We recently moved into a new home, and so I’ve been unpacking and decorating. I knew right away that I wanted to put up a wall of photos in our dining room, but wasn’t sure how I wanted to go about it. After much Pinterest scouring, I decided to take our old frames (we are … Read more
During our recent trip to Connecticut, we packed up my childhood treasures to bring back to Michigan. Amongst them was my old doll, Maude. I named her after my Great-Aunt Maude, who gave her to me. I have only very vague memories of Great-Aunt Maude, she died when I very young, but I’m told I … Read more
43 more to go! But who’s counting. . . This week Mark had his first set of exams in histology and anatomy, and I’m proud to report that he aced both of them. We have made it through our first month of medical school and are starting to find our rhythm. Now that the moving … Read more
From the first day we brought Gianna home, our cat Hazel has been a fan. I was a little concerned about how she would react to the baby, since before the baby was born, Hazel had appropriated all of the baby items- changing pad, bassinet, bouncy seat- as her own. But no, no, she warmed … Read more
It’s exam week at Wayne State, and so Mark is prepping for his first exams of medical school. Which means that all of the studying he does normally (three hours a morning beginning at 4:30am six days a week, 9-6 at school, then a couple of hours after dinner before bed) has ramped up even … Read more
I first encountered this wonderful saint when I was a missionary at Life Teen’s Camp Covecrest in Tiger, GA. St. Therese is the patroness of missionaries, so in formation class we spent time reading her autobiography, Story of a Soul. At first I didn’t feel at all connected with her- she seemed so faithful, so … Read more
Please forgive the pun- I think I’ve lived with Mark for too long! Yesterday Gram and I were folding laundry in the living room with both the baby and cat sprawled out on the pile of clothes. And as we laughed at the antics of the two trying to get our attention, I was struck … Read more
I’ve had some comment about the name of the blog and questions about this “elevator to Heaven”, so I thought I’d spend a little time and explain where the idea came from. The name was suggested by a friend of mine, Sister Kate, who knows of my love of St. Therese. This is the quote … Read more
My grandmother has always been one of my favorite people. Growing up she was my confidant, the person I would run to if my mom made me mad. She taught me how to bake, sew, and quilt. Some of my favorite childhood memories are the days I spent in her kitchen and sewing room. When … Read more
9:45am Signs of tiredness. Nursing and snuggles 10:15am Retire to the bedroom for naptime. Turn on Gianna’s music, which for the record is Gregorian Chant. Place in crib. Not pictured: Hazel, our cat and Gianna’s favorite play mate, climbing into the crib to lay down next to the baby when she heard Gianna cry. 11:45am 12:10pm