tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-93696422011-11-27T15:40:37.920-08:00Heidi Hess Saxton and family invite you to stop on by a spell ... Have a cup of tea and marinate in the chaos!Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.comBlogger3571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-17655007147149509642011-01-02T09:24:00.000-08:002011-01-02T09:33:20.198-08:00

This morning I opened a comment attached to an old post on one of my blogs, which came from a young woman, “Erin.” Erin is in the middle of a heartbreaking decision, and because she says she reads Catholic websites I wanted to post it here. Erin’s letter reads in part: I am seven months pregnant and am in the process of putting together my adoption plan as I do not intend to keep my unborn son. I

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-26093962949122062832010-04-16T19:37:00.001-07:002010-04-16T19:58:55.463-07:00

Dear Friends: Five and a half years ago, I started "Mommy Monsters" as an online journal, to record the ins and outs of raising an "extraordinary family" -- a sibling group that we first fostered, then adopted.As it turns out, five years can be a lifetime. Each week, each day even, brings new joys, new challenges. Above all, they've brought changes: changes in our children, and especially changes

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-74202420988615977822010-02-27T05:02:00.000-08:002010-02-27T05:10:50.792-08:00

Christopher finally got his next belt (white with yellow stripe) last night! Hip, hip, hurray!Never in your life have you seen a little boy so excited. While all the other kids stood, the picture of dignification (is that a word?), Chris didn't bother to hide his delight.He jumped up and down.He swung his new belt over his head like a lasso.He danced around in circles.He assumed the "Rocky" pose

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-10019480937897080582010-02-16T18:43:00.000-08:002010-02-16T19:01:31.038-08:00

Okay, you are all my witnesses. For Lent this year, Heidi is going to SIMPLIFY an BEAUTIFY my home, one area at a time.Sarah's First Communion is coming up May 1, so I have additional incentive, but the primary "push" is the simple fact that I've been feeling as though the walls are closing in on me, and it's time to do something about it! My goal is to tackle one area each week, and include "

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-15117960931500408272010-02-01T19:34:00.000-08:002010-02-01T19:41:24.146-08:00

Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson publishers, recently posted this great column, which anyone putting together a book proposal should study closely. Granted, he's talking about reading books -- not proposals -- but many of the same principles apply.Years ago when I was working at Servant, our marketing/sales experts used to say that it takes seven seconds, on average, for a customer to

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-29311144988025479412010-01-31T09:42:00.001-08:002010-01-31T09:59:05.705-08:00

It all started with a pointed exchange of ideas."You can't wear that to church, Sarah.""AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! But I WAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT to!" (upper registers of exclamation make the dog run for the door.)"No. You have to trust me on this one. Pink polka dots with brown sequins and blue tights is too much of a fashion statement. Sorry. Now, if you want to wear the brown dress with tights and your little

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-40916831093661223682010-01-27T19:36:00.000-08:002010-01-29T09:51:26.043-08:00

Tonight on Facebook I learned of the death of yet another of the staff members at Bethany Fellowship (a Christian community and Bible school where I lived off and on from 1983-1989). The gardens there were lovely, largely thanks to Ethel Heyer. Joyce Haase said that Ethel passed away in her sleep last night, and I couldn't help but think of her bending gently over the heavenly rose

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-44513812333786842352010-01-27T06:50:00.000-08:002010-01-27T07:48:39.537-08:00

"What do you do?" is a question one frequently hears when meeting people for the first time. In years past I always had a handy response -- editor for this or that publication or house, student. The thing is, as one main "job" has gone by the wayside, the time is filled with dozens of little hats that don't merit one large label but keep me busy all the same: catechist, columnist, piano player,

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-80858084314616299762010-01-18T20:04:00.000-08:002010-01-18T20:28:58.705-08:00

Today over at EMN I write about our visit at Kalahari Water Park in Sandusky, Ohio.At the risk of sounding like an aging old prune, I gotta tell ya ... I gained a renewed respect for the effects of aging on the body after a day of casting myself (alternating head-first and feet-first) into various wave formations. Let's just say I was sorely (seriously) tempted to blow a week's grocery money on

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-52896318476243418662010-01-18T15:27:00.000-08:002010-01-18T15:34:03.291-08:00

At South Arbor Charter Academy, teachers and staff start their day before sunrise. By 7:30, five hundred cars begin filing along curbside as administrators and parents help children with their oversized backpacks into the building. In the gym, students and teachers recite the South Arbor Creed:I am a South Arbor student.I can make a difference by doing my personal best.I will work hard, and

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-67269118409861737572010-01-14T06:13:00.000-08:002010-01-14T11:20:36.380-08:00

This week I finished reading Elena Maria Vidal's The Night's Dark Shade, and it got me to thinking about all the ways marital fidelity is tested.Sometimes the testing comes from the past: the subtle temptation to dwell on pleasant memories of the past, from a life before our spouse was known to us -- and comparing (with longing or regret) our present moments to the rosy glow of yesterday. Other

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-33434598727279362932010-01-13T17:59:00.000-08:002010-01-13T18:17:34.648-08:00

