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Up on the Housetop
I must have been about 5 or 6 that Christmas Eve. My grandmother was spending the night so she could wake up with all of us on Christmas morning. To make sure that Grandma had a bed, my oldest sister...
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Living with Hope (and Butter on the Counter)
I love making cookies, especially at Christmastime. But I can’t always find the time to bake. Sometimes in the morning as I look ahead at the day, I think maybe, just maybe, I’ll have time to make...
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A Tale of Two Gifts
Every year on Christmas night, we go to my parents’ house for food and gifts and other fun. This year, my three sisters were there, along with my brother-in-law, five nieces, and five nephews. It was a...
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Gold pants
When I was a teenager, my mother and sisters and I loved to go shopping together. No matter where we went or what was on our list, we were always looking for a deal. Every now and then, we would drive...
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New Year, Sorta New Goal
2024 was so full. It was a year of incredible milestones. Our younger son finished eighth grade and started high school. His older brother helped his marching band bring home a national championship....
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5 Reasons to Love St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
As a child growing up in Baltimore, I remember learning about Mother Seton. We were especially proud of this new saint, who had a connection to our hometown. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was not only the...
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Best By Today
This weekend we started going through our pantry. The plan was to find the items we weren’t eating and donate them to the food pantry at church. What we discovered is that we have plenty of soy sauce,...
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Ask for What You Need
The other night I was picking up our son from a high school mixer. As he walked up to our car, I noticed he was holding a pizza box. He climbed into the car and casually slid the pizza onto the...
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Cherish the Time
I was unloading my cart at the grocery store checkout what I noticed the woman in line behind me. She was smiling as I filled the conveyor belt with produce and cereal, noodles and meats, milk and...
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Lunar New Year: This Year Takes the Snake (Cake)
This time of the year can have a gray dreariness to it, and this winter could win awards for that. Around here, clusters of dirty snow are still melting away, and there is talk of more ice later this...
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That First Communion Joy
Our twin nephews made their First Communion this weekend, and I was so excited for them. There is something so wonderful about watching children encounter God in a new way. The day took me back to our...
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Breakfast Casserole Time
When my sister reached out to tell me she had scheduled my nephews’ First Communion, I told her we would be there. “We will discuss my breakfast casserole later,” I texted back. “Not sure what there is...
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This little (broken) light of mine
About a month ago, I noticed that the light on our stove that tells us the surface is hot was always lit. It glowed red night and day, regardless of the temperature of the burners. Nothing lasts...
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Question on a busy morning
It was another busy school day. I was filling thermoses and water bottles, serving breakfast and packing lunch, and pouring coffee and tea. Devices were charging, and our pet birds were chirping for...
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What’s for dinner?
When I was growing up in the 1980s, my mother started using recipes from vegetarian cookbooks. My mother is an exceptional cook, and many of those meals became family favorites. A steaming pasta and...
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Button up this Lent
The other day, I realized I was running ahead of schedule on my way to school pick-up, so I stopped for gas. I slid the pump into the side of the car and then took a quick walk around the car. Dozens...
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An Unforgettable Lesson
We were a little early pulling up for school drop-off, and I was more than a little proud. “Look at us,” I said. “We really have this down.” But as my son was getting out of the car, he realized he had...
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The people who bring Jesus to us
The other day when my son and I went to Mass, one of my Jesuit friends was the celebrant. He visits our parish to say Mass every few weeks, and I’m always excited to see him. When it came time for...
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A gender reveal party and the Annunciation
Several weeks ago, I found out that one of my colleagues is expecting a baby. I was so excited for her. Last week several of us gathered for a regularly scheduled work lunch. And because my colleague...
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All that we offer
When I make beef vegetable soup, I am incapable of making the right amount for our family of four. We always end up with extra. So, after I made a pot of soup this week, I texted my sister to see if...
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