“It’s Friday, but Sunday is Coming.”

I first heard these words spoken when I was about thirteen.  For Catholics, there is no more solemn day than Good Friday, a day marked by sacrifice, loss, and great sorrow.  The idea that renewal, hope–Easter Sunday–is around the corner does not seem possible. (more…)

I’m a people watcher. I don’t know why, but when I’m stuck waiting in line or wherever, instead of checking my cell phone, email or reorganizing my purse, I watch people.  After years of practicing this nosey habit, I think I’ve become quite observant and can usually develop a pretty accurate impression of a person by watching them for a few minutes. Now, before anyone gets their knickers in a knot, I know it’s important not to judge a person by the way they look, but “watching” is different than “looking”.   When you are looking you are noticing a person’s visual presence.  When watching someone you are sensing their personalities through things like facial expressions and body language.  The best part about being a people watcher is that sometimes I get to watch someone make a positive impact on everyone around them.  That very thing happened just last week when I was watching while waiting in the security line at Laguardia International Airport. I noticed two men in front of me.  One was nice looking… not in a handsome kind of way but in a “nice energy” kind of way.  Next to him was another man who was quite handsome but not a nice guy.  How did I know?  I can’t explain it.  He just exuded jerkiness. (more…)

“Men are from Mars and Woman are from Venus.” They hit the nail on the head with that one.

“Carolyn and Sean , your book is the most beautiful love story I have ever read,” said a mom and reader who came up to us at a event we attended this past weekend.  These words were indeed humbling and caused me to reflect more deeply on the dynamic between me and Carolyn on this journey.  Our book is a real-life Mars and Venus story and by reading it, women can get a guy’s perspective on a pregnancy and its challenges, while men will receive important insight into a mother’s journey through a pregnancy and through a crisis. I have an entirely new understanding of Carolyn as a woman.   I gained more understanding and respect for her as a mother, a woman and a spouse in the last two years than I did the entire fifteen years of our marriage up to that point.    I can take little credit for my personal revelations as they were thrust upon me by that bombshell. However, our experience can surely turn into a learning experience for other couples as relationship challenges are navigated and each individual is seeking greater insight into the other’s viewpoint. (more…)

When our publisher proposed the idea of a book signing to us, I admit, I was apprehensive.  I just couldn’t imagine why anyone would take their precious time to come out on a cold February night, to listen to Sean and I talk and sign their book.  We aren’t celebrities or famous politicians.  We are just ordinary people who have been through an extraordinary situation. (more…)

The speech is coming along, but I do have to say that Sean hit the nail on the head when he said 18 years of marriage brings with it 18 years of baggage.  The baggage is everywhere in our home.  It’s in our bathroom first thing in the morning when I go to use my shampoo and somebody has left the cap off again (which leaves me to wash my hair with the equivalent of soapy water).  It’s in our garage when I trip over someone’s size 10 running shoes while trying to carry MK to her car seat.  It’s even in the driveway when I maneuver around our empty trash cans that are waiting to be dragged back to the house three days after the garbage was picked up.  I guess it’s easy to see the “baggage” that others leave around my life because it pops up everywhere annoying and frustrating me several times a day. (more…)

Advance feedback on our forthcoming book always includes the following statement: “I really liked the use of the two voices throughout the book.”  I do believe this approach works for our story, but I will also admit that if we tried to write it with one unified voice; we would still be stuck on the prologue.  Carolyn and I are not good at tackling a large project together.  We work  much better when we divide tasks and then head to our neutral corners to complete them. (more…)

I know exactly where I was when I heard that the tragic events of January 8th in Tucson had claimed the lives of six people.   As the story of what happened in that Safeway parking lot unfolded throughout the weekend, I admittedly fell into tears several times.  The images of the injured and dead, the heroism of the first-responders, and the bravery of the individuals that ran towards the mayhem, caused tears of sadness, fear, and gratitude.  Of course, I prayed for the recovery of the injured, but there was something about the lives lost that left an imprint on my heart. (more…)

The kids and I live with Captain Safety.  Who’s Captain Safety?  He’s the guy in our house that can often be heard shouting warnings like, “Wash your hands before you eat!” or “Don’t run with scissors!”  He has a nose for spoiled food, an uncanny ability to remind us to dress appropriately for the weather, and is always chasing the boys with fruit to ensure that they have consumed their daily allowance of vitamin C and anti-oxidants.  In the summer, Captain Safety is always armed with sunscreen in one hand and bug spray in the other.  He is our protector and although we love him dearly, his reminders are often met with sarcastic eye rolls and disrespectful utterances. (more…)