My friend, Heather, died of cancer when we were 30. I remember walking through a deli with her when she was deep in the battle. I noticed how other people looked at her out of the corner of their eyes.
When my friend noticed another woman wearing a scarf over a bald head, Heather marched right over to her, said “Hello!” ... Read More
I know there are kind people all over the world, but there are certain things that come across my computer that leave me thinking, “That could only happen in North Dakota.”
Or maybe it’s a small-town thing. I don’t really know, but isn’t it nice to hear that goodness still exists in our communities and people will go out of their ... Read More
When I was little, my mom taught English as a Second Language.
Now in her 70s, she continues to teach. She has always had a heart for people who are new to our country. I’ve often wondered about the impact she has made on her students that she’ll never know.
Sometimes all it takes is one person in our corner, believing in ... Read More
Be brave. Be kind. Be you. That’s what I’m trying to teach my kids.
The message seems to get through to them at home, but the majority of their day isn’t spent in the comfy and (usually) considerate confines of our house. Their day is spent in school where snap decisions and snarky words can sometimes get the best of them.
A ... Read More
Did you know you can see the crime rate in your neighborhood?
If you go online to Trulia, a home buying website, you can click a little button that says “Crime.” The map is light blue in areas where there are few reported problems and dark blue where there are more crimes.
What if we could see the ... Read More
I tease my husband that being on “The Price is Right” was more fun than my wedding night. Luckily, my husband has a sense of humor.
Back in February, I traveled to Los Angeles to talk about kindness on Hallmark Channel’s “Home & Family” show. Looking for other things to do in LA, I stumbled upon a ... Read More
I am not a picture taker. That’s my mother-in-law. And my sister-in-law.
Going on vacation with them is an exercise in patience because we are constantly stopping to pose.
I was only annoyed until the first scrapbook arrived. Now, I have years of memories lovingly laid out in tidy books on my shelf.
Sarah loves to take pictures, and not just of her ... Read More
My husband and I drove the 90 minutes to the cancer center with no idea what to expect. We knew they were going to confirm I had breast cancer, but beyond that, we were clueless.
I wore the white and pink robe around the facility from machine to machine, doctor to doctor, until I got to the last room of the ... Read More
Shortly after we were married, my father gave Saul and me matching work boots.
I remember being perplexed at the time. We didn’t live on a farm and I wasn’t known for my manual labor skills. Sure enough, Dad was right.
In 2009, my husband and I donned our matching boots hour after hour as we became part of the Fargo workforce ... Read More
You know what’s better than one third-grade boy in the back seat of your car? Three third-grade boys in the back seat of your car.
In the course of a 15-minute ride, my son Ben will ask at least 150 questions, including, “Mom, does Area 51 really exist?” “Mom, do you think there will be flying cars in my lifetime?” “Mom, ... Read More
