There is nothing quite like the experience of seeing your own words come to life through the eyes of a child.

I recently had the absolute joy of visiting St. Nectarios in Palatine to sit down with the kids and share my book, I Chose You, Mommy. As an author, you spend so much time in the quiet space of writing and editing, but these moments—sitting on the floor, surrounded by curious faces and bright eyes—are where the story truly finds its home.

A Morning of Miracles

Reading to the students at St. Nectarios was a full-circle moment for me. We talked about how every child is a “deeply personal miracle” and how the bond between a mother and child is something orchestrated by love long before we even meet.

The kids were such a wonderful audience! We explored the themes of the book together:

• The Power of Connection: Discussing how we are all “chosen” and loved.
• The Magic of Storytelling: Showing the students how a simple idea can turn into a real book they can hold in their hands.
• Faith and Family: Reflecting on the values that make our St. Nektarios community so special.

Why I Write

I wrote I Chose You, Mommy to give parents and children a way to express the inexpressible—that soul-deep connection that starts from the very beginning. Seeing the kids react to the rhythm of the prose and the sentiment of the story reminded me exactly why I embarked on this journey.

Thank You, St. Nectarios!

A huge thank you to the staff and teachers at St. Nectarios for welcoming me so warmly. To the parents: thank you for letting me share a small piece of my heart with your little ones.

If you weren’t able to be there but would like to bring a copy of the book home to your own family, you can find it right here.