Rita Buettner, Author at Archdiocese of Baltimore

September 7, 2018

Clouds, a new school year, puzzles, fishing, when things fall apart, and more (7 Quick Takes)

Don’t you just love clouds? I don’t think I look up at the sky often enough. I saw this one last night, and I loved how it was lit up from behind like a lightbulb.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

September 5, 2018

A day that takes the cake

Our younger son has been asking me to bake a cake.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

September 1, 2018

“Raven” about a wish that came true

When you’re counting down to an event, it seems to take forever to get there. And then all of a sudden, it’s time! And you’re there! And it’s all happening in a wonderful rush.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

August 31, 2018

How we are squeezing every last ounce of summer out of this vacation (7 Quick Takes)

~1~ Summer vacation is ending. It’s time I acknowledged that. I like to take off the last week of August to help get our sons ready for the school year. But somehow, with school starting on Tuesday, I realize that our school supplies are only 95 percent together, the summer writing assignments are not complete,...

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

August 25, 2018

When you wish upon an Instagram picture…

For their birthdays and Gotcha Days, our boys always get to pick something special for dinner. So as we were counting down to our younger son’s Gotcha Day—the seventh anniversary of the day we met one another—I asked him how he wanted to celebrate.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

August 24, 2018

Hibachi fun, a surprise, sitters, finding a new hangout, and conference planning (7 Quick Takes)

For our younger son’s Gotcha Day, we took him to a hibachi grill. He was excited to go, but then when we got there, all he wanted was a plate of fried rice.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

August 22, 2018

Remembering the day we met our son seven years ago

Back in December 2009, I was standing in the lobby of the U.S. Consolate in Guangzhou, China, with friends who had just become parents through the miracle of adoption.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

August 20, 2018

Aaaarggh, Matey! Our night as pirates in Baltimore

What could be more fun than eating sushi on the water in Fell’s Point on a summer evening? We were about to find out.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

August 17, 2018

An approaching storm and school year, meteors, a snack bar victory, and a 5-D poster (7 Quick Takes)

My husband and sons made it home as the rain was starting, but there were no fish for dinner.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

August 15, 2018

Personal archaeology: A piece of art I never knew I owned

Over the past few weeks, I have been going through some boxes of photos and mementoes. The idea is that I will organize them and maybe even discard some things I don’t need.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Open Window

August 15, 2018

The truth hurts

Sometimes people do terrible things. They hurt people deeply. They hurt children. They let down people who look up to them, people who trust them. They lie about what they do, and sometimes they tell the people they are hurting to lie, too.

Rita BuettnerBlog, Child & Youth Protection, Open Window