I feel worn out. Part of the problem is that I’ve just driven 10 hours in a minivan with three small children and one large dog. The other part of the problem is that I’ve been thinking too much.
My family spent the last two weeks in Wisconsin visiting “The Cousins.”
My kids adore their cousins. My sister-in-law, brother-in-law and their three ... Read More
I get a lot of credit that I simply don’t deserve. People approach me at church or the grocery store and say they love reading my column.
But the truth is, it’s not my column. It’s the community’s column. If people didn’t share their stories of kindness with me, I would have nothing to write.
Sure, I could get by for a ... Read More
When I was pregnant with my first child, I felt like I had invented pregnancy. I was sure that no other woman could have possibly experienced all of the physical tweaks and emotional peaks that I was feeling.
I had happy hormones rushing through my system, knowing that I was capable of helping to create life.
Throughout the entire process, though, I ... Read More
I’ve been trying to become a person of purpose. I want to know why I’m doing the things I’m doing.
I take a shower because I went running and I stink. I brush my teeth because I ate garlic and my family is shunning me. I put that cookie in my mouth because I’m hungry. Or I’m bored. Or I’m tired. ... Read More
The official start of the summer season is only a few weeks behind us, but according to my internal mom calendar, when the fireworks fly, it means we are awfully close to being halfway through summer.
They say time flies when you’re having fun. We must be having a blast because in 47 days, my kids will already be heading back ... Read More
I love it when people ask my husband, “Is your wife really as kind as she seems?”
It’s a very sweet question, but the real reason I love it is because it always puts my husband on the spot. It’s a Catch-22.
If he says, “No, she’s not really that nice,” then he looks like a guy who should be writing a ... Read More
My son spilled his entire bowl of cereal today.
He was supposed to be sitting at the table eating his breakfast. Instead, like a typical 3-year-old, he was bouncing around in his chair and trying to see if he could balance his spoon on the edge of the bowl. The next thing you know, Lucky Charms are flying through the air.
It ... Read More
I have got to get better at remembering names. For that matter, I also need to get better at remembering faces.
I can meet someone, have a really interesting 20-minute conversation and then have no recollection of ever having met the person when I see them the next day at the grocery store.
I have tried to increase my brain power with ... Read More
I love stories of serendipitous kindness.
Those times when someone calls just when you need to talk, a friend delivers a book that contains the exact words you need to hear, or a stranger delivers a compliment at the precise moment you need it most.
This has happened hundreds of times in my life, but one time stands out from the rest. ... Read More
I don’t remember when I first heard the word “integrity,” but I remember hearing it, and for a long time, only having a vague idea of the meaning.
Merriam-Webster has three definitions for Integrity:
E Firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.
E An unimpaired condition.
E The quality or state of being complete or undivided.
Those definitions seem a bit ... Read More
