UPDATE 2022:
I rarely post on the blog anymore and looking at these photos, I’m now older, wear glasses, and most of my kiddos are taller than me. Here is a short description of me, and below is the longer blog version. (Which I’ll eventually update. 😉 )
In a nut shell, I’m a short, plump, mostly smiling, God worshiping, Catholic faith living, rosary praying, family loving, devotional writing, movie watching, taco eating, planner decorating, iPhone texting, meme sharing, beach walking, Star Wars fanning, Disneyland road tripping, cry laughing, Hispanic wife and mama of four. And I’m fine with saying, “This is me!”
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Welcome to my little corner of the internet! As long as I can remember I loved to write and scribble in journals. Years later, I still do…only now it is hard to find the time! I am a busy mom to four kids (Bella, Andrew, John-Paul & Matthew) and a wife to an amazing husband (Brian) who shares my love of God and the Catholic faith. In my free time (little as it may be) I love to blog about my faith, family life, homemaking, my quest to stop being so disorganized, and favorite shows like Downton Abbey, Jane Austin adaptations and Sherlock Holmes. Mainly, I enjoy that this blog helps me to stay close to long distance family and friends…and make new friends along the way. Thanks for joining me and do stay in touch!
Now, if you are really bored you can read more fun facts about me and our Rol family below.
Bobbi: the basics
Birthday: August 18
Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA
Current Location: Monterey Peninsula, CA
Family Position: Oldest of nine
Childhood dream occupation: A teacher and writer
Reality occupation: A wife, mommy & blogger
Before I met Brian I was: Working behind the scenes at Catholic Answers (& praying endless novenas for a holy husband.)
When I met Brian for the first time: I said to myself, “This is the man I am going to marry.”
favorite…
Saint(s): Holy Family, Saints Anne & Joachim and St. Martha
Scripture: Luke 1:38 and Romans 12:2
Devotion: Sacred & Immaculate Hearts and Divine Mercy
Quote: “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” – St. Catherine of Sienna AND “Do little things with great love.” – St. Mother Teresa
Color: Deep Red
Movie/Type of Movie: I love B&W Classics, Literary Adaptations (ie. BBC, Downton Abbey), mysteries & thrillers (love Masterpiece Mystery/Sherlock), All the Star Wars movies (minus anything with JarJar), all the Lord of the Ring movies, and many current movies (drama, superhero, thriller, and comedies if they aren’t trashy and full of X language.)
Type of Book: Classic literature (ie. Jane Austin and Charlotte Bronte) and Fiction (modern and older.) (See my book reading here.)
Music: Alternative Rock and 80’s/90’s Alternative
Music Artist(s): Death Cab for Cutie, Green Day, Silversun Pickups, Atlas Genius, Bleachers, Cage the Elephant, Bastille, Mumford & Sons, Of Mice and Men, Mat Kearney, the Cranberries, The Cure, New Order, The Smiths & Dean Martin.
Sport: Shopping (particularly the ½ off-sale sprint)
Food: Taco Salad or Hamburgers
Place: By the ocean, walking at Point Lobos as a family, SoCal visiting mi familia, Disneyland.
Time of the Day: The late evening when I unwind and cuddle on the couch with Brian to watch a movie.
Pastime: Spending time with my family, enjoying the beauty of God’s creation, taking photos and working on the blog and writing in my bullet journal.
least favorite…
Chore: Picking up toys off the floor… no, laundry…no, scrubbing toilets…I could be here all day. 😉
Vegetable: Brussel sprouts and artichokes.
Phrase: “You’ll have to wait.”
my top pet peeves:
— Rudeness
— When people think their faith should not transcend Sunday morning.
My Life Story: The Cliff Notes Version:
- Born & baptized Catholic.
- Went to Catholic school but my family didn’t really practice the faith.
- My parents had a conversion and I returned to God at some level in my teens
- Eventually became the oldest of 9 kids.
- Fell far from God.
- Had a conversion/reversion back the Catholic faith and fell in love with Christ.
- Discerned a religious vocation.
- Called to marriage instead.
- Prayed for a holy husband and waited and waited and waited.
- Met Brian online at Ave Maria Singles in Nov 1998.
- Met in person April 1999.
- Married in Dec 1999.
- Moved from So Cal to Central Coast of Calif.
- Realized marriage didn’t magically change me.
- I was still impulsive, impatient, messy and burned too many meals.
- Slowly began working to improve those areas.
- Struggled with infertility the first year of marriage.
- Made a pilgrimage to Rome for our 1st year Anniversary.
- Finally conceived and gave birth to our sweet Bella in 2001.
- Realized how much a baby turns your world upside down and inside out.
- Yet I loved being a mom and hoped to have many more.
- In 2002 started website with Brian called Revolution of Love.
- In 2004 started sporadically blogging about family life.
- Struggled with secondary infertility and lost two babies to miscarriage.
- Tried to love and follow God in good times and in bad.
- Worked on correcting the physical problems contributing to my infertility.
- Blessedly gave birth to Andrew in 2007.
