Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

Thanksgiving leftovers with plenty of gratitude: 7 Quick Tastes

November 24, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

It was all fun, and there is leftover pie for today. What more can anyone expect from Thanksgiving?

Being thankful even when it’s difficult

November 22, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Feature, Open Window

It’s easy to be grateful in the happy moments, when the turkey and stuffing are on the table and a fresh pumpkin pie awaits. But can we also be grateful in the sadder times?

Gift of gratitude

November 21, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church

Gratitude doesn’t always come easily, but there’s almost always something to be thankful for, though it can take time to see it.

When you just can’t get enough pumpkin: A pumpkin cookie recipe

November 20, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window, Recipes

With a pumpkin cookie in hand, how can you feel anything but grateful?

Week in My Life 2017: Sunday

November 19, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window, Uncategorized

Our 7-year-old climbs into bed next to me, and I know I should get up. But he wants to make conversation, and I can never get enough of that.

Week in My Life 2017: Saturday

November 18, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Saturday starts as all Saturdays do, with children who bound out of bed before their parents do—a good sign since we were at the pediatrician’s office yesterday.

Week in My Life 2017: Friday

November 17, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Our children are off today, so the morning starts with a sense of calm. There are no lunches to pack, no last-minute homework assignments to do, no field trip forms to forget.

Birthday celebrating, toy shopping, and doing more holy things today (7 Quick Takes)

November 17, 2017
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

I’m chronicling our daily lives on the blog this week in the Week in My Life challenge, so I could probably have given myself a break from 7 quick takes.