Monday on the way to religious education, I listened as Christopher informed his sister that there is POSITIVELY no Tooth Fairy. Sarah, having a steadily growing stash of cash and no shortage of baby teeth, was none too pleased about this pronouncement."There is TOO a Tooth Fairy. Right, Mom?""No, there's not -- it's always Mom and Dad, right Mom?"*sigh* For a moment, I envied those parents who

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-6367635844019116782010-01-06T09:23:00.000-08:002010-01-06T09:28:18.937-08:00

Today at EMN, I post a story about taking Sarah to get her allergy tests yesterday.I swear, you'd have thought we were skinning her alive. Even though she remembered (after the fact) the sage advice I'd given her about the best way to get a shot: just try to relax and think of something else, so your muscles don't tense up.Yeah, right. One look at those plastic toothpicks, and we practically had

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-1932787224495469782009-12-31T07:26:00.000-08:002009-12-31T08:08:12.108-08:00

This week Craig and I have spent some time dreaming about the future ... What we hope it will be, what we'd like to be doing and where we'd like to be doing it. Time will tell how many of those dreams will become realities ... but the seeds of dreaming, of wishing, of hoping, of planning have been firmly planted.Craig is 55, I'm ten years younger. Our children are 7 and 9, which means Craig will

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-72977278515129876792009-12-31T06:50:00.000-08:002009-12-31T07:02:35.713-08:00

From time to time I receive comments -- often long after a particular entry has been posted -- expressing an alternate viewpoint about some aspect of adoption. What to do with those comments is sometimes a perplexing question. When the remarks are really nasty and (let's just say it) a bit "off," I have no problems deleting them.But when a reader forms a well-thought out and respectful expression

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-11145346167036202342009-12-25T12:57:00.000-08:002009-12-25T16:08:15.721-08:00

It was a quiet Christmas for us ... shared Christmas Eve with our good friends Katy and Todd and their German exchange student Sammy. It was the perfect exchange: I cooked, they did the dishes. (Any Christmas guests who jump up to do the dishes after dinner are welcome at MY table every year! Ha, ha.)In keeping with tradition, I made a stop at the local World Market to pick up a couple loaves of

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-32575777952802776842009-12-22T22:24:00.000-08:002009-12-22T22:25:25.068-08:00

Okay, so once again I’ve managed to put off writing out my Christmas cards until the last possible moment. Ironic, given how much writing I do the rest of the year, wouldn’t you say? Then again, most of it is “virtual writing,” so perhaps this is apropos.It has been a good year, generally speaking. Craig has been especially busy at work these past few weeks, although he has been able to do at

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-11868777577753673182009-12-11T14:14:00.000-08:002009-12-11T15:14:41.857-08:00

The past few weeks I've spent quite a bit of time on various projects intended to raise money for South Arbor Charter Academy, where my children attend. The goal is to raise $50,000 this year, which in restrospect might have been setting the bar a bit high. But, you know, shoot for the stars and you might just clear the trees, right?I know a lot of schools are facing similar funding cuts, and I

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-65352166116831531522009-12-10T16:35:00.000-08:002009-12-10T16:41:15.026-08:00

From my college friend, Carol Garborg:Here are some of the winners from The Washington Post's yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words.Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.Esplanade (v.), to attempt

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-14966575994882145572009-12-09T11:02:00.000-08:002009-12-09T11:20:17.890-08:00

Whenever we leave the house, Maddy assumes her favorite position: Propped up on the back of the sofa, paws and snout rooting for a clear spot in the living room curtains. Judging from the state of our curtains, she generally has to root around for a while before she gets a clean spot of glass.Judging from the number of images I googled (see left), it appears to be a common problem. Most people,

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-71981431804494333792009-11-26T05:36:00.001-08:002009-11-26T05:47:03.138-08:00

We've been up since six. Sarah wanted to get a head-start on her turkeys. Each multi-colored feather is labeled with an "attitude of gratitude" that begins: I am thankful for my mom and dad and __________ (brother, toys, baby sister, etc.)Yesterday Benita, the school secretary, greeted me with six words guaranteed to stop me in my tracks: "Guess what your daughter did today."It seems Benita was

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-56294272659404673682009-11-15T07:44:00.000-08:002009-11-15T07:47:03.722-08:00

Today I came across this insightful post at Rachel Gardener's blog, which gives breakdown of the hidden costs of publishing abook.Bottom line: A publisher has to be able to pay the bills. So if a publisher is going to invest in your book, is it going to be worth the investment?

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-39352719681094609392009-11-14T06:33:00.000-08:002009-11-14T07:58:17.029-08:00

"You gonna catch up on your blog today?" my husband asked as I stumbled out of the bedroom. "You haven't written anything in almost a week now."I smiled. I didn't think he'd noticed. But Craig had seen me stress out all week, and did a sneaky husband bit -- went to the blog to find out what was REALLY going on. Smart guy. If only I'd written on it!This week I was reminded again of the importance

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-10481189154281219542009-11-02T06:17:00.000-08:002009-11-02T06:33:16.702-08:00

This morning as I put the final touches on my religious education lesson for my 20 fifth graders, I think about how to make the lesson memorable for each child. What will they take away from that class? What will they remember a day, a week . . . dare I say it? a decade from now?Today, we study the life of St. Miguel Pro, who donned disguises in order to bring the sacraments to the faithful of

