• I made it thirty-seven years as a coffee virgin. It may have been our third child that pushed me over. While I’m hardly a connoisseur, I am now a fan. I’ve always been a fan of companies that embrace good design and have a sense of humor. So I was delighted to discover Catholic Coffee, […]

  • The kids and I watched the livestream of the Rite of Ordination of Priests held today at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee. Nine men were ordained!  (This happens to be the biggest ordination class for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 30 years, Praise the Lord!) Oh MY, what a beautiful gift it […]

  • Sixteen years ago I celebrated my first Mother’s Day, being just a few months pregnant with “Uncle Ben” (this was our funny little nickname for the baby I carried). When I first learned I was pregnant, the website said the baby at this early stage was the size of a piece of rice. This inspired […]

  • As a work-at-home, homeschool Mom, who runs a business with her husband, I’m always in search of peace. ALWAYS! Plus, as an Enneagram 9w8, I’m a bit of a peace junkie. I literally can’t get enough. You’ve heard of “Tuesdays with Morrie”? We have Tuesdays with Jesus. … in Eucharistic Adoration. 🙏🏻 (Not familiar with […]

  • The movie Unsung Hero is a true story about a family who lost everything and moved from Australia to the United States in search of opportunity. With six kids and no prospects, the Smallbone family comes together and learns to pray for what they need and give thanks for what they receive. They begin posting […]

  • I felt the tears coming. Oh man. 😝 It took extreme focus to simultaneously savor the beauty I was witnessing and not ugly cry right there. I have attended a lot of First Communions in my lifetime of being a Catholic, but today it all felt different. Today, I found myself standing behind the altar […]

  • A professional giver. I’m not sure it’s something anyone aspires to when they are a little kid. A professional athlete or musician? Sure. But a professional giver? Is that even a thing? I first heard the term a few years ago from my mentor, Noah, who was challenging Kim and me to take things to the […]

  • One of the main reasons I wrote the book Must Be Nice is because I compare myself to other people all the time. Social media exacerbates this, but honestly, I don’t need anybody’s help. I compare myself to other speakers, other artists, and authors. Both dead and alive. I compare myself and my house and my yard […]

  • Batman is my favorite superhero. Wait, no, I think it’s Spiderman. Or maybe it’s Ironman? There’s something about superheroes that capture our imagination. The compelling backstories, colorful costumes, and superhuman powers all play a role. But I think the deeper connection is the virtue they embody and the example they set for us. Superheroes stand […]

  • We’ve experienced some traumatic events in our life recently. And on the days that are immediately in the midst of it all, I have found comfort and strength praying the same one word prayer over and over, a calming rhythmic prayer, repeating the name of Jesus. Over and over and over and over and over. […]