May Recap

Frankie's 9th birthday party fell on a rainy, chilly day, disrupting our plans for an outdoor event involving water. So, instead, Dave came up with the idea of a cake contest. Each girl made her own two-layer cake (yes, this really happened) and Dave and Lolo got to judge which was the best cake at the end of the party. The girls were thrilled, and the party theme was right up Frankie's alley. Good work, Dave.

Dressed to impress, we went to a black tie wedding last weekend, and my, was it glitzy! It was in St. Peter's Catholic Church on Capitol Hill, which is really beautiful. A nice chance to go on a formal date before baby Cook arrives.

Pool season is upon us! We're going to try swim team this year- Francesca, Teresa, and David will don their team suits (oh, little David in a speedo) and head to practices and meets this summer. We'll see how this goes.

The count-down begins....one week until my due date! Again, prayers for sleep leading up to the grand event would be most appreciated. We're doing a novena to St. Gabriel the Archangel (have we mentioned officially that he'll be named Gabriel Thomas?). Gabriel means "God is my strength." The Archangel Gabriel acts as God's messenger throughout Scripture, most importantly announcing the Savior's birth to Mary. We're confident he'll be a powerful patron for our little guy.  Thomas is after my dad, Pop Pop, who will be another loving patron, no doubt. Happy Feast of the Sacred Heart!

Photo ops: Cinderella, Confirmation and baby brunch

Some cute ones of Rose and Lola dancing to the score of Roger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella. "Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?"

The lovely Maria and I posed before heading to church for her big night. Maria is suddenly a young woman, as beautiful and mature as she's ever been, but with a certain growing gravitas.  It's an honor to be her god-mother and Confirmation sponsor!

Some dear friends from Queen of Apostles took me and Audrey (sitting next to me) out for a brunch to celebrate our impending bundles of joy. Audrey is due exactly two weeks before me.  Baby Cook's god-mother, Michelle, is in the blue. She, Erin and Amanda put together these adorable diaper cakes. Such a lovely group of women! Thanks, Aunt Hilary, for holding down the fort at home while I was partying :)

This Easter Season

 I spilled water on my laptop several weeks ago, and ever since then my mouse has taken on a life of its own. It's gotten better thankfully, enough to allow me a quick post spanning the last month or so.  So much to record!

Rose's 4th birthday! Princess Rosie awoke to balloons and nutella crepes (leftover from Easter, but she doesn't need to know that)

David decorated Rose's cake like a champ.

Daddy and Rose do a birthday craft. What a good daddy.

Lots of baking this month. David may have a future here.

Hilary and Natalie accompanied me (and a bulging baby Cook) to our school's annual auction. 

Yes, we bought a Deere. It takes Dave a little over an hour to do the whole lawn with this thing. David frequently sits on his lap on Cloud 9. 

It took about a month, but our neighborhood has been completely repaved, providing hours of entertainment for our little truck enthusiast.

Watching deer down in the gully behind our back yard. Our first spring has been magical: seeing what flowers pop out around the house has been fun. We've got mulberry trees, a gorgeous pink dogwood, forsythia, lilacs, Chinese snowball viburnum, and a crabapple to name a few specimens. 

Frankie huddles at one of her soccer games. She's done really well for her first stab at the sport- she's very good at hustling, and I think the coach appreciates that. They haven't won a game yet, but not for lack of trying! 

Celebrating a trifecta of occasions: Maria's Confirmation, Natalie's birthday, and Mother's Day. 

I'm 36 weeks today and very much looking forward to meeting our new little guy. He's like a perfect basketball sticking out in front of me- I don't recall such perfect rotundness with previous pregnancies. Dave and I were marveling yesterday at how God made the female body to house another human being...it really is awe-inspiring, especially when it hits me I have 4 more weeks of intense growth to go (can it be possible to expand more??).  In the meantime I hope to be able to do more frequent updates. Your prayers for a smooth and happy labor and delivery leading up to June 10th are much appreciated!

Preparing for Easter

We dyed our eggs on Wednesday and made matzo on Thursday in preparation for our Seder meal Holy Thursday night.  I should have taken a picture of the kitchen after four children were done making matzo... just think "flour explosion". I also wish I had taken a picture of the spread- it was delicious and meaningful, as always. This lamb recipe never disappoints. We were happy that our friends Michelle and Daniel Jacobeen, who we've asked to be Baby Cook's godparents, were able to join us this year (before Michelle rushed off to sing and direct music for the Holy Thursday service).

