Sand Between My Toes
My most favorite place to be on this Earth that God created is on a beach somewhere. It is there that I feel God’s presence most abundantly and feel most at peace. Of course, living in a land-locked state…
When Your Plans Crumble…
Christmas is a time of great anticipation, lots of fun memories, and wonderful time with family. But sometimes it can also be a time of unmet expectations:  We didn’t receive the gift we asked for, the cookie decorating turned out to…
Just Because We Can Doesn’t Mean We Should
As parents living in the wealthiest nation in the world, Christmas is often an exciting time for us. Even in the difficult economic times we are living in, most of us can afford to buy our children Christmas presents…and it…
Reality Check
I quickly rushed past the artwork lining the walls, running a minute or two behind (as usual). After sneaking unnoticed into the classroom door, I promptly took a seat, hunching a little lower as I sat in a preschooler-sized chair….
Lessons from a 4-Year Old
I’m over at MomLife Today sharing some recent lessons I’ve learned from my children (and specifically Big Brother). Here is just an excerpt: “My children never cease to amaze me … and I’m not just talking about how gigantic their…
Football, Politics, and Jesus
It’s fall of an election year, which means talk of football and politics is constantly surrounding us. One can’t escape discussions on Medicare, Big Bird, and which quarterback will be starting for the Jets this week (pssst…I vote for Tebow)….
Who Am I?
As I reflect on the last 4 1/2 years of my journey as a mother, I have come to a startling conclusion: Â I have changed SO much! Many of these changes are positive. I have learned how to love deeper…
Embracing the Chaos
The post office, grocery store, and convenience store…these are just a few of the places we’ve been lately where I have literally wanted to SCREAM. For some reason, my sons have a hard time controlling themselves when we’re out and…
Will You?
There’s a war raging all around us. It’s the war of competition, of doubting ourselves, of an “I’m not good enough” attitude. It’s a war that pits sister against sister and friend against friend. It’s the war that draws…
The World Doesn’t Revolve Around Your Child (Or Mine)
I’m going to say something that flies in the face of everything our culture stands for: The world does not revolve around your children. Or mine. Or you or me, for that matter. There, I said it. I read…
Fill Their Cups
Earlier this week, I was tucking Big Brother into bed and we were having our nightly recap where he tells me all of his “favorites” for that day. He had been especially sweet, helpful, and kind to his brother this…
Cherishing the Sick Days
I can’t stand it when my kids are sick. I feel so helpless and powerless and I automatically jump to the “worst case scenario” mode. I had myself convinced that Little Brother had meningitis this week because he had a…
Is Anybody Listening?
Do you ever feel like no one is listening to a word you say? You suddenly feel as if you’ve become Charlie Brown’s teacher: “Clean up your toys”…whah, whah, whah. “Eat your food”…whah, whah, whah. “Don’t forget to wash…
Our Love is Enough
Have you every wondered what exactly a ‘good mom’ is? And more importantly, have you doubted that you are one? I’m over at MomLife Today. Here’s a short snippet: I’ve been struggling lately with this debilitating feeling that I’m doing…
Dear God, Please Let My Children Get in Trouble
A couple of months ago, the boys and I made the one-mile trip to our local Walgreens. I picked up the few necessities I needed, all the while my children were standing at the check-out counter lamenting about how…
View from Above
We were flying home a few days ago when I was watching the world play out below as though it were a Monopoly game. It was mesmerizing to watch the comings and goings of cars on a patchwork quilt…
5 Things Fathers Should Teach Their Little Boys
1. How to wrestle and roughhouse.  There are a lot of things us moms do well, but wrestling and roughhousing are not normally on the top of the list. Boys need to learn how to roughhouse for a variety of reasons….
Women and Competition
Women. Competition. It seems that these two words tend to go hand-in-hand in our society these days. Whether we’re attempting to look better, have a more beautifully-decorated home, or be a better mother than every other woman…we’re paralyzing our effectiveness through…