The emails come well before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Today, a man’s career can be all-consuming and a threat to parenting.  Sons need fathers glued to them, not to their iPhone. Our sons need time, love and discipline.  

Children are gifts from God whom we are to love unconditionally. Each child should grow up with as much love, respect and dignity as any other sibling receives. 

In your own life, do you recall a specific moment that God sheltered you with love?  I am a believer, and I know wholeheartedly that God loves me.  His love for me is a constant in my life.  

My neighborhood is like many others in Greater New Orleans: a mix of old and new homes, old and young residents.  When we were first married and in our first house, I would run or cycle almost every day in the early morning hours. 

Our new baby is due in January, right after the new year, and one question everybody seems to ask is, “Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?” The answer is, “Not yet.” Most often, we get the response of, “Why? Don’t you want to know?” 

Not long ago, I noticed the lady in line behind me at the grocery. She had two young boys seated in the front of her cart, who looked like brothers, about 3 and 4 years old. They were playfully shoving each other and giggling. 

A daily difficulty I face is turning off work. My life, what I do and how I need to think and operate does a 180-degree flip as soon as I walk through my doors.

So many teachable moments happen in the car. Whether it’s carpooling to school or sports practice, packing up the family for a scheduled vacation to the beach, or a less-fun “hurrication” trip out of town, we love to take advantage of the time together to grow closer to God and each other.

This month, my family was gifted a new book, and we love books! This one is special because as a Catholic mom, I am always looking for resources to make going to Mass as a family a little easier. Bringing all five children to Mass each Sunday is an aerobic activity, which leaves my husband and me wondering sometimes if we are really getting what we need out of it; but that is for another blog post.

Next time you feel strongly about making a quick decision, take a minute to ask yourself why.The fact that you feel strongly should actually give you pause. A strong feeling that leads to a quick decision may feel like the right choice, but think again.

Before each house hunt, like many, the most important criteria for me has been location, but probably for a different reason than most.“Where can I get to by foot?” was the question that loomed in the back of my mind each and every time. 

Attention boutique owners! Now that I have got your attention, I have a dire request: Can you please keep dresses that are appropriate for tweens and teens to wear to church in your inventory?

It is something we all do. Sit down to watch a beloved old sitcom or movie from childhood, only to realize, “Oh, that’s what they were talking about.” Blessedly, some comedic themes and jokes were written cleverly to go over the heads of children in ’80s and ’90s television entertainment. The same can be said for positive messages, too. One rainy afternoon sitting down to watch one of my childhood family favorites, “Mary Poppins,” one particular line stuck out to me. In the scene where Mary Poppins gives Jane and Michael the medicine after being caught out in the rain, the children ask for more. Mary Poppins swiftly responds with, “Enough is as good as a feast.” I have seen “Mary Poppins” countless times from childhood into adulthood, yet, I never even heard that line until I was in my mid-30s and a mother of little children. The Holy Spirit must have been inspiring that particular viewing, because since hearing it, I have often repeated it to my children and even myself in various situations.

One day, my son had a bad day at school. It was his first year at a new school since moving to New Orleans, and he had some struggles finding the right group of friends to hang out with. It took a lot of adjustment. We had good days and we had bad days, but this day was particularly rough for him. After picking him up from school, he got in the car and cried. I hugged him and told him it was OK. I was lost wondering how I could help my son feel better. I put my car in park and sat silently praying. I then received some inspiration from our Lord telling me to go visit him. I put my car in drive and parked at the church next to his school and walked him to the front doors of the adoration chapel.

Yesterday, as my oldest child studied Spanish, she stated, “Did you know God speaks every language?” It is quite possibly one of the most beautiful things she has said. In that statement, she proved that God is universal, all loving, all understanding and all knowing.