the “attitude is everything” blog. As
The last few weeks, Alex has suddenly discovered the delights of digital
Isn’t it odd that Nicholas can’t sleep upstairs in a crib, but
(…or Flying Solo in Triplicate) She is two, and although she may
Attitude makes all the difference, but sometimes the simplest thing can change
I have another post in process, but a friend sent me an
The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might
It was early afternoon on Thursday. My mother-in-law and I had just
The heart catches, even in retrospect… …and wounded hearts learn to love
Last week, while searching for new markets for my short story, I
These days, it’s all I can do to take care of the
If I have the date right, we are now eleven days into
In the last issue of CCL’s Family Foundations, Linda Kracht wrote a
I’m probably trying to overdo it, but I decided that my first
Which one is softer, his silky, thick dark hair, or his velvet-satin
…with an overtired almost-4-year-old, a sick 2-year-old, and the new baby.
Today’s the day that the Basi 5 go home. Christian has had
The munchkins are due here with Grandma and Grandpa in a few
Two years ago, when Julianna was born, I wrote an essay reflecting
I meant to get more pictures, but at the moment, I can
All systems go for tomorrow, despite a nasty, unproductive cough. Here’s a
The weather is beautiful, the earth is stirring, the minnows are swimming
Alex is big enough to understand. In a couple of days, the
I used to think “white night” meant that you just couldn’t get
I learned something about my daughter on Friday…and about myself as a
It’s been interesting this week to see how many people have read
A number of years ago, when Christian moved into his own apartment,
I spent yesterday driving crazily around St. Louis, from doctor’s office to
I write because the words burn inside of me and keep me
A couple of nights ago, I dreamed that Julianna was talking to
I guess I should take it as a positive, that someone decided
After four months, eight stores, three babysitters and four grandparent interventions, the
After Alex’s recent backsliding on the toilet issue, we decided it was
“Mommy,” said Alex at lunchtime, “strawberries are red, just like blood.”
The upper part of the Spring Valley Trail at Rock Bridge State
This morning, Alex is watching “Bug’s Life,” and I’m so tired from
The other night, Christian and I watched “Righteous Kill.” For those who
The best parts of the day are associated with bedtime. I’ve
Lately, Alex reminds me of a Garfield cartoon from my childhood. Odie
I’m up early this morning and don’t have my writing materials, so
Yesterday, between thunderstorms, the kids and I went outside. I knew it
What is your concept of Heaven? Mine is very simple, and,
Scene: the circulation desk at the public library. Behind the counter, a
Funny how these things snowball… A couple of months ago we were
Parents spend an inordinate amount of time comparing their kids to everyone
Is there anyone who reads this blog who has watched “Jon &
I gew up on princesses, Star Wars, and Star Trek. Who would have
Do you ever wonder how different your life might have turned out
Through my obsessive compulsion to read through my blog stats, I discovered
Some fine day, a tiger is going to get loose from the
Alex was tucked into bed. We were finished with prayers—including those for
….to come up with a name for the third child? And why,
I’ve sung it for men’s and women’s basketball, for gymnastics and for
“I take” my baby “to the park…hold it in a blanket,” the
If 3 cushions + 1 throw = Play House… then how many
Last summer, when we found out we were expecting, we needed a
Bear with me for a moment (no, it’s not a pun on
Any good “mommy” blog should share crafts, recipes and activities. I’ve never
Last night, my critique group finished reviewing my new novel. In An
Sorry to be silent for several days…Julianna spent Friday night to Saturday
Parents, you all know what I’m talking about. The first time you
Long vs. short writing projects Lately I’ve been chafing at how
Lately the focus has been Julianna, so when Alex had this gem
Miss Julianna has a couple of new nicknames: “Miss Sneaky” and “Superspy.”
Well, we’ve officially begun the process of Getting Ready For Baby. Julianna
I don’t understand Madonna. Several decades ago, when my grandparents lived in
When Christian was a kid, his mother used to tell him stories
A plain, cedar box. Unfinished, without attempt to ease the transition
Last week, Christian shared with me his overarching parental concern for Julianna:
To tell, or not? That’s the question. When Julianna was a
One year and 354 days ago, Christian and I found out that
It was really too cold to be outside, but Christian appealed to
Today in Washington, D.C. was an extraordinary day. Unfathomable numbers of people,
His name was Samuel. A child who heard his master calling him
Several months ago I saw an ad in Writer’s Digest and bought
One of the things that happens when you start a blog is
This weekend, we were late for church. Now, you must understand,
Leticia Valasquez posted this slide show today. It’s a little long, but
Yesterday the kids slept too long for us to do what we
…I know, the post was boring. So here are some pictures, to
The next time you’re talking to someone—anyone—pay attention. Not so much what
It is an occasion for thanks, and a little bit of frenetic
Today, we celebrate the feast of Epiphany, although the actual date is
I’m in the middle of writing a romance novel right now. Actually,
As of today, we have officially made it one calendar year with
Last week we were “interviewed” via email for an article on raising
Julianna whined all the way home from Illinois. She was heartily sick
What did the sky look like the night Jesus was born? On
Short on sleep, long on excitement…the days are upon us at last.
