These photos are from 2014, taken by my incredibly talented friend, Nancy or Ordinary Miracles Photography. 12 years ago, the judge announced, "It's a boy!" and Riley officially joined the Eschbach family. He had been living with us for a year and a half, so this felt...
I glanced over and noticed the water pitcher on the table. Ripples were calmly lapping against the sides. It was day 2 of homeschool (ever) for my youngest two. Math was not going well. Mrs. Russell, my fourth-grade teacher, taught me to multiply, then add. It made...
When my oldest two kiddos started school, Brian and I would usually have a debrief a few nights before school started. We would talk about being a team, facing the school year, homework challenges, schedule changes, and bedtime routines. It was usually a pep talk for...
My mother and my oldest daughter are teachers. Some of my clearest childhood memories live in the quiet rhythm of late afternoons—collating, stapling, sorting. I can still see my mom walking through the door, a worn blue denim tote on one shoulder and a plastic crate...
We live in a cul-de-sac, in a neighborhood full of kids playing outside and families walking their dogs. It reminds me of the street I grew up on—kids playing the newest version of four square and stepping aside when a car passes by, dogs strolling by with their...
On January 3rd, I gave Riley permission to play at a friend's house. I rarely give him a specific time to be home, but that day, I asked that he be home by 2pm. I looked out the window a few minutes past 2pm and saw Riley and his friend walking back to our house. I...
Surrender. In the classic fashion of how I seem to repeat the Word of the Year, He has laid the word "Surrender" on my heart once again. Somehow I've managed to pick up almost every worry I laid down at His feet. It feels a little different this time. Last year, I...
Dad pulled up to the wedding dress store. "Is this the place?", he asked. "This is it, dad. I'm sorry. I just would really like your opinon." Mom had helped me explain that I had found a dress - but I didn't love it. It was fine. It was beautiful, actually. But I...
When Julia was born, I couldn't stop laughing. I was overcome with so much joy and there was nothing I could do to stop laughing! The next time I experienced that feeling was at the Steubenville Conference when I was healed during Adoration. I began to wonder if i...
I love finding gifts for children that they love playing with and that teach them about our faith! What better way to show them the beauty of the Church that through play?! Catholic Gifts for Children: HeWo - HeWo is The Catholic audio player designed especially for...
Julia's wedding is two weeks away. I'm not sure how we got here so quickly, but here we are! This summer, we went down to Mom and Dad's house. Julia had asked if she could try on my wedding dress - if I still had it. I knew we had sealed it, and I thought it was in...
I decided I wasn't actually an author. The proposal reviewers rejected my book proposal twice officially and a few times unofficially. I am "just a blogger." and I am " just a contributor of a chapter of a book." rolled around in my heart and in my head. And then, one...
Confession on a Wednesday night. Driving down the two-lane road on the way to church, I asked the Holy Spirit to be with us as we drove to reconciliation. My children in the backseat groaned and moaned, peppering me with the usual questions and comments: "Why?" and...
Alarm sounds. Roll to the left. Grab phone. Turn off the alarm. And.... Scroll. This had become my morning routine. Slowly, I had stopped getting out of bed, waking my children, and making breakfast. As they got older, their independence was a gift to my free time. I...
For Christian, Charlotte, Hannah, and Mackenzie... The Methodist Church confirmed me when I was 12. It was a big day, and my sweet friend Mandy gave me a beautiful jar of pot-pourri. She wanted me to remember the sweet grace that was poured out that day. That jar...
Did your Father holler this as he waved goodbye on the driveway? Mine did. I can see him waving with one hand and holding mom's hand with the other. He would holler 'Check the oil' as I pulled away - to high school, to Texas A&M, to Wendy's for my summer job, and...
My dear Kelly, Your birthday card is sitting on the table in the entryway; a pale pink envelope waiting to be mailed. (2018 - Kelly and her beautiful mama). You turned 60 and celebrated in Santa Barbara with friends and family. I decided to wait to mail it until you...
This weekend mom and dad drove up to celebrate her birthday! We had such a wonderful time and it was altogether too short. If I had been more organized, I would have asked my dear friend, Leslie, to plan the tea, but the date crept up on me. My mom collects tea cups....
My garden is a ragamuffin group this year. When Riley came home for a visit this spring, he helped me plan the raised beds and he suggested making homemake pickles. I yelled "brilliant!" and we piled in the van to the local tractor supply for seeds. While Riley was in...
How are you?! No really. Summer has a tendency to bring out the extremes - hungry, tired, hot, impatient... If I'm not careful, I can be swept from one emotion to another and live the day in a constant state of damage control. The schedule has helped so much. It has...
A few weeks ago I was having lunch with a dear friend. We were talking about summer and she shared that she had created a daily schedule. "This is brilliant!", I thought and lamented that I wasn't more organized. I asked her if she would be open to sharing it with me...