Cabin Fever

Is anyone else sick of winter? Are your loved ones, especially pint-sized loved ones, driving you a bit bonkers? We've been a little stir-crazy in our house, and it has been difficult to stay cool and collected at times. Most of those times are when Monica is bouncing off the walls. What we all need is a good romp at the park, but with nearly a foot of snow on the ground, that is a ways off. So, as always, patience is key, and little reminders on the basics of loving little ones is also helpful. I found this article on 9 Simple Ways to Make Your Child Feel Special right around Valentine's day, and it has been a great reminder that little things--like cuddles, loving words, and letting little ones help around the house--go a long way in restoring love and order where toddlers are concerned.

Monica is now at the age where she likes to scribble and draw and help with projects. She especially enjoys Do-A-Dot markers (She'll say "Monica wants to do Dooadah!), which are basically sponge-tipped bingo markers scaled down for little people. The markers and a Do-A-Dot book were a Christmas present from Aunt Beth and Uncle Marty and they are a hit! We used to have to sit next to her to help her push down on the marker, encourage her to make more than two dots with one color, and keep her from Do-A-Dotting her mouth, her clothes and the furniture. It took about half of the coloring book for Monica to find her stride, but now she can sit at the table on her own and produce fabulous works like the little garden scene below. This is particularly exciting for me because I LOVE craftiness and projects and I would LOVE to include Monica in some of my crafty pursuits. Granted, knitting and quilting and jewelry making may be a few years away, but every step counts!

Happy Earth Day!

"Building up a culture of life is the single most important way to build a culture that respects the environment.” -Brian Burch, President of CatholicVote.org Education Fund

Happy Fifth Anniversary Kevin!

These five years have been full of growth, change, and fun! I hope and pray there are many more.



Thank you for helping me to become a better wife, a better mother, and a better woman. I love you!

The Bridegroom and His Brides

I just got back from the mass celebrating the first profession of vows for 14 religious sisters who are continuing their journey with the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. After the sisters made their vows, they received a blessed veil. After going back to the sacristy to put on their veils, they came out with the most radiant, beautiful smiles-like 14 brides who had just pledged their love and life to their bridegroom. And that is truly what happened! These women pledged their love and life in the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to Jesus Christ for as longas they live. That is a radical response to a radical call.

Bishop Daniel Flores, an auxilary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit celebrated the mass. He said in his homily that the world has not given up the notion of a single-minded life, but it has given up hope that a single-minded life is actually possible. That really resonated with me. There is so much to choose from and filter in this world overflowing with activity, information and images on the internet, television, in the mall, and in the workplace. Even in my life at home, I feel tugged at by the dishes, unpacked boxes, laundry, painting, the dog, my husband, the phone, and our baby growing inside me that demands food, sleep, and the restroom at some inopportune times. But when I see these women who are willing to give it all, body and soul, to the call to be a religious sister, I am reminded that a single-minded life devoted to Christ IS possible and worth striving for.

Back and Crazier Than Ever!

So, it's been a while...again. And, once again, I have a real excuse for keeping you all in suspense about the everyday antics of Andrea and Kevin.

Not only are we expecting a baby, we are now also on the move! We are both from Michigan, met in Michigan at the University of Michigan, and still have family in Michigan, so needless to say, we are still tied to Michigan! And, because of these ties, Kevin applied for and took a job in the Wolverine State. We made this decision last Wednesday night. It was, hands down, the toughest decision we've made as a married couple, aside from deciding what video to rent any given weekend night.

We spent much of last weekend cleaning and decluttering so we can get the house on the market--not to mention much of the last few nights laying in bed with To Dos and What Ifs running through our minds! I don't regret the decision to take the job, but the past five days have been rather stressful. At times, all I can see is all that needs to happen for us to move to Michigan and be settled-getting the house on the market, selling the house, buying a new house... Last night, the logistics and fear brought some tears, but I am blessed to have a husband who brings great comfort in reminding me of why we want to move in the first place: the people that we love the most-our parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, and friends. Nothing can take the place of people you love!

We have also confronted the sadness of leaving our New York friends, the cutest Cape Cod home ever, and the Adirondacks. There have been times in the past few years when all I wanted to do was "go home." Now, I see how much God has given us here, and I am sad to leave.

In the midst of pregnancy, moodiness, moving, and stress, I pray that I will keep these words in the forefront of my mind:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Il Papa

We're back from NYC, and the papal mass was truly awesome! A very grace-filled time was had by all. I will post pictures soon, though they are not as great as some you may find on the web. Here are a few of photos I found on another blog:







I also want to pass along this quote from said blog. It really summed up my experience:

"...in this one place and time, people in this stadium are bursting forth with a simple, and may I say, very palpable feeling of joy at being Catholic."

Thought of the Day for You

The title of this blog post is also the title of a little note that Kevin wrote to me while we were studying in college, before we even started dating. I had recently broken up with my boyfriend, who happened to be his good friend. Knowing I was feeling down about the situation, Kevin wrote me a note with that title, and this Shakespeare quote from a A Midsummer Night's Dream:

"The course of true love never did run smooth."

Little did he know how loaded that note really was! A few months later we started to date. Nearly three years later, we were married.

And our love story continues...

You're one in a million, Valentine

What says "I love you" more than sweets and flowers on Valentine's Day?

Well, I'm sure there are other things that say I love you, but hey, is Valentine's Day for sugar and beautiful blooms, or what?

Love in Action

Thank you Kev! I love you too.