Our little guy had an adventure Good Friday, right after Lolo and Lola arrived. He fell off his bike and landed right on his little knee. Stitches were necessary. So thankful Dave was here to whisk him off immediately to our local Urgent Care. Of emergencies, it went as smoothly as it could have.

As you can see, he's no worse for wear, grinning in a new Easter suit compliments of Lolo and Lola. We're waiting for a call from Ralph Lauren's modeling department.

We've got huge forsythia bushes in our back yard- so lovely! Instead of fake ones I was able to use real branches for our Easter egg tree.

Counting down to the pinnacle of the liturgical year, only hours away, when Our Lord rises. So much hope with this feast, yet it's hope tempered by the realization that we're not there yet. Life's struggle continues. Tomorrow is a lovely foretaste, though, of that final repose with Christ that we all long for. A blessed Triduum and Easter to everyone!

Spring goodness

The young'uns at our monthly St. Elizabeth and Zechariah meeting.

Heard from another room: "I'm keeping the baby bird warm. David, get in your egg!" Came in to find this.

This artiste at work. She's very meticulous.

Seedlings! We've got pumpkins, basil, sunflowers, and sugar snap peas.

Enjoying a warm spring day with the crocuses, violas, daffodils and hyacinths.

Our new plates. Can anyone figure out what "TTSTUS" means? Hint: think back to our wedding.

Hooray for spring weather! Yeah, I know, it's supposed to snow on Sunday, but I'm going to focus on the positive. It's been fun to watch this season descend on a new house and neighborhood.  A couple days ago Teresa happened upon a huge flock of deer in our back yard at dusk. They stared at us with their big doe eyes as if to say "What are YOU doing here?" The kids were thrilled. I saw walking tick hosts... will invest in some Deet I think.

We made these pretzels at our monthly Girls' Club meeting yesterday, and they were quite a hit. I highly recommend them as a fun baking activity for Lent (did you know pretzels are Lenten?). We're gearing up for Holy Week, and asking for special prayers for Hilary on Tuesday when she'll be getting bone grafted from her lower jaw to her upper jaw. Sometimes life and the liturgical year seem to link up, don't they? You're an amazing example of toughness, Hilary.

Big feast day tomorrow- St. Joseph is a powerful advocate, if you haven't tapped his goodness yet. He's done huge favors for this family. A happy St. Joseph's Day and Holy Week!

Seen and heard

The knight and his princess.

This sword may appear bent, but dragons are no match for it.

Even knights need a snack break.

One of Teresa's many lovely creations from around the house.

David and Rose are adorable playmates these days. Watching them together frequently makes me laugh, and I wish I took the time to write down every funny exchange.  A recent one I happened to record:

David, playing with Rose, with great sadness: "I'm lost for my mother! I just got out of her tummy today, and she got away." You gotta watch those new mothers, they're tricky.

David, Rose and I go to a children's holy hour every Friday. I try to draw their attention to the fact that Jesus is physically there with us. This past Friday was no different. Me: "Rose, did you say hi to Jesus yet? He's right there, looking at you." Rose: "Because I'm so beautiful?" Indeed.

Snow is again falling heavily outside the window, and I hear we're in for 4-6 inches and an additional inch of ice overnight. Frankie and Teresa are at Grandmommy and Pop-pop's house with the cousins, no doubt enjoying the snow day. Not sure about Grandmommy and Pop-pop :) Will call you soon about when we can retrieve them! Hope everyone had a cheery Valentine's Day. 

Reflecting on Our 10th Wedding Anniversary

Happy 10th Anniversary to my beloved. Ten years ago today, we were married at St. James in Falls Church by Fr. Cornelius O'Brien. Our wedding came after an over four-year courtship, most of which took place under the gaze of Our Lady at Notre Dame. It was fitting, then, that we were married on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, our family patroness.

"By their fruits you will know them." Matthew 7:16

I turn first and foremost to Francesca, Teresa, David Jr,, Rose, and our little Junior Jr. as the "fruits" of our ten years of marriage. They are healthy and happy children who are smart and talented in their own ways. It is a daily joy to see them grow, to get to know the persons they are becoming, and to witness God's loving hands at work, crafting them into His Image. The best that Cara and I can do is simply to not hinder His work, and to promote it through prayer and example. Cara is MY example in this role.

