It was the Eve of the Feast of the Assumption when I got an unexpected positive pregnancy test. I’ve been pregnant every year since 2012 and my youngest child is only ten months old. While I felt joy and excitement that I would get to know and love another tiny human, I had all sorts […]
The Ultimate Birth Plan
As I approach the birth of my third baby I feel a sense of profound peace about it— but that’s not what I felt the first time around. The Internet is full of all sorts of helpful (but somewhat overwhelming) information about little birthing details like cord clamping and skin-to-skin contact. Now, I’m grateful for […]
First Trimester Salad
I’m just trying to survive. That’s always been my mantra during the first trimester of pregnancy which has always been fairly rough for me. This one has been particularly rough as I try to adequately feed, nurture, referee, and entertain two rambunctious toddler boys. I pretty much always feel like curling up in bed and sleeping […]
Faith in Reality
Our culture often treats faith as synonymous with delusion. At Christmas time we see the word, “believe,” written in whimsical font and we’re not really sure whether it’s referring to Santa or Jesus or whatever-makes-you-happy. This can make people with honest religious faith feel insecure about that faith. When so many beliefs really are delusions […]
When Birth Is Imperfect
My first baby was born “naturally,” but just barely. I had done all the prep— “natural” OBGYN practice, deep breathing exercises, prenatal yoga/massage, three page birth plan. I had watched the enlightening and terrifying “The Business of Being Born” and I knew I didn’t want the big bad hospital corporations stealing my beautiful, instinctual motherhood experience. […]
How to Expect When You’re Expecting
With each of our pregnancies, my husband and I have had a difficult time treating the life inside me like it actually was a life. I don’t mean that we have ever believed that it wasn’t — just that the feelings don’t seem to come naturally. It is not always easy to actually treat a […]
