by marybeth | Feb 14, 2023 | Family, Marriage, Parenthood
My husband and I got caught in a moment the other day, and I hope that and many moments like it stay with my daughter. It all started with me walking into my closet to grab a sweater as the house was chilly in the morning. Our closet is connected to the laundry room,...
by marybeth | Dec 13, 2020 | Family, Life, Marriage, Parenthood, Reflections, Special Needs
It is early, or late, depending on your perspective. I have held another vigil caring for my family and I am empty. I’ve not slept in my own bed through the whole night in weeks. While grateful for the space in this big home of ours, it feels like I am crashing in...
by marybeth | Jul 6, 2020 | Family, Life, Marriage, Parenthood, Reflections
Every morning when my children come down the stairs; my younger ones carrying a blanket or stuffed animal and my older ones searching for their first cup of coffee, I make an effort to stop what I am doing and reach out to them physically and emotionally. I embrace...
by marybeth | Jun 15, 2020 | Family, Life, Marriage, Parenthood, Reflections, Special Needs
The slippery slope of comparing our lives robs us of the beauty of the suffering moment. I’m wishing upon a star tonight. Leaning on the edge of my deck looking into the bright country sky where God displays his artistry, I sense his presence. Perhaps it’s not a star...
by marybeth | Oct 6, 2019 | Family, Life, Marriage, Parenthood
Published in the Catholic Times, October, 6th 2019 We didn’t expect for it to end up this way. Twenty-two years, eight children, and a life lived so deeply that the everyday beauty and suffering of it is at times both blinding and brilliant. We met as college...
by marybeth | Dec 31, 2018 | Marriage, Reflections
He saw me before I saw him, but once I heard his voice my eyes lit up, my smile grew wide and my heart lifted. I ran across the airport into his arms and we embraced as if this were a young love. His arms are my shelter. His scent is balm to my soul. His heart, so...