It’s happening. For weeks, I’ve known it was coming…the days when Alex
There are still two doors left to open on our Advent calendar,
That phrase is as familiar as any in the Christmas repertoire—so familiar
I just posted this review at Amazon: Farkle & Friends: CD by
I woke up very early this morning from a vivid dream. In
Christmas is not about kids, but I will admit that having a
(incorporating the Advent Reclamation Project Report for Week 2) Julianna’s first, tottering
When I was a kid, I swore I’d never forget what it
Every pregnancy, I’ve learned something. The first time around was my
Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and now that we have
It doesn’t happen very often that I like the forwards I get,
Thanksgiving Day, my grandmother shook her head at me, marveling at all
First thing this morning, I found a rejection in my inbox. A
Alex’s Christmas letters to his grandparents (as dictated to Mommy): Dear
It was the day after Thanksgiving, so naturally everything should be
Does this bailout business scare anybody else out there? First, $700
Julianna’s Turn I have to chuckle sometimes at the difference between
Most of the time, I can interpret Alex-ese with relative ease J.
The last week or two have been disheartening to me as the
A week or so ago, when I did my tour of
A 5-minute catnap while I was waiting for Alex to come back
Openings. Why do they have to be sooooooooooooooooooo hard? Since
It’s a time buzzing with excitement and new possibilities. There will be
It’s quiet in the van—a rarity, and one that I’m relaxing into—when
After yesterday’s criticism of negative, gripey “Mommy blogs,” I read the last
So I read an article in my Family Foundations today, talking about
There’s a photograph, from 9/11. I’m sure you all saw it: a
I’m a little late sharing these two gems, but better late than
Thirteen years ago tonight, Christian and I went on our first date.
6:45 a.m. The kids are out of bed. Alex’s bed needs changing
Motivation = progress It’s 10:07 a.m., and I’ve vacuumed the second
I have a new goal these days: have my novel ready to
Lately I’ve been focusing on Alex, who continues to add to the
It should not take this long. I set out today to
Last night, I finished reading a book that has been occupying my
He can’t be doing it on purpose. He’s just too young for
English, of course. I took French in high school and a semester
I should write about politics and culture every day—my hits counter spikes
It was a week ago today. I was sitting at the
First of all, let me say this clearly. It’s. A. Telephone. Not
I often say that having a child with special needs makes you
If you’ve been reading this blog lately you’ll know that swim lessons
It was an unnaturally long weekend, beginning Thursday night with Julianna wheezing
A note to my baby at 12 weeks What I know
Time is limited. Demands on it are not. Distractions abound, weariness interferes,
I’ll be on the radio (Newstalk 1400 KFRU) with David Lile on
We spent this weekend in Southern Illinois for the Murphysboro Apple
It seemed the easiest thing in the world—once the outdoor pool season
“For you, darkness itself is not dark, and night shines as the
When I launched www.columbiadownsyndromesupport.com a couple of weeks ago, I asked everyone
Alert: this post has NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICAL VIEWS. For those
Yesterday evening I glanced over at Alex during dinner. It was one
Last night, I went to the post office to send out a
Julianna and Grandpa Sander She is eighteen months old, and I
So tonight, I’m putting Alex to bed and we’re praying for people.
For the last three weeks, everything I have wanted to blog about
Today I have “launched,” for lack of a better word, a new
When I started this blog, I wasn’t sure where it was going
In the days after Julianna’s birth, the volume of information we had
It’s great weather for August—cool and clear, a far cry from the
It’s been a busy week. On Wednesday, my youngest sister arrived in
It’s hard to be big brother to a little sister with special
The above the fold story in last night’s local paper was about
About a week ago, I noticed some chocolate on Alex’s face. Nothing
People often me how old Julianna is. That’s a pretty typical question
I’m going to make a rare foray into the political realm today.
During our trip to Mackinac, Christian had Julianna duty at virtually every
I sent my flute off to be worked on recently, and although
Several months ago, the city of Moberly started talking about annexing land
Today has been one of those hot Missouri summer days when any
Yesterday I reconnected with a friend I haven’t spoken to since 8th
A few months ago I wrote that market research takes me at least two full
It’s been a month now since Julianna started crawling, and although she
Mary Rosenblum at the Long Ridge Writers Group is having us
I don’t care how badly it starts, a royalty day is always
My nephew Isaac was eating lunch when there was a little disturbance
Because I’m lacking momentum on my writing projects right now, I’m looking
This morning, the kids and I walked down to the creek. As
(written on the 4th of July, posted now that I have computer
Momentum: the motion of a body or system, equal to the product
I promised myself that I’d write about Alex in my next blog.