I turn also to the generations of family members who have made their (and our) lives a reality. Most immediately, to our parents who have provided so much support in so many myriad ways that it is impossible to count or to repay, except to do our best to pass on that heroic generosity to our children.

Then, to our parents' parents: To George and Winnie Cook, for passing on the values of hard work and steadfast fulfillment of the daily responsibilities of life. To Cosme and Felicidad Lamug, for their magnanimous faith and joy in spite of the ever-present challenge of putting food on the table for their seven children. And to Cara's grandparents, and a lineage that traces back to before the Revolutionary War and to the lowlands of Scotland, who have embodied the principles of individual responsibility, patriotism, entrepreneurship, and Christian faith that have served as the bedrock of our American heritage. (Sorry if this is starting to sound like a presidential stump speech; probably watching too many debates...)

But I do mean this sincerely and believe this truly: that the reality of our children is one that was sewn over generations of family members. And those who, either through word or action, dismiss the importance of family do not understand its primacy in the continual building of stable and happy homes down the line. It is an intergenerational effort. I have been personally fortunate to both experience this reality, and to have had the opportunity to pay it forward through my work at YLF and now in my role at Queen of Apostles. And not just an opportunity, but a solemn responsibility.

I pray that our children will find these familial bonds in their future husbands and wives. And that they will be inspired by their spouses, as I have been by Cara. I don't say it often enough to her, but she challenges me and supports me in so many little and ordinary ways every day, that I continually want to do more and be more for her, and for our children.

When we do check back in in 2026, Francesca will be in her second semester of her first year of college. I am so excited to see what the next ten years have in store for us.

Finally, at our wedding we gave to all of our guests a prayer card with the words Totus Tuus, "Totally Yours," on it: words that were very close to the heart of St. John Paul II, who died the year before our wedding. I ask for his words - and your prayers - over Cara and me, and that all couples might experience the merciful and eternal love of Our Father.

“Immaculate Conception, Mary my Mother… Possess my soul, Take over my entire personality and life, replace it with Yourself.” 

And the verdict is...

...a BOY! And, boy, was I mistaken about this little guy. I was certain he was a girl. My morning sickness theory (that bad morning sickness means girl) has been blown to pieces. We're all delighted :) He performed for us on the ultrasound, yawning twice in full view and looking at us head on. We're already in love.  David: "Now I'll have a boy-friend! I'll show him my toys and he'll slobber on them." Yes, indeed, little guy.

Beautiful sunny snow day

A wee eskimo emerges.

Fat cheeks come in handy in sub-zero weather.

The long, slow shoveling. Dave's fitbit had an impressive reading at the end of the day.

Taking a walk up the road to survey the neighborhood. 

Another cute little Inuit.

Inside the igloo!

A chipmunk popping out from his hole.

Just chillin' in the igloo, literally.

The storm has come, the storm has gone. We are now left with the wreckage, which takes the form of huge drifts and embankments that cut wide streets down to tiny arteries. Our 20 week sonogram was scheduled for this morning, but the doctor's office was closed, along with everything else in the D.C. metro area it seems. No school today or tomorrow. We're planning for a Wednesday sonogram re-schedule, so stay tuned!

Snow!

David testing out the head-flashlight the night the storm started. 

Late night snow fun.

Not good...after one afternoon of shoveling.

Waking up to an impressive winter wonderland...every child's dream, right?

Before...

...after. As I write, only the tip of her head is sticking out.

Snow fare.

Packing down the igloo before hollowing it out.

David with exuberance: "I slid into thorns Mommy!"

Saying good-bye to our neighbors who visited during the storm.

This igloo is 4 ft. high and 6 ft. in diameter...inside! Someone could live in this thing.


The snow is still coming down strong, and we have over two feet. The wind picked up today, making it much more of a "white-out" experience when you look out the window. All day we've watched deer down the gully in our back yard pawing out holes for themselves and sitting in them, poor things. They look like big dogs curled up down there. So thankful for no power outages and our cozy, warm house with big windows to see all the action. Hoping everyone's able to enjoy this epic storm!