• Encounters with Jesus, An Advent Devotional Series

      Three times over the past eight years I was in the final weeks of pregnancy during the season of Advent.  Waiting and hoping have been familiar companions.  Last year our fifth baby was due eight days after Advent began and as November drew to a close I would wake up each day and wonder, “Is today the day?”  Every contraction gave me…

  • Five Things on Monday

      1. Thanksgiving is in 10 days.  What?!  How did this happen, friends?  It feels like just yesterday that we were spending our days at the beach, and now the heat is on, we’re planning our turkey dinners, and Christmas ideas are stirring in my mind.   2. My house goal for October was to finish decorating the girls’ bedroom.  It’s now…

  • How to live when you don’t like what’s happening

    I remember well coming home from the hospital with our son Mason.  We had been told he might have Down syndrome, but we were waiting for the blood test results to confirm the Doctor’s suspicions.  What I had expected for my third child’s life was in question and I was struggling with all of the possibilities that were before us.…

  • For Your Weekend: Thoughtful Reads

    Saturday mornings have become some of my favorite times, especially ones like today when all the children are still sleeping at 6:45 and the house is quiet.  Saturday is the only day of the week that I don’t set an alarm, but my internal clock still gets me up by about 5:15.  My coffee in hand, I nestle into my…

  • 3 Ways Ramona Quimby Helped me to Be a Better Mom

    Being a Mom is one of life’s greatest joys and struggles.  I love my children, and yet they drive me crazy.  I want to do fun things with them, but I’m often just too exhausted to put forth the effort.  The bottom line?  I want to be a great Mom.   But it’s really hard.   The girls and I recently read…

  