Before I even opened my eyes this morning, I crossed things off my list: Christmas cards addressed and mailed; gifts mailed; local gifts purchased; St. Nicholas Day festivities finished; the feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass, teatime and craft; Our…

I am told by kind readers that it’s been quite awhile since I last wrote. In all honesty, time has stood still in my life. The baby we expected in December was born in October. Her birth was traumatic and she…

Once upon a time, about 16 years ago, when I first contemplated writing a regular column, I worried that I’d run out of things about which to write. A seasoned columnist told me that once a person starts writing, she…

We’re having a bit of an issue with chores around here lately. Our days are really long and my pregnant self is pretty tired when I go upstairs to give the little ones baths and put them to bed. So,…

I’ve noticed a trend lately, as I sit in waiting rooms of various medical offices with various children. There is a quest out there for simplicity. According to magazine covers, we want simple meals and simply cleaned homes. We want…

Her voice splits the night and jolts me from bed.

“I’m right here, Kara mia, I’m right here.”

Karoline is sick and needy these days. She is clinging to me constantly, pressing a hot, limp body against mine and holding on as…

I got a note from a young mom the other day. She’s in her mid-20s, with four children and she’s really got me thinking. I told her that I think she is a lot like me. She wants to do the…

I ran into an old acquaintance at a party last weekend. It had been about a year since I’d last seen her and I was delighted to meet her again. She’s always been a warm woman, who seemed to love…

There is an adage that advises a young person to choose to work at a job he loves and he’ll never work a day in his life. It’s one of those sayings that is cloaked in shades of gray. The…

Last year, I planted roses. I planted two varieties, six bushes in all. Three of the bushes were white roses called John Paul II. The other three were Our Lady of Guadalupe roses — beautiful pink roses that bloomed abundantly…