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-41577100666206827432009-11-01T04:12:00.000-08:002009-11-01T04:26:17.290-08:00

Last night when I took my little goblins for their annual "sugar rush" -- circling our friend's development in search of a bucketful of chocolate treats -- the experience was very different than in years past.While the number of dinosaurs and ballerinas and superheroes and ghosts had not diminished, the number of porch lights certainly had. "Times are tough" commented parents to one another as we

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-29031210676638545652009-10-17T21:25:00.000-07:002009-10-17T21:32:03.649-07:00

I rushed through the house, fixing dinner and straightening the house. The babysitter would arrive any minute, so my husband and I could attend a school fundraiser. As I swiped the bathroom mirror with a cloth, I caught my wedding ring and, not wanting to damage the setting even more than I already have, I set the ring aside to continue my single-minded pursuit of the appearance of domestic

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-56627445553510450012009-10-15T10:38:00.000-07:002009-10-15T10:38:00.071-07:00

Jen has a particularly great post today about figuring out God's will -- especially relevant for adoptive (and aspiring adoptive) parents. Check it out!Conversion Diary: So you went against God's will. Now what? - The diary of a former atheist

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-24003162750590930332009-10-13T19:10:00.000-07:002009-10-13T20:56:26.110-07:00

Yesterday was my first religious education class. I've never taught fifth grade before, and frankly I was a bit nervous about my ability to keep this age engaged and interested.I started out the class by passing around my father's old tobacco pouch, and asking if they knew what it was. They passed it around. "Incense?" "Rose petals?" "Cinnamon?"Nope. Good old Walter Raleigh, thirty years stored

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-33155491773255511772009-10-13T17:04:00.000-07:002009-10-13T17:04:34.530-07:00

Head on over to Esther's blog for this bit of inspiration ... You'll be glad you did!A Catholic Mom in Hawaii: Holy Mother

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-74673411683426129832009-10-09T16:11:00.001-07:002009-10-09T16:11:52.086-07:00

SHAREPosted using ShareThis

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-52236600738393453182009-10-01T02:04:00.000-07:002009-10-01T02:34:42.947-07:00

... other times you feel like throwing it!Every once in a while my day will spill over into the wee hours of the next morning. I don't know whether it's hormonal, or stress, or simple overload. But sleep simply will not come, and I can either stare at the ceiling or get up and be productive.So here I am.Yesterday was a hard day. I had coffee with a recently widowed friend, whose husband was an

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-89375724158146754632009-09-10T21:06:00.000-07:002009-09-11T09:59:24.426-07:00

One of my least favorite aspects of blogging is getting letters from hit-and-run commenters who think it is their God-given right to pontificate on a pet issue, no matter how tangentially related to the post at hand, and take it very personally if you disagree, or consider it proof of their "rightness" if you refuse to engage them in further discussion. While dialogue is always good, I've learned

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-46543749727760807922009-08-28T16:15:00.000-07:002009-08-28T16:15:13.348-07:00

In need of a bit of a laugh today? Head on over to "The Common Room" and hear all about "The Rules."The Common Room: Collected Rules My Mama Never Told Me I'd Need to MakeThen head on over to EMN and read about choosing educational opportunities for your child: "School Daze: In Defense of Charter Schools."

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-61161229173499384162009-08-21T19:17:00.000-07:002009-08-21T19:19:28.465-07:00

Julie Davis just pointed her readers to this website in which the USCCB explains the changes that are going to be incorporated into the Mass in the coming months.The Lord be with us (and with our spirit)!

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-27669851585099242222009-08-17T20:01:00.000-07:002009-08-17T20:20:02.748-07:00

This afternoon I was at the school (Boosters season has officially begun!), and came across Miss Adams, Sarah's teacher from last year. Miss Adams spent part of her summer at a school in Tanzania, working with a local elementary school in a kind of cross-cultural partnership.I had been looking forward to hearing about her experience, recalling what a formative experience it was for me the year I

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-86174379898941524292009-08-13T09:05:00.000-07:002009-08-13T09:06:20.425-07:00

Today at "Faith and Family Live" I wrote about my experience at the cemetery, trying to find Father Roger's marker.Lesson learned: When you need directions, never sneak up on the guy who's mowing the lawn. Especially when he's worked for the park for 35 years, and is two weeks short of retirement.

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-43614365560917976152009-08-13T08:17:00.001-07:002009-08-13T08:18:37.100-07:00

My friend Pat Gohn sent this quote to me today, which has applications not only to writing but to all worthwhile endeavors."Take one small daily action instead of indulging in the big questions. When we wallow in the big questions, we fail to find the small answers.... It's change grounded in respect for where we are and where we to go.... Large changes occur in tiny increments."

