It was November of 1995. I was sitting in a lunchroom filled with loud and hungry sixth-graders on my first day at a new school. "Ok, folks! It's quiet time!" Coach Perkins' voice boomed across the cafeteria, commanding obedience . . . or else there was a punishment of written multiplication tables in sets of … Continue reading the best thing for your kids
through the valley, to the table
The trees outside the kitchen window stand tall and bare, almost in quiet reverence. Their empty branches give evidence of seasons, and they testify to the reality of death. For all of us, so much has died this past year - previous patterns of life, plans . . . people. But for the believer, death … Continue reading through the valley, to the table
the day my route changed
If I was a smoker, I would have reached for a pack of cigarettes. If I was a drinker, there would have probably been a few empty bottles. I was an emotional eater, and it was an Oreo milkshake at the end of my narrow, tunneled vision that day. The overwhelm of motherhood had gotten … Continue reading the day my route changed
it’s all true
We had just returned from living overseas. We were staying with my parents and waiting until I gave birth to our fifth child before officially making our next move. I would walk their neighborhood often - with a baby in the stroller and a baby in my belly - and I would sometimes see a … Continue reading it’s all true
what I wish I had said to the lady in the checkout line
When our youngest was still itty-bitty, there was a particular time I drove down to Food Lion for formula and wipes. I hurried into the store, wearing my baby in a carrier, and headed to the one isle that had both of the items I needed. The checkout line was short, thankfully, so I was … Continue reading what I wish I had said to the lady in the checkout line
an open journal 