My iced latte this afternoon is delicious. The hum of conversations, soft jazz, and the tapping of my laptop keys is a special kind of music to my ears. I'm by myself at my favorite local coffee shop. It's Mother's Day.:) I asked Michael for a few hours away today to write. I've been wanting to ... Read More about You Think You Know Where Your Story is Going, and Then a Pandemic Hits, and God Says, “About That…”
Humble Handmaid
Why “begin again” is the motto every Catholic mom should have
Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash I felt the front of my linen apron grow warm and heavy against my skin as my two year old poured a bath toy filled with soapy water down my front. The almost-four-year-old laughed hysterically. I reeled back into the present moment. I was kneeling ... Read More about Why “begin again” is the motto every Catholic mom should have
New to Homeschooling? This Will Calm Your Heart
I've lost count of how many friends, family and acquaintances will be venturing into homeschooling this fall. Families have every reason under the sun for choosing homeschooling, but the pandemic has definitely added many new ones. This post isn't a manifesto on why homeschooling is the best ... Read More about New to Homeschooling? This Will Calm Your Heart
Miss my podcast, The Right Heart? Here’s a talk I gave recently about my battle with anxiety, insecurity and overwhelm that I think you’ll enjoy
Image by vm campos from Pixabay Even though I haven't released a new episode of The Right Heart Podcast since 2016, I still get emails regularly asking if I am going to ever podcast again, or where the episodes are (they're all right here!) Just so you know: I'd love to podcast again someday. ... Read More about Miss my podcast, The Right Heart? Here’s a talk I gave recently about my battle with anxiety, insecurity and overwhelm that I think you’ll enjoy
10 Simple Ideas to Begin, Boost or Bless Praying with Your Spouse
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay It's been a few days weeks now since the glow of All the Lovely Family Time has worn off a bit for Michael and me. How about you? But honestly, we've had a lot going on over here. A few weeks before quarantine hit our area, Michael broke his arm in a ... Read More about 10 Simple Ideas to Begin, Boost or Bless Praying with Your Spouse
Hey moms, if family life feels chaotic during quarantine, here’s why you’re not doing it all wrong (and a recipe, because cookie dough for one is a thing)
"So Erin," said a Catholic radio morning show host last week, "You're a homeschooling mom of five, so you're a pro at having everyone home with you all the time. What tips can you give all the listeners out there in quarantine suddenly spending all day long with their kids and struggling to get ... Read More about Hey moms, if family life feels chaotic during quarantine, here’s why you’re not doing it all wrong (and a recipe, because cookie dough for one is a thing)
“What made those holes?!”: Knife Stories, Things I’ve Had to Disinfect, and Other Tales of Things My Toddlers Accomplished in Five Minutes
Plunk. Plunk. Plunk. There are sounds you come to know as a mom, sounds made by particular children in particular situations. I sighed. I estimated that in the 15 seconds it had taken me to walk out the bathroom and down the hall to the linen closet for clean towels, Aidan and Roman had ... Read More about “What made those holes?!”: Knife Stories, Things I’ve Had to Disinfect, and Other Tales of Things My Toddlers Accomplished in Five Minutes
5 Powerful Marriage Habits for When You Feel Like You’re Just Roommates Taking Care of the Same Kids
We had been squeezing our loud, messy, homeless family of five into my parents’ modest four bedroom house for several months, and I hoped to God that my parents hadn’t noticed the palpable tension between Michael and me; I hadn't spoken more than three words to or even looked my husband straight in ... Read More about 5 Powerful Marriage Habits for When You Feel Like You’re Just Roommates Taking Care of the Same Kids
A mother is a sailor
I was lying on my couch recently, sort of stress-paralyzed. (Maybe you're familiar with that feeling?) And as I lay there, I felt like the laundry and the dishes and my lesson plans and my to-do list and my bickering children were sort of swirling around me, untamed, leaving me further behind by the ... Read More about A mother is a sailor
Five Spiritual Books that Changed My Life in 2019
This year was a year when God spoke deep healing and peace into my life. He reached me many times through books. It's funny how in some seasons, I can barely find time and energy to shower, let alone read a book! But then the seasons come when there's a little of God making the time and little me ... Read More about Five Spiritual Books that Changed My Life in 2019