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-59078968888657909232009-08-10T19:50:00.001-07:002009-08-10T20:04:01.794-07:00

Last week when I gave my talk on the "ABCs of Good Writing," I turned it into a game. I had participants take out a sheet of paper and write the letter from A to Z in the left margin, then write beside each letter every word they could think of that was associated with writing (good or bad) or writers (ditto). I had 150 . . . I believe the winner of my "Writer's Gift Basket" had 138. (Way to go,

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-67434925508820284572009-08-07T21:33:00.000-07:002009-08-07T21:49:49.695-07:00

Now that I've reached the midway point of my forties, I really should stop giving birthdays so much attention. And I was all-but-ready to . . . until I woke up this morning in a hotel room with two whiny kids wedged under my armpits. Neither of them was exactly belting out the Birthday Song. More like . . ."MOM! He kicked me.""MOM! She looked at me.""KNOCKITOFF!!!! Seriously, guys. It's only 6:42

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-73079587787120122402009-08-05T19:18:00.000-07:002009-08-05T19:23:15.141-07:00

First day of the Catholic Writer's Conference, and already I'm glad I made it. So many people I've known for years, virtually, I finally got to meet in person. Two of the most important: Karina Fabian and Ann Lewis, who have worked themselves into a fevered pitch just to pull off this lovely convention.Tomorrow will be a busy day, but today I enjoyed just sitting back and interacting casually

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-48936496067389216712009-08-03T21:08:00.000-07:002009-08-03T21:16:02.229-07:00

Our first day of the road trip was an unqualified success. Sarah's at the stage where she keeps a non-stop monologue going through most of her waking hours, unless a video is on (in which case she assumes a gratifyingly quiet, glassy-eyed stare). But today she was mid-sentence in her enthusiastic litany of all the fun we were going to have over the next two weeks, swimming and frolicking and

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-38395294710567544912009-08-02T20:10:00.000-07:002009-08-02T20:12:43.580-07:00

Two weeks. Two suitcases. Two tons of . . . paraphenalia (sp?) that we may or may not use. Including the extra rolls of duct tape to affix to various extremeties when the bickering makes my head explode.I think we're ready. First stop . . . State College, PA! Catholic Writer's Conference, here we come!

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-53180205026602409972009-08-01T22:31:00.001-07:002009-08-01T22:32:42.773-07:00

They look happy, don't they?

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-86044778014235960282009-07-31T05:05:00.000-07:002009-07-31T05:17:46.909-07:00

Ten years ago today, I was living in a farmhouse with my border collie puppy. Only on this particular day the house was overrun with people, flowers, and leftover salads and cookies (from the rehearsal dinner).Ten years ago today, my bridesmaids were frantically putting the finishing touches on their bouquets (we saved money by ordering the flowers through the mail ...) and watching me get my

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-73463327652167323252009-07-27T20:17:00.001-07:002009-07-27T20:17:16.075-07:00

It's the closest my husband and I have ever come to a fight, I think."Don't you see that, once she resigned her post, she lost all hope of ever running for public office? That she'll always be branded a quitter?""Well, no, I don't see that. I see someone who 'knows when to hold 'em, knows when to fold 'em. We haven't heard the last of her. Count on it."(I wonder if Sarah knows Kenny Rogers?)

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-24557484148258193692009-07-25T08:06:00.000-07:002009-07-25T08:16:26.655-07:00

Let me start by saying that I have little-to-no athletic ability (unless you count running my mouth or leaping to conclusions, in which I could compete in the Olympics). My husband knew this when he married me, and he was okay with it.Yes, it's true that we met at the University of Michigan Ballroom Dance Club -- and yes, I know dancing is a sport. But then, we haven't done much of THAT lately,

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-24231362882813805272009-07-23T18:21:00.000-07:002009-07-23T19:04:11.458-07:00

It's been a pretty good summer, though not nearly as structured as I'd planned in May. (The schedule I'd taped to our pantry is now generously covered with dinosaurs and elaborate flower cutouts.)The last few days have been kinda sprinkly/gray, and yesterday I spent most of the day with my nose in the computer, trying to turn around a few corrections to my latest book: My Big Book of Catholic

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-86186453747160429502009-07-23T17:58:00.000-07:002009-07-23T18:20:21.402-07:00

There are some places that I always walk in feeling at a distinct disadvantage: car dealership, the mechanic, and anything having to do with buying computer equipment. Always that niggling apprehension that I don't know what I'm doing, and that somehow I'm going to be ripped off.Sad, huh?So when I walked into Computer Medic the other day and handed over my laptop, per my husband's instructions (

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-57278407459110941512009-07-15T10:11:00.000-07:002009-07-15T10:39:48.292-07:00

Last night when I finally persuaded my husband that my outbound e-mail was "clogged," Craig got on the horn with our service provider. I then watched my dear husband (normally a calm, collected, easy-going guy) turn several shades of aggravated, dealing with the customer service rep. "Yes, my wife works from home and uses e-mail for her business dealings. No, she doesn't routinely send messages

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-5807078599281671922009-07-14T06:54:00.000-07:002009-07-14T06:57:05.438-07:00

I just came across this blog, written by literary agent Rachelle Gardner, who offers perceptive and indispensable advice for those aspiring to be "real" writers.Today she offers this chestnut for those who have written a book, and are unhappy with the outcome: Write another one!Check out her site. You'll be glad you did.

