I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop staring at her I knew time would stand still I knew I would fall in love I knew I would be in awe of her developing mind I knew I would relish in every precious moment I knew presence would come, oh so easily I knew she would bring abundant joy to our family   What I didn’t know is, how speechless I would be when I saw my daughter with her What I didn’t know is, how intensely my son-in-law would stare at her with the deepest love What I didn’

As a child I remember warm Florida afternoons playing outside with my sister and friends.  My mother was inside making dinner, with a glass of wine, as he arrived home.   My father's childhood wounds had left him distant, bitter, and unaffectionate.  My mother’s glass of wine, turned into two, then three.  This all seemed “typical” to me at the time, but looking back now, I see brokenness, anxiety, and addiction.  Six blocks down the street my future father-in-law was raisin

They are naturally social creatures and love snuggles, story time and peek-a-boo They love pushing buttons, stacking blocks, beating drums, pushing cars, kicking balls, running, jumping, climbing, and exploring every nook and cranny They are determined little creatures.. when they are trying to learn something new they will practice it over and over until they perfect it They especially love putting objects into containers then taking them out, then putting them back in agai

When my kids were young people would often look at me juggling two little ones and say… “Wow you really have your hands full”, or “Enjoy it, they really grow up fast!” All it did was make me want to scream! After all, I was doing my best and I truly did feel like I was enjoying them as much our busy lives would allow!!!! Now, as a mom of two teens and a daughter of aging parents and in-laws, I often think about how quickly the time really does pass and how short life really i

Hello again, writing this as a follow up to the post At the End of the Day, What Do we Really Want Our Kids to Remember? written shortly after my oldest left for college Here is an excerpt from the former post Several things lately have made me think, reflect. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s that my oldest is starting college, or maybe it’s just God’s way of making me slow down and “smell the roses,” so to speak. My daughter, now 19, has struggled with some pretty serious l

Don’t look at them. It’s as simple as that. Let’s face it, parenting is the hardest job you’ll ever have! Period! And there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to parent. In addition, the influences our kids face on a daily basis far outweigh the wildest imaginations of our parents. Society, the media, peers, the internet! Wow! That’s a lot to take in! Not to mention the academic pressures of today’s competitive world. Our kids are stressed out and stressed kids can result

Several things lately have made me think, reflect… Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s that my oldest is starting college, or maybe it’s just...