Conversation and a cup of tea July 3, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church When I mention my sister’s baby girl, her eyes light up with pleasure. A few minutes later when she asks about my sister, she is surprised – and ecstatic – to hear that she has a baby.
Summer in full swing, snowballs, and socializing at kids’ birthday parties (7 Quick Takes) June 30, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window ~1~ With 12 full weeks between the end of one school year and the start of the next, we have a carefully woven tapestry of sitters and camps and time hanging at home with my husband and me. This week included Bible Camp, and the boys had even more fun than they expected to—though I […]
Waiting on our hydrangea and learning a lesson in patience June 28, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window What is it about hydrangeas? I can’t say they’re my favorite flowers because I’ve said that about azaleas and forsythia and roses and tulips, and I’m obviously very fickle.But we did have hydrangeas on the tables at our wedding, lovely blue blossoms I cut from the bush in my parents’ yard and inserted into dollar-store […]
My journey from Platform 9¾: How I first encountered Harry Potter June 26, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window As a young newspaper reporter in Southcentral Pennsylvania back in July 1999, I was assigned to go to a bookstore on a Friday night for a book release party. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was coming out, and dozens of children were expected to attend—in costume and full of excitement.I had heard of […]
Summer reading, a drawing of the Easter Bunny, Father’s Day, and water balloons (7 Quick Takes) June 23, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window ~1~ Summer is really here! We went to sign up for summer reading at the Enoch Pratt Free Library. The boys’ aunt (my sister) works there, so we always register there. It’s a terrific program—and I would say that even if we didn’t have an aunt working there. We always stop to see the fish […]
Why I love my Catholic faith June 21, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window I love that as Catholics we can go to any Mass anywhere in the world and—even if it’s in another language, it’s the same. I love the beauty of our faith, the statues and the symbols, the bells and the candles, the holy water and the music.
Movies, baseball, cousins, Dutch Wonderland, and our noodle jar (7 Quick Takes) June 16, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window You know when you get a haircut and no one notices for weeks? Or they finally notice and it has been so long that it’s already time for you to get another?
You don’t have to have a glove June 15, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window Our sons were still full of energy, bouncing around the house, begging to go outside and play in the heat. I saw only one option.
Special delivery: Giving and accepting hugs and kisses June 15, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window How often do I look for ways to spread love and affection among the people I encounter?
Welcome to summer break, a trip to the Orioles game, belated birthday cards, dragon eggs, and a broken elevator (7 Quick Takes) June 11, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window This week’s 7 Quick Takes broach the summer break baseball, a broken elevator and more.
Thoughts during an evening at baseball practice June 9, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Blog, Open Window I can’t tell whether he’s one of the better players on the team. That doesn’t matter. I know he’s right where he needs to be right now. And so am I.
Here comes the bridesmaid June 7, 2017By Rita Buettner Filed Under: Commentary, The Domestic Church God doesn’t care whether we’re immaculately dressed in fancy clothes or wearing an old bathrobe with sausage grease on the sleeve.