I really don’t like being pregnant. No, I’m not pregnant. Not
My first published short story, “The Prison at the Edge of Forever,”
An acquaintance sent this link to me, and I wanted to share
Every day at naptime, we go up to Alex’s room to read
Last week I averaged over two hours a day on writing.
It happened so suddenly. I knew it was about time. She hardly ever
Three weeks ago, or thereabouts, Julianna got glasses. “Oh, she’ll take them
http://www.bu.edu/chapel/services/sermons/documents/sharperthanatwoedgedsword.doc I’m working on song texts again today, and in looking up
I was sitting at a picnic table at Rock Bridge State Park
The experts say you burn 1/3 more calories standing than sitting. Do
I just came down from putting Alex to bed (what a Mama’s
Somewhere I read that a blogger should take a strong, perhaps controversial
Today I begin writing from a new location. I spent all my
Now that I have my little technical difficulty worked out (some Bible
Something very bizarre is happening tonight as I try to access my
They’re always better when you don’t have any expectations going in. And
I cannot keep up with anything this week, so you get the
Oh, my sweet baby boy isn’t a baby anymore. Being a boy,
You may recall that several weeks ago I had a story rejected
Last night I took Alex to his first orchestra concert. Christian thinks
It’s something that hardly anybody experiences anymore. I go looking for it,
Julianna is getting tired, Alex’s ibuprofin is wearing off, and it’s about
(Is that even a word? Spell-check doesn’t like it.) Last night, Christian
Well, not really. But I wanted to codify the purpose and focus
On Thursday night, just at dark, I finished the back yard. This
Alex made up his first story today. We had just come home
I’m finding myself in a strange position the last few days. Strange
Part A: Rejoicing Yesterday as the kids were playing in the living
My husband tells this joke that he calls “The Three Beers.” The
…I wanted to share a family picture. Not the most picture perfect
Two days ago, Alex, fearless explorer, discovered tigers in his bedroom. And
The last week has been a real zoo…stomach virus, Triduum, no sleep
Last week, there was a big story (quickly shoved to second place
When Julianna was born, it didn’t take long for us to understand
This was posted this morning on the Columbia Daily Tribune website: http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/Mar/20080308Feat001.asp
Scene: Basi home. Alex comes up the stairs, burdened down by a
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roewb-FxHM0&rel=1] There’s a clip on an old Sesame Street video that we’ve
It’s an oddity of writing that in the gray, purple heart of
It is the 23rd of February and I don’t think it’s gotten
I have been entirely too gloom and doom lately about my daughter’s
This is a really thoughtful column on the strengths and weaknesses of
Lately we’ve been discussing how long to wait before we try to
— “Mommy, did God gave you an Alex to chew on?”
This morning, Julianna grabbed a cloth napkin from the table beside her
I just joined the Arbor Day Foundation. Did you know you can
Alex and Mommy during flute (or voice) lessons! Nuff said. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yvHWyvexZA&rel=1]
My mother-in-law and I spent last evening decorating a “1-2-3-4” cake filled
In the Eye of the Beholder: a celebration of a year “…no
And then there are those moments when you shake your head in
They say that if you’re going to have a successful blog—one that
You wouldn’t know I have “so much to say” based on the
In the last month, I have had to come to terms with
There’s this really annoying pharmacy ad that plays at this time of
“Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow,For babies grow up, I’ve learned,
Nov. 1, 2007All Saints Day Last night, Christian and I took Alex
This afternoon, at last, I went down to the creek behind the
There is no machine cooler than the combine. I’ve known that since
At the National Down Syndrome Congress convention in Kansas City at the
I am so glad that I am not in school anymore…but there
This review came to me weeks ago. But in my defense, I
These days, I do a lot of my writing longhand. Yes, like
Last night, the kids went to bed by 8:30. Yes, that was
“O Lord, our God, how glorious is your name over all the
Last night, 1 a.m., and the house is quiet. The windows are
So tonight is our first, official, “we’re-moved-in” night here at our new
I’ve been tagged by Michelle Chambers to tell you 8 things about
With gas prices at the level they are, everybody’s thinking about the
It’s been a good week. We listed the house, sold the house,
April 2, 2007 So far, my blogging has mostly been about Julianna.
For the first four and a half weeks of her life, Julianna
For all you medical types out there, can you tell me why
Do you ever feel like you are crisis-hopping? Since Julianna was born,
I’m five weeks postpartum, and I’m wearing my own jeans. There, that’s