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-24958331016513299332009-07-11T16:23:00.001-07:002009-07-11T16:28:35.294-07:00

Today I was having this exchange with a reader at "Faith and Family Live" on the subject of reverence ("Driven to Distraction"), and she shared this quote that was so relevant, and so lovely, that I just had to post it here.Your story reminds me of this wonderful quote from LouisLavelle:"Gentleness is not the same as indulgence for the faults of another; rather it is the recognition of his

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-43620229228211116162009-07-11T14:23:00.000-07:002009-07-11T14:39:15.005-07:00

Yesterday we took Chris into a specialist -- he has been having some difficulties with schoolwork that we thought needed some intervention -- who suggested we look into the possibility of an iron deficiency. It turns out that children with disruptive sleep patterns (Chris tends to be a restless sleeper) are often diagnosed with ADHD, when in fact they simply need help with the aches and pains

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-67977688050798264642009-07-10T10:10:00.001-07:002009-07-10T10:14:56.462-07:00

Today the lead feature article at "Faith and Family Online" is entitled "Driven to Distraction" by Joseph Pronechen. A perennial favorite: how to respond to distractions at Mass.I always get a little nervous when people toss around the word “reverent” in describing the behavior of other people, which can be such a subjective standard. I get REALLY nervous when people (like my parents used to) use

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-65031882507409762952009-07-09T17:30:00.001-07:002009-07-09T17:39:46.587-07:00

Today at Faith and Family Connect I posted about a situation I encountered today, in which an acquaintence is enduring a messy divorce because her husband fell in love with their daughter's teacher.And no one at the table saw anything wrong with it -- because both individuals were separated (though not divorced) when "the attraction bug" bit.Have you ever encountered this? What do you say to a

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-27667237699080891262009-07-05T13:42:00.000-07:002009-07-05T17:02:49.598-07:00

Today's second reading is one of my favorite epistle passages ... It presents a human side of St. Paul to which I can readily relate -- can't you? (From 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.)"... because of the abundance of the revelations,a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-37625769583703434072009-07-03T19:06:00.001-07:002009-07-03T20:41:51.895-07:00

Oh, this is so sweet. Leticia gave me an award today ... and at first glance, I thought (honest) it was the "Honest Crap Award." Ooh, boy. I need to go to bed!But first, let's get this over with. Hmmm... ten honest things about me that the entire universe doesn't already know, courtesy of my no-holds-barred approach to life. Let's see if I can dig up a few more.1. As I was reminded at CNMC this

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-86936839345305245352009-06-26T15:49:00.000-07:002009-06-26T20:24:27.216-07:00

Have you ever looked at hotels at Hotels.com or TripAdvisor.com, and wondered what the difference is between a three-star or four-star hotel is, really? After this trip, I can tell you! We stayed at the three-star Courtyard Marriot Marketplace in San Antonio, after spending two nights at the four-star Hote Felix in Chicago. Now, I realize that comparing a hotel in Chicago with one in San Antonio

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-33767553971198294962009-06-12T11:26:00.000-07:002009-06-12T11:27:39.141-07:00

Today I discovered this cool website ... Qubo.com. Something fun to do with the kids on a rainy day. Help them release their inner movie director!Click here.

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-77848706969947113512009-06-05T20:03:00.000-07:002009-06-06T15:14:14.038-07:00

Sometimes when I speak or write about adoption, people approach me and ask me what to do when one half of a couple (usually but not always the husband) isn’t open to raising an adopted or foster child. Usually I say something about a marriage being a partnership, how each partner needs to trust God to work through the other person to reveal His will and His timing.While these things are true,

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-21412202946111249212009-06-02T19:11:00.000-07:002009-06-02T19:37:33.935-07:00

Note for pet owners: Did you know that Heartguard now comes in a six-month shot -- so you don't have to remember to give your pooch his monthly pill? Ask your vet about it! Alternatively (or in addition), try one of these Tick Keys!Two days ago, I found a tick in Maddy's fur -- fully engorged body, head was firmly attached to the skin under her arm. Carefully I tweezered the little pest, but then

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-24509714759295876522009-05-29T18:07:00.000-07:002009-05-29T19:48:16.033-07:00

Lisa Hendey's recent article at Faith and Family Live could not have been more timely. Her advice as an eighth-grade mom to the mothers who were newly joining the school reminded me of some recent drama at my kids' school.It all happened suddenly, and blew over just as quickly. I'd been wanting to do something tangible to show my support of my kids' school. And so, when I heard that the Boosters

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-10071227878386372852009-05-23T19:22:00.000-07:002009-05-23T20:15:39.684-07:00

There are some priests for whom the title "Father" seems especially apt. For me, Father Roger was "Father" in every sense of the word. Shortly after I moved to Ann Arbor and started attending St. Thomas (1994), I made an appointment to chat with him -- I wanted to find out what the needs were in the parish, and offer my services if I could be of use. (What can I say? I was a brand-new Catholic,

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-85707249271812521012009-05-15T03:49:00.000-07:002009-05-15T03:58:53.731-07:00

Have you written something about the Blessed Mother that you'd like to share with a wider audience? Head on over to Sarah's blog at "Just Another Day of Catholic Pondering," and get connected with "Mr. Linky."Sarah is a columnist at "Today's Catholic Woman" on the topic of Mary. This should be a great Carnival. Check it out! We had been holding something similar at "Behold Your Mother," but I've

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-24370393685646850502009-05-14T01:06:00.000-07:002009-05-14T01:13:34.658-07:00

