Hi there!
I am Catholic wife, speaker, writer, Louisiana Southern belle, and mother of six children ages 13 to brand-new. I’ve been blogging here since 2009, but in June 2023 I moved my blog over to Substack; you can read and subscribe here.
I’m an introvert who took 32 years to figure out she hadn’t gotten the short end of the stick. I like my espresso with cream and my fiction Jane Austen. I have deep devotions to the Sacred Heart, St. Joseph, Our Lady, and Divine Mercy. I started a blog, Humble Handmaid, back in 2009, and over the years and in different seasons, my ministry has included speaking, retreats, blogging, podcasting, and radio. You can head over to my Speaking page to see a list of my upcoming speaking engagements, as well as learn how to listen to me on the radio. 🙂Â
So what’s my Story?
After a short-lived modeling career in New York City, I went back to college and promptly met my future husband at a Christian summer camp in North Carolina. Michael and I were married in 2008. Michael can build anything, carries the Fun Dad card full-time, and has bad luck with arm injuries. Michael and I are currently the National Couple responsible for the English-speaking Domestic Church movement in the United States. We don’t have marriage all figured out, but our story is hands-down proof that your marriage has as much potential as God has power.Â
Until 2020, I was a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom. I drove a big white 12 passenger van. Michael and I were active in the Polish marriage movement we helped bring to our diocese. I had spent the first 12 years of marriage and motherhood learning lessons like how to lean into a growing season, how to pray with my husband, how to not hate NFP, and how to celebrate that we all give our children different gifts.Â
Since 20, life looks a little different around our house. These days Michael and I run carpools for three different schools. I work full time outside the home. I drive an old SUV–which we’ve filled to capacity since adding the the sweetest baby boy on the block to our crew in October 2022. And Michael is almost on the other side of recovering from a small engine plane crash.
They say that a person’s ministry is most often in the area where he or she has suffered the most. I think that’s why trust is the major theme of my ministry.
A plane crash wasn’t the only plot twist I never saw coming. Have I mentioned that two of my youngest boys are just shy of Irish twins, and are a double-handful of knife stories, escape attempts, and weird things I’ve had to disinfect?Â
Or that early on in marriage, we had to live with my parents for two years (with three young children in tow) while getting back on our feet after my husband almost cut off his arm in a chainsaw accident?
Or that Michael and I have started and closed three small businesses together over the years?Â
I’ve learned that God writes straight with crooked lines, and that the hardest year of your life can end up being a year of favor.Â
Every spiritual and practical tool I’ve learned over the years to help me find and maintain peace in Christ point to these three words: Trust, Ponder, and Receive.Â
Through His grace, and after the example of our Blessed Mother:
Trust in the goodness of God,
Ponder life with God;Â
Receive in faith the will of God.
It’s as simple as that, and as working-on-this-all-my-life as that. Â
He will keep in perfect peace those who trust in Him.
Isaiah 26:3