- Blessedly gave birth to John-Paul in 2009.
- Blessedly gave birth to Matthew in 2011.
- Was amazed at how much love a mother’s heart could hold.
- Missed writing and began blogging regularly, often typing with one hand.
- Starting to make some strides in the homemaking part of my life.
- Cleaning & organizing more and burning food a lot less.
- Continuing to happily blog about mommyhood whenever I can find a few spare moments.
- In Dec 2012, redesigned the blog to its current look.
- In January 2013 we discover that Brian had cancer. It is removed surgically and he was given a 95% chance of staying cancer free.
- In January 2014, Brian’s cancer returns. It is removed and Brian undergoes surgery and six rounds of chemo.
- In Fall 2014, I joined the Blessed Is She team.
- In January 2015, 2016 and 2017 Brian shows no signs of cancer and we are praying he stays that way.
Meet my “better half” and my four blessings!
BRIAN
the basics:
Birthday: June 17
Family Position: Youngest of three boys.
Childhood dream occupation: A private investigator.
Reality occupation: Employee at Pebble Beach Co.
Before I met Bobbi I was: In the seminary.
When I met Bobbi for the first time: I noticed that she was wearing a miraculous medal and a medal of the Holy Family.
my favorite…
Pastime: Walking, enjoying nature, and reading.
Saint: St. Benedict Labre
Scripture: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Devotion: Rosary
Movie: Modern-Lord of the Rings; Classic-The Reluctant Saint
Type of Book: Religion/Spiritual
Sport: Green Bay Packers football
Food: Pizza
my least favorite…
Chore: Shopping for clothes.
Vegetable: Cauliflower
Phrase: “It’s all good.”
The Kids
Bella (15), Andrew (9) John-Paul/JP (7), & Matthew (5) (And 2 babies in heaven.)
The three amigos.
Enjoying a girls’ day at Disneyland. 🙂
You and my husband share a birthday! We also met online though it involved me finding his website.
How funny. It’s a small world we live in. 🙂 I think more and more people are finding their spouses online these days!
Hi Bobbi,
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and stopping to say hello. I love hearing from readers! I have been enjoying exploring your blog. I am off to read some more posts when I’ve finished writing this comment!
It’s been great to get to know you a little through this page. I really need to do something about my own ‘about’ page. Yours is far more interesting than mine. I’m sorry to hear you know the pain of miscarriage and secondary infertility. That’s something we share, though I am not complaining. No, I have been overly blessed with children and grace!
God bless you!
HI Bobbi, I just clicked on your Blog and I love it. Look forward to reading more. Its awesome to see you living out your vocation. I am recently new to marriage. And I think reading about your journey will be helpful to me.
God bless you
Adrian
Beautiful family!
Hello Bobbi !
I’ve been redirected here from BIS. Wow, you are such an amazing woman. I am impressed by your energy and strength. But most of all, I’m impressed by your faith in how God leads us every day. You are a great mother & wife. I hope to be like you when I have my own husband and babies. I also like Downton Abbey :3
Greetings from Poland for your entire family ! 🙂
Your reflection, A Modern Martyrdom (I think it was called, cant look and keep typing) came to me just at the right time. I have stage IV breast cancer and am on some powerful drugs that that made my tumors virtually disappear. But they also have powerful side effects, one of which I am dealing with right now. I have a severely weakened immune system and, after a minor surgery (to place a port in my chest) I developed a slight infection. I was put on Keflex, a powerful antibiotic, to fight the infection. But today I started coming down with runny nose and chest cough, which frightened me. I really don’t want to deal with this immune system thing! I don’t want to avoid people and not eat fresh fruits and vegetables that might be contaminated — so I have not been careful. And now I am scared. The Responsorial Psalm spoke SO gently to me — and then your Reflection plunged me into the Lord’s arms. I CAN trust him in this challenge! I do not need to walk in fear! Thanks Bobbie! Please visit my blog Growing in Grace…at any age!
(growingingraceatanyage.com) if you would like to know more about my journey
Hi Elizabeth, thank you for sharing your heart with me! I am so sorry that you are fighting this battle. With my husband having gone through cancer, and now my mom, it is a topic that touches a nerve. The fear can be overwhelming for me and I can’t imagine what it must be for you since you are dealing with it personally. I pray that God continues to strengthen your heart and fills you with peace and courage to fight this battle. I will add your name to my prayer list and lift you up in prayer. In the meantime, I will also check out your blog and your story. 🙂 Thanks again for taking the time to write. It means a lot. Hugs and prayers! <3
Thank you SO much for your prayers!!!
Hi Karolina, I am just realizing that your comment has been sitting on my page for months and I didn’t respond to you here. I am so sorry! I appreciate your kind words and encouragement. That means a lot. I have a long way to go to be a great mom and wife but I am striving. I learn a little more each day. I see that you are from Poland. Wow! Were you able to attend World Youth Day? I have been watching footage online and it has been amazing. Thank again for writing. Sending you prayers and blessings from California! 🙂