It’s not often I get one-on-one time with one of my nieces or nephews, and I love learning more about each of them.

God gives us each different talents. Some of us are better with cats or catechesis than catapults, but there’s a role for each of us.

At the end of each school day, you might think that our children happily share every detail about recess, math class, lunch, what their teacher told them, and how many friends they made.

Today, you see, was not just the first day of the school year. It was the first day of a school year at a new school.

He wasn’t even supposed to be there. The 15-year-old cat had been at the vet the day before. His health was failing, and there was nothing more that could be done.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a gathering of Catholic women bloggers in Front Royal, Va. We drove down as a family of four, and my husband and our boys went off to explore Skyline Drive and the Skyline Caverns during the day.

My sons and I have been staycationing this week as we get ready for the school year to begin.

Last week I told the boys that today would be our pilgrimage day—that we would pick a destination and go pray for a great school year.

As I stood on the ground and watched them go up, I was suddenly scared. God has entrusted my husband and me with raising these two amazing children, and I just put them on a ride that would take them far up into the sky.

What a frightening time for the people who are affected by the flooding from Hurricane Harvey in Texas. They are in desperate need of our prayers—prayers for those who are being rescued and those doing the rescues, along with prayers for many who are still waiting and hoping that they will be able to stay in their homes.