I have had a nasty virus and have been trudging through the holiday plans like an army-crawling soldier. This morning my son asked me for eggs and waffles as soon as I opened my eyes. I was less than enthusiastic, but I am the adult in this scenario, so I made him breakfast and we … Continue reading The Virus vs. Breakfast
I love Elf on the Shelf. I love the apps that allow Santa to call the kids and the way coffee tastes early Christmas morning when the children are opening gifts. I love all of that.While I love that magical Christmas feeling, I often worry that our children are losing sight of why we celebrate … Continue reading The Magic of Christmas
Mamas, What a year we have had together! I am moved every time I view the stats of this blog site. I see the different places this ministry is traveling to. I see the number of times a post is read. I see what is being shared. I read your comments and my heart is … Continue reading Farewell to 2019: A Letter to the Mamas
Dear Jaxon and Ryder, I am floored by how much you've both grown this year. I have seen grades go up and so many earned DOJO points. I have watched two little boys have each other's back and a brotherly bond that cannot be moved. I have seen a year of smiles and the loudest … Continue reading Farewell to 2019: A Letter to the Boys
Dear Sadie and Carmen, What a year! Some of the things we have faced as a family have been very trying and pretty upsetting. What I see are two young ladies that have a voice. You have opinions and beliefs. You have your own truths. I look at both of you and see beauty, but … Continue reading Farewell to 2019: A Letter to the Girls
Yesterday I was at the nail salon for a lot longer than I had planned to be. As I was sitting through my manicure, I sparked a conversation with a mother beside me. She had the sweetest baby in a car seat between us. She had four kids in her home too. She talked about … Continue reading A Tribe of Strangers
The chair sits empty at dinnertime. There is conversation and homework. There is the sound of giggles and forks hitting plates. We watch the sun go down through the window across from the empty chair. We pretend not to notice the chair during special occasions. We stuff the absence down as deep as we can … Continue reading Empty Chair
Every mama has a secret language with her children. We can detect the need based on the pitch of a newborn's cry. Mamas can read between the lines of teenagers. Mamas can hear an emergency in the way her name is called. I thought about this today on our commute to school. My step-son talks … Continue reading Language of Our Own
Yes, Mama, you read that right. If you were to open my purse you would find the usual: money, credit cards, debit cards, keys, and my ID. You'd also find tangible pieces of my heart. Every pier we have visited as a family has had a gift shop. In those shops there are small figurines … Continue reading I Wear My Heart in My Purse
On my way to a meeting yesterday, I started thinking. I counted my blessings and it brought me to tears. I thought about my vehicle and my home and decided in that moment that even if I was walking to that meeting from my old singlewide, I would still be incredibly grateful and the happiest … Continue reading Walks Together
