I wrote this piece back in November 2009 for my first blog. I had served for the first time as a Eucharistic Minister at Mass. It was a humbling and moving experience. In the years that have passed, serving as a Eucharistic Minister has continued to be a humbling and moving experience for me. My arms are often full with little ones and so I … Continue reading A Beggar’s Hands
This is a very personal and painful post for me to share with the world. I put my heart completely in your hands today as I share with you pictures of our son William in a way I have never shared before. I have prayed over the decision to share this and I hope that he will help bring light and understanding to those who read … Continue reading Protecting Our Human Cubs: A Reflection on Cecil the Lion and Planned Parenthood
I don’t think I will ever forget the day I found out I was pregnant with Leo. I recall the overwhelming feeling of joy and fear mixed so thoroughly together. To know that I was pregnant so soon after almost losing my life with Jake and after being counseled to never have another child again, was terrifying. But, as I stood there, shaking and crying, … Continue reading For the Love of Leo
After Mass today we stopped at the cemetery to see William. Today is his birthday. We gathered around his grave and one of the kids asked if we could sing Happy Birthday. And so, we sang. Afterward, we prayed as a family. We talked abut how old William would be had he lived and a couple of the little ones asked me if I thought … Continue reading Singing Happy Birthday to Heaven
Dear Mrs. McSpadden, I’m sure you are wondering why I am writing to you. You may wonder what we have in common. After all I am a white woman living in the rural south, I am a stay at home mother to 11 children, and I homeschool. I am also married to a police officer. It may seem that we are worlds apart, both in … Continue reading From One Mother to Another: A Letter to Mrs. McSpadden
About a month and a half ago I was driving to Mass. It was a Saturday evening. We typically don’t go to church on Saturday, we prefer going on Sunday, but this particular Mass would be to celebrate the graduating seniors in our parish. I wanted to be there to honor their accomplishments and to tell them how proud I was of them. As a … Continue reading Jesus in Disguise?
To say that this journey to this point has been hard is an understatement. We have worried and prayed, cried and rejoiced. When we first found out I was pregnant with Leo it was hard to even imagine this day and yet here we are. Leo turns one years old today! I can’t begin to tell you how blessed I feel to be able to … Continue reading The Miracle of Leonidas
A sweet group of Catholic friends of mine like to share each week the things their toddlers did during Mass. I suppose it’s like a mini support group for moms of little ones who may (or may not) have lost their little bitty minds while in Mass. We all know that our kids’ behavior can be downright mortifying and can make us want to crawl … Continue reading Tales From the Pews
Remembering the joy that we felt as we held little Leo in our arms for the first time as well as the relief that our worries were over… this is the letter I sent out to family and friends announcing the birth of our son and the miracle that we were blessed with. I look with great anticipation to his birthday coming in just a little … Continue reading A Miracle
Originally written on November 26, 2012. It was a very difficult day. There aren’t many days in my life that I have felt truly alone or abandoned, but this was one of them. There is an elephant in the room and it’s amazing to see how people react to it. That elephant in the room is me. As you know I have asked you to … Continue reading The Elephant in the Room
tales from the side of the tub 