Thanks to my friend Sarah, I've been awarded some Lemonade . . . in a week where there have been a few lemons to squeeze!Yesterday had another bright spot as well: Lunch with five church ladies, who gathered at my house to consume mass quantities of tea and salad and chocolate pound cake. So civilized . . . and it infused my spirit as well!One of them commented that she was teaching her daughter

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-30655816957645306382009-05-11T10:55:00.000-07:002009-05-11T11:01:16.655-07:00

Today I came across this gem in Michael Buckley's The Catholic Prayer Book (pg 213):“From the cowardice that dare not face new truth,From the laziness that is contented with half truth,From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,Good Lord, deliver me.”(Prayer from Kenya)

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-87496241520206918512009-05-08T15:33:00.000-07:002009-05-08T16:47:22.641-07:00

Craig and I shelled out a large chunk of cash to allow Chris to participate in an after-school robotics program. He missed last week while we were traveling . . . and today when I went to pick up Sarah, her brother was begging to come home, too. He looked pale, and complained of a stomach ache. He'd had a cavity filled that morning, and I thought his jaw might be hurting. But he was adamant that

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-46927511617906337632009-05-08T09:49:00.000-07:002009-05-08T09:58:31.929-07:00

To be honest, I'm not sure how often my husband reads my blog (can't understand why, knowing how glowingly I always speak of him!). But darling, in case you're reading this, I'd like to tell you what I'd like most for Mother's Day.* A clutter-free basement. We have more STUFF than we could ever use in this life. Much of it COULD be used by other families. And I'd really, really love to have a

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-78265137894862868432009-04-24T07:30:00.000-07:002009-04-24T07:35:58.906-07:00

Thanks to Mighty Mom for passing this on to me today. (Warning . . . you might want to finish up that bottle of Diet Coke before reading this.)Two hillbillies walk into a restaurant. While they were having a bite to eat, a woman at a nearby table, who is eating a sandwich, begins to cough. After a minute or so, it becomes apparent that she is in real distress.One of the hillbillies looks at her

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-9859658229478797812009-04-23T05:11:00.000-07:002009-04-23T05:38:39.696-07:00

This morning I attempted to take Maddy for a walk. We have this routine: I let her stretch her legs off leash to the end of the driveway (about 500 feet), then we put on the leash and do our "circuit." On the way back, I let her off at the bottom of the drive, and she chases the birds up to the house, where she comes inside for a puppy treat (usually a bit of cheese stick). Today, all bets were

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-67396484421372606802009-04-18T17:01:00.000-07:002009-04-18T17:25:28.377-07:00

Today was an impromptu Family Fun Day. It was just too glorious to stay inside and clean house. (As though I ever need an excuse to avoid housekeeping.... )Loading up the dog and "the bag" (juice boxes, granola bars, water bottles, etc), we headed for Maybury State Park. I was in favor of the little circular trail with the children's play area at the midway point ... but Craig was in "hike mode"

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-84070697638915510902009-04-16T08:30:00.000-07:002009-04-16T08:43:22.849-07:00

I've often said that the labor pains that most moms experience before a child is born, adoptive mothers get to experience after the fact, while they are bonding and forming attachments with their children.It is also true that many children process the losses of adoption throughout their lives, as they reach various developmental milestones. Right now we are going through it with Chris ... His

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-52376631324209851352009-04-15T21:14:00.000-07:002009-04-15T21:29:17.668-07:00

Jean Heimann at Catholic Fire tagged me for this one.Include up to 3 answers each if you like. Consider The Bible or other religious texts a gimme, particularly for question #15.1. Most treasured childhood book(s)? "Great Hymns of the Faith" -- I learned to play piano out of it, making this book 40 years old.2. Classic(s) you are embarrassed to admit you’ve never read. Anna Karinana3. Classics

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-16039873342413623792009-04-07T09:07:00.001-07:002009-04-07T09:20:13.804-07:00

Craig and the kids will be here in an hour to pick me up. And so I just wanted to take a few minutes to thank those of you who were praying for me during my "writer's retreat," and let you know that ...We met our goal!!! The entire book laid out (with Scripture passages, cross references, and Catechism references) and 20 polished entries ready for inspection!Still a long way to go, but now I can

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-69985836583916822462009-04-02T08:16:00.000-07:002009-04-02T08:23:37.108-07:00

Craig and I just realized that the first installment of my Catholic Children's Bible Story book is due the day after our children's Spring Vacation is over.We looked at each other. We looked at the calendar, then the contract. Yup, sure enough, April 13.You wouldn't believe what my dear husband said to me! "Heidi, I think you should go somewhere for a couple of days and write, while I watch the

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-80410585886338545482009-03-25T10:25:00.000-07:002009-03-25T11:34:40.984-07:00

The other day at "Heart, Mind, and Strength" Greg Popcak said something that nearly made me drive off the road. A woman had written in, asking how to handle her college-age daughter who let them pay her bills, but otherwise didn't want anything to do with them. It seems that the young woman has weight issues, and her mother was wondering how to get the girl to lose weight.In a nutshell, his

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-90649559913776221552009-03-24T20:05:00.000-07:002009-03-24T20:28:14.833-07:00

