Spud Originally uploaded by EileenF. So here's the pooch. He's doing well, and we are all walking more! The vet says he thinks he looks like a whippet more than a pitbull and to just tell people he's "mixed."

Sunday we adopted a dog from the city pound. The children are eager to feed and walk him and earnest in their analysis of his every gesture. Tom and I, on the other hand, are just hoping this isn’t a huge mistake.It took years of begging on Megan’s part to get us to even seriously [...]

We’re back home after a wonderful eight days in Ireland. We’ve sorted through the mail, done five loads of laundry, returned most of the messages on the answering machine, and printed our pictures. So now it’s time to reflect on the trip and try to sum it up in a blog post.A highlight for me [...]

Ireland is beautiful, and the weather has been fine. I've been particularly struck by the ancient ruins, like the 5th century monastic beehive I hiked to yesterday morning on one of the Aran Islands (I had to sneak through a cow pasture to get there.). Of course our own land has been inhabited for thousands [...]

My daughter just said that we’d have a perfect family if it weren’t for her brother. This seems a little uncharitable since she just hit him. The idea of a perfect family got me thinking about a conversation I was part of a few nights ago with a group of people, most of whom are [...]

I don’t know how many of you are familiar with NPR’s Speaking of Faith, but it’s a wonderful weekly radio program that explores different spiritual traditions and topics. This week’s show is called "The Spirituality of Parenting", and as if that were not exciting enough, I may be on it! I definitely have a short [...]

I have an ambivalent relationship with privilege. My mother worked as the cafeteria cashier in the elite private school that I attended. My Irish grandmother worked as a maid in the neighborhood where I now worship and have many friends. Neither of my immigrant grandparents got as far as eighth grade, and my own parents [...]

A few moons ago I mentioned the possibility of writing for ClubMom, a web site that provides information and shopping bonus points to mothers. Well, I am now officially a Mom “Expert” which really means that I’m a professional writer who writes about motherhood. (I believe we’re all experts after the first 100 diapers.) My [...]

I’ve taken to giving myself mini retreats every few months, or whenever I feel I’ve misplaced my spiritual compass. My favorite spot is the Quaker study center Pendle Hill, just south of Philadelphia, where I used to live and work. The other day I showed up for a few hours with my lap top, though [...]

I’ve been trying to swim lately, since the gym elliptical has been irritating my heel spur. Unfortunately, the crowded pool has been irritating my spirit. First, there’s my reluctance to share. I’d much rather head down the lane without having to watch out for oncoming traffic. But part of my reluctance comes from the fact [...]