It’s the evening, Lane looks at me and says “You know what today was, right?” “Absolutely no clue.” “I could have gotten out of the military today. Today marks the end of my initial three-year commitment to the Army.” It’s post-dinnertime and I’m standing at the sink while he clears the table, ... Read More
Light of the World, an Advent Devotional Series for Christmas 2018
Eight o'clock in the evening last night and I'm out on my front porch, dark outside already, slippers on, precariously balancing myself on a rickety thrift store chair that serves no real purpose and which I mostly own just because it makes me happy. Except for last night, as I stand on it to string ... Read More
Ways of Mothering: The Exhaustion, the Invitation, & the Gift
There’s certain qualities I would name if you asked me what makes a good mom. I’d begin with patient, sacrificial, creative, strong. I’d add in encouraging and consistent, loving and empathetic. In this birds-eye view of mothering though, they’re the words that describe it, not the moments ... Read More
How to Be a Girl in a Comparison-Driven World
Here I am, a girl in America raising three girls in America. Not surprisingly maybe, I’ve had experiences with my daughters recently in regards to beauty and it’s all just a muddled mess, really. It begins in our bathroom, getting ready for the day and Mae stands next to me as I put on make-up. ... Read More
When a Shift in Thinking Changes Everything
I realized something the other day, and don’t mind me being overly-dramatic, but it’s kind of changed everything. We ran in a race on Saturday. A 5k, with our family, for heroes and surrounded by heroes and because of heroes who sacrificed actually everything both as long ago as September 11th and ... Read More
For the Tired Ones, the Weary Ones, the Ones Who Need a Nap
Picture this, if you will, because I know you can because I know you’ve lived it: A day begins, with new promise and new hope and the newness of new beginnings- it’s going to be a good day, you can feel it in your soul. Then, as it turns out, not five minutes pass and you don’t know how you’ll go ... Read More