Today was the annual "Wax History Museum" event at Christopher's school. Each kid had to dress up like one of the European explorers of the 16-17th centuries, and recite a little spiel to parents who circulated through the gym, pushing a little circular sticker "button" on each costume to activate said spiel.Christopher was John Davis, an English explorer who discovered the Falkland Islands in

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-17163973914733993302009-03-21T18:04:00.000-07:002009-03-21T18:04:42.770-07:00

Today I stumbled on this post by Suzanne, whose child "Dandy" seems to have difficulty distinguishing between "assisting mother" and "assistant mother."With foster kids (especially fostered sibling groups) it's not uncommon for the kids to struggle between total autonomy and this newly discovered dependence. Actually, it can be one of the tougher challenges of placing siblings together: The older

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-13492083364450027452009-03-18T11:05:00.001-07:002009-03-18T11:07:43.787-07:00

Congratulations to Ashley, who won this week's "Win a free box of Thin Mints" contest!Ashley, please drop me your physical address in an e-mail: hsaxton@christianword.com(Thanks to everyone who participated!)

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-41005351039474283592009-03-09T18:22:00.000-07:002009-03-09T18:48:24.384-07:00

So ... I'm staring at two cases of Thin Mints in the back of my trunk, wondering how on earth I'm going to unload the things. I was a cookie selling champ when I was a Girl Scout, but times have changed. Twice when we knocked on a neighbor's door, they slammed the door in my seven-year-old daughter's face with a curt, "Not interested!" What in God's green earth am I going to do with all these

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-79513161216093496752009-03-09T11:10:00.000-07:002009-03-09T11:15:08.210-07:00

With kids, finding the teachable moment is the first step in teaching them about treating the physically or mentally impaired with compassion (or any other topic, for that matter).So yesterday at McDonalds, I had a golden opportunity to teach my kids this lesson. In the play area, a dark-skinned toddler caught my eye. She wore a frilly pink dress … and carried a long, white cane.Sarah waited

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-70909602931515026492009-03-06T06:22:00.001-08:002009-03-06T07:02:38.241-08:00

Cheryl Malandrinos at "Book Connection" just informed me that "Mommy Monsters" has been the recipient of the Premio Dardos Award. Thanks, Cheryl!Premio Dardos means ‘prize darts’ in Italian and it is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. The rules are:1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-9299282073531940982009-03-04T08:49:00.000-08:002009-03-04T08:49:04.491-08:00

A twenty-three-year-old woman, unmarried and pregnant, discovers that the child she is carrying suffers from a disease that is "incompatible with life." Yet she carries her child, loving her as long as she can. Read about it here at "Domestic Felicity," a blog written by a devout Jewish wife and mother, which I recently discovered from Elizabeth Foss.Domestic Felicity: Precious life

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-73273899500118366332009-03-03T08:50:00.000-08:002009-03-03T09:07:25.295-08:00

Once every two weeks, I get a reprieve from pick-up duty. Christopher goes to tutoring, Sarah goes to Daisies ... and I don't have to pull into the (empty) school parking lot until 4:30. Since I usually leave the house at 2:30 to get the kids ... well, you do the math. Two extra hours of work/reading/fill in the bliss.Today was Daisy Day. I have this editing project on the fast track, and I had

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-57234731278340758022009-03-01T18:13:00.001-08:002009-03-01T19:21:12.156-08:00

Sometimes I feel as though the decades of my life are not so much chapters as books in a library. Early childhood memories ... the more turbulent teens (when my family struggled through my sister's bout with cancer), the vagabond era of my twenties, the stable "Michigan years" of my thirties, motherhood in my forties . Each layer builds, like an onion that alternately fills my senses with aroma .

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-68636645757783792712009-02-25T11:12:00.000-08:002009-02-25T11:27:05.202-08:00

This morning as I drove to my doctor's appointment (finally time to get the ankle checked) I listened to Father John Riccardo's homily on the Prodigal Son. (If for some reason you can't access the link here, you can also find it on my Facebook page.)One of the most striking impressions: That heaven is not a place, but a Person (God). Just as home is not about a place, but about loved ones ... and

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-27713153813314751142009-02-19T20:12:00.000-08:002009-02-19T20:42:46.776-08:00

Sarah and I decided to meet at Kalahari Water Park (which tonight I discovered is the nation's largest indoor water park) for a little R&R with the kids. We hadn't seen each other since our grand adventure to the Catholic New Media Convention last summer, and were due for a visit.Both of us got more than we bargained for. Poor little Nooner shrieked each time the Big Bucket drenched the main

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-24575127535469039652009-02-17T10:43:00.000-08:002009-02-19T20:12:19.023-08:00

I wrote this post today as an entry for the "Mary Moments Carnival" that will be hosted at "Behold Your Mother" on the 25th of this month. If you'd like to send me a link to a post about Mary on your blog by 2/20, I'll add it to the Carnival! Send the link to hsaxton@christianword.com. Our bedtime routine doesn't vary much from one night to the next. The last one to turn in walks Maddy down to

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-79845751521519867902009-02-16T10:24:00.000-08:002009-02-16T10:39:06.383-08:00

My sister called to tell me she was spending Valentine's Day at home with a glass of wine, curled up in her favorite chair with her dog. Of course, you know what happened next."So ... how was YOUR Valentine's Day?" she asked.So I told her. MY Valentine's Day started at 3:34 a.m. when my two kids and their puppy decided it was time to GET UP! The three of us went upstairs to Christopher's room,

