November 7, 2008
November 7, 2008
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The Dress: A Thought

These past couple of days I’ve been having a private exchange with a friend — a Catholic convert and editor, like myself — who has shall we say a pointedly different perspective on the election.  Although I took exception to some of her comments, and in the end chose not to post them here (note my nifty new “comments” box in the sidebar), I decided to interpret her comments though the lens of friendship … and take what I could from them. Which brings me to the topic of this post: the dress. When I first saw what Mrs. Obama chose to wear on election […]
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November 6, 2008
November 6, 2008
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A Heart of Reverence

This morning “Catholic Exchange” is running one of my articles, called A Heart of Reverence. Whether the adoration is engendered within a marriage, or with God, many of the same elements apply: a wholehearted, intentional decision to offer all we are and have to another. It is our ability to enter in to this kind of intimacy and safety that gives us the strength we need to negotiate the other — scarier — relationships of life. Posted using ShareThis
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November 5, 2008
November 5, 2008
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Wee Cook Wednesday: Best-Ever Brownies

This recipe seemed particularly apt today … Those of us (myself among them) who are feeling down about last night, well the chocolate will boost that endorphin level!  And Governor Palin, if you’re reading this, know that this is one mother who still thinks you’re extraordinary, and if I had to do it all again I’d STILL vote for you!  I have a hard time finding the right words — it’s just too sad — so I’ll turn you to this lovely tribe I found, courtesy of Sarah Reinhard, by Carter Clews at GetLiberty.com. This morning at “Aussie Coffee Shop,” Therese also offers some consoling […]
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November 3, 2008
November 3, 2008
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Mighty Mom Mondays: Lessons Grandma Taught Me

As is our custom here at EMN, Sarah has chimed in with her weekly post of wisdom and took this month’s EMN Carnival on extraordinary moms to a whole new level! To catch more of Mighty Mom, go to her blog “My Wonderful Life.” Thank you, Sarah!!!   My Grandma taught me … To speak softly and carry a big jar of cookies. The amount of time it takes to put on a pair of knee-highs and keds is exactly equal to the amount of time it takes to start a conversation that’ll last all day. There is never any reason to be jealous, for you will […]
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November 2, 2008
November 2, 2008
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A Miracle: Urgent Prayer Request Update!

So close to Election Day, I thought you might appreciate this gentle reminder of the amazing power of prayer.  Two days ago, I received this request from Theresa Garcia at “Apostolate of Hannah’s Tears” on behalf of her friend Marie de Gessler. Dearest friends, I am asking you for your special urgent prayers. Many of you know that in Mexico the new conservative president has declared a war against the drug cartels. Because of that the drug dealers cannot do their business as “usual”. Now in order to keep with their expenses they are kidnapping people left and right. Many people that I know have been kidnapped at gun point and […]
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October 31, 2008
October 31, 2008
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EMN Carnival: Thanks, Mom!

Congratulations to Kate Wicker, who presents the winning entry for this month’s EMN “Moms we love” contest! Her entry, entitled My Nana, is posted at Momopoly. In my favorite bit in the post, Kate recalls asking her grandmother “how she did it.” “Did what?” Nana asked. “Had nine kids,” I said. Like duh. “Oh honey, if God gives you rabbits, He gives you grass,” was her response. Clearly, Nana was of the God Family Planning mindset. God plans families; couples don’t. Lori in “Dakotacityquilter” writes: “My mother taught me to accept gifts graciously and always thank the giver–whether it was something we wanted or not!!  And she […]
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October 30, 2008
October 30, 2008
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Bad Endings: When Choices Break Our Hearts

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about choices. The ones we make (and wish we hadn’t); the ones we didn’t (but wish we had). The ones that hurt no one but ourselves … and those with far-reaching consequences that hurt the least deserving. For example, “Orphans Hope” reports that if all the parentless children of the world stood shoulder to shoulder, they would circumnavigate the globe three times. (In most cases parents do not choose to leave behind young children — these choices are more complex and indirect, in the form of cultural and global indifference, complacency, and greed.) Happily, many couples are responding to this overwhelming need by stretching the borders of their families, […]
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October 29, 2008
October 29, 2008
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First the IEP … Then What?

Today I stumbled on this “Hands and Voices” article by Karen Putz about what you need to do after your child’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan) is drawn up. “It’s time to bring out the bottle of champagne, right? Not quite! In effect, your work has just begun.” Written from the perspective of a deaf parent of a dead/hard-of-hearing child, the information is easily applied to children with other challenges. In a nutshell: Implementation is as important as preparation.  Check out Karen’t blog “A Deaf Mom Shares Her World.”
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October 28, 2008
October 28, 2008
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Sweet-Smelling Tushies … and Other Small Miracles

I’d like to introduce you to Deborah Nicherson at Pipecleaner Dreams.  This single mother of four special needs kids became an overnight hero to one special needs family when she gave away a BidetSpa toilet seat on her contest at “Five Minutes for Special Needs.” Of course, in a very real way, Deborah was already a hero. At “Disaboom,” Karen Putz tells the story of Deborah’s battle with her daughter’s school  to give her daughter the year-round schooling she desperately needed. What I loved most about the toilet set story is that it reminds us all of an important principle of special needs parenting: You gotta stick together. In this case, one special mom was […]
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