My friend Liz has been haunted for a year by the way she reacted to her husband’s random act of kindness last Christmas Eve. I’ll let her tell you about it:
“I love the holidays. I look forward to them every year. But inevitably, I am always amazed at the amount of stress I feel during this ‘joyous’ season. So much ... Read More
Sometimes social media is nasty. I mean really, truly, ruin-a-person’s-day nasty. It gives people the opportunity to say whatever they want with little, if any, filter.
Some people need excitement in their lives, so they try to “stir the pot” by being downright rude. Then they wait and watch to see how the world will react via the anonymity of the ... Read More
The other night I put my kids to bed an hour and a half before their regular bedtime so I could sit on the couch, eat Ben & Jerry’s and watch a Hallmark Christmas movie alone in silence.
I’m not sure what kind of message that is sending to my family, but I’m sure it’s not a good one.
I’ve got a ... Read More
A man came to my house the other day to repair all of those little things in a home that are too difficult to fix myself, yet not so difficult that they involve cutting my losses and just moving.
He actually came the first time to convince the mice who had moved into my basement that they’d be better off finding ... Read More
It’s been six months since the moving truck pulled out of my driveway in north Fargo and made the 16-hour trek to Athens, Ohio.
Six months. That seems like such a long time. By all outward appearances, we are settled into our new life: my husband’s face is on posters all over town announcing the basketball schedule; my kids have play ... Read More
Did you know angels drive big, black trucks and often tell people they’re from Jamestown? At least that’s the way they are described in a recent letter I received.
Actually, Angels of Kindness drive a lot of different vehicles and live in every town in America (and beyond). Some make a lot of money, some not so much. Some are old, ... Read More
I had a friend once whose little boy was diagnosed with cancer. During that dark journey, the family was forced to rely on community support in almost every aspect of their lives. Medical bills, car payments, child care and homework delivery were all handled by a team of people who just wanted to help.
I watched that little boy slowly deteriorate ... Read More
Have you ever felt like everyone was in on a joke except you?
I’m not sure if I should feel angry or sad, but deep in my heart, I’m feeling a strange combination of dark emotions that are all jumbled together and desperately striving to find the light.And it’s all the result of a third-grade birthday party.
My son goes to school ... Read More
I am the youngest of 50 cousins on my dad’s side of the family. I have several hundred second-cousins, but please don’t ask me to name more than 10 of them.
The last family reunion was held at a park in Wisconsin and was a bit of a community event. It’s always hard to tell who is really part of the ... Read More
There has been a big white garbage bag sitting on our back porch for about three weeks.
My sweet daughter, Jordan, planted a garden this spring, lovingly tended it all summer, beamed with pride when we used her homegrown carrots in a pot roast, and then painstakingly pulled all the left-over vines, leaves and roots when the weather turned cool.She ... Read More