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-33427015495548163642009-02-13T10:22:00.001-08:002009-02-13T10:37:33.767-08:00

Last night on ER, a woman with a heart virus and a nine-year-old daughter (of whom she had custody, but had not finalized the adoption) winds up in the ER. Their only living relative ... the child's ne'er-do-well father, a Peter Pan with a guitar. He hasn't seen his daughter since she was three, and it is immediately clear that this arrangement suits him just fine.When it becomes evident that the

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-59926059787954391872009-02-12T06:06:00.000-08:002009-02-12T06:09:35.644-08:00

Craig and I have decided to celebrate our 10th anniversary this year in style ... with a trip, just the two of us. My parents have already agreed to take the kids, and as of last night, we've settled the destination....British Columbia, by way of Seattle!!!If any of you have suggestions about places to go/eat/stay that you'd highly recommend, I'd love to hear them! This would be July 2009...

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-26551190289227268102009-02-04T09:42:00.001-08:002009-02-04T10:02:19.064-08:00

"Faith and Family" editor Danielle Bean announces the creation of the Michael Dubruiel Memorial Fund.This fund is for their immediate expenses; royalties from Michael's books will be used for the children's college fund. Please be as generous as you can.Posted using ShareThis

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-4801380944249242252009-02-03T20:51:00.000-08:002009-02-04T03:47:20.749-08:00

Tonight I received word that Michael Dubruiel (Amy Wellborn's husband) died suddenly today. It's a horrific loss for the whole family, and they need our prayers at this time. At times like this, I tend to take stock of my own family situation a little more closely. Suddenly the ordinary distractions -- the bickering kids, the work-related stress, and little daily annoyances -- seem much less

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-18562612667962476712009-01-31T17:34:00.000-08:002009-01-31T17:50:29.411-08:00

Tonight I received this note from "Lynn." She raises an important issue that I've encountered many times since I started writing about adoption. So many of these women are grieving -- deeply -- the loss of their children. Some feel as though they were coerced. Others simply wish they'd had the opportunity to parent. The grief they feel is real. Patricia Dischler, in her book "Because I Loved You"

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-51044197359399221192009-01-27T18:04:00.000-08:002009-01-27T18:22:05.034-08:00

Last week after her birthday shopping excursion to Meier's (my mother's favorite store), Sarah came home clutching a single long-stemmed red rose. Silently she handed it to me, then dashed to her room to continue filling up the 4x6 foot bulletin board my father had mounted on her bedroom wall. In a span of a few days, she had nearly covered the thing.Sniffing the blossom, I glanced expectantly at

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-26849603893152472002009-01-18T23:07:00.000-08:002009-01-18T23:07:00.600-08:00

My parents blew into town this weekend, and Sarah was ready for them with a song she had just learned in school (to the tune of "All Night, All Day, Angels Watching Over Me"):Dr. King, Dr. King, Dr. King was a civil rights' leaderDr. King, Dr. KingHe had a dream!He wanted everybody to have the same freedom... (3x)He had a dream! (chorus)He wanted everybody to love one another... (3x)He had a

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-64686938854079567932009-01-12T07:31:00.000-08:002009-01-12T18:30:33.596-08:00

My sister is getting divorced after ten years of marriage. Another dear friend is hanging onto her second marriage by a slim thread. Both of these women are loving, nurturing individuals and wonderful mothers. Although only one is Catholic, both of them love God and intended to be married for life. And both of them brought a child into the union who was not biologically related to her new husband

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-73661359761355837462009-01-01T07:42:00.000-08:002009-01-01T08:49:37.425-08:00

Today is the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God, a title that was attributed to her formally at the Council of Ephesus (431 AD). Although the mother of Christ was venerated by Christians from the beginning, the importance of Mary's role was seen most clearly in light of the Christological dogmas regarding the dual nature of Christ (both human and divine).The reason was simple (or relatively so):

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-80760965103118527232008-12-30T08:01:00.000-08:002008-12-30T08:23:27.548-08:00

Ordinarily, my husband is the most reasonable and accommodating of individuals (he has to be, to live with me). The only chink in his king-sized, Prince Charming armor that I've discovered so far, after almost ten years of marriage, is that he has a rule about birthdays.The must be celebrated ON THE DAY. No squeezing it into the previous or subsequent weekend. No two-for-one birthday/Christmas

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-20558995595338121312008-12-19T19:32:00.000-08:002008-12-19T19:59:44.195-08:00

On the first day of Christmas Break, my children said to me,"I'm missing my right bootie."On the second day of Christmas Break, my children said to me,"I want two cookiesand I'm missing my right bootie."On the third day of Christmas Break, my children said to me,"Mom, let's play checkers,I want two cookies,and I'm missing my right bootie."On the fourth day of Christmas Break, my children said to

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9369642.post-59294193777589336542008-12-16T17:47:00.000-08:002008-12-16T17:49:35.115-08:00

Today Sarah posted the Carnival dedicated to "Our Lady of Guadalupe," patronness of the Americas as well as unborn children and their mothers. Check it out here!

Heidi Hess Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02791510605285520649noreply@blogger.com0