Welcome to The Rooted Vine
Hi, I’m Julie.
I live in the Napa Valley with my winemaker (and hunky handyman extraordinaire) husband and three children. It’s a beautiful – but expensive – place to raise a family. Thankfully, we are fans of simple living.
We have a fixer-upper house where all three kids share a room, we meticulously plan our meals, my husband repairs everything from the kitchen stove to the dryer (and God bless him for that), and all in all we work with what we have. It’s not a perfect life – I don’t think I’d want one of those anyway – but a blessed one.
Our sort-of-simple life has blossomed right alongside our faith. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Is it the chicken or the egg? I’m not sure. But if I had to go out on a limb, I’d say that faith is the chicken and the egg.
Having kids was a huge turning point in my Catholic faith. I was suddenly responsible for little souls, for bringing them to know, love and serve God. How could I accomplish that if my own faith was mediocre at best? My journey began with an effort to practice what I preached.
But what I discovered along the way was a rich and beautiful faith that I didn’t know existed. Though a cradle Catholic, I had never taken the time to learn about and truly appreciate my faith – reading prayer books, saying the Rosary regularly, studying the saints, resurrecting traditions. I’ve barely scratched the surface, and by no means purport to be an expert (far from it!), but the process of discovery has already brought countless graces to my life and home.
The Blessed Mother, especially, has become my ultimate example of motherhood and femininity. If ever there was a GraceFull life, she lived it. Whenever I am at a loss for what to do – how to parent, how to manage a challenge, how to make a decision – I place it in her hands and think about what she would have done. Never has she left me without an answer.
In raising our children, our faith is the centerpiece. We go to Mass, we study virtues, we pray together daily, we learn the catechism. And when I say ‘we learn,’ I really mean it. Perhaps I studied these things as a kid – I did go to Catholic school after all – but if I did they’re long gone. Most of what my children learn is as new to me as it is to them.
What I’ve realized along the way is that it’s not about having a perfect faith or life, but it’s about trying – being persistent every day. Even, and perhaps especially, when you’ve fallen. And I do that plenty.
A GraceFull Life was born from a desire to share what we’re discovering – both through faith and simple living – and the graces that come along with it. It’s about finding peace with life as it is, being kind to yourself, and taking the time to feed your soul.
Thank you for visiting and joining me on this journey. I encourage you to comment on posts that speak to you, share your ideas for bringing grace into your life and home, and reach out via email to dive deeper or just to chat. May this blog be a place of inspiration, comfort, and community.
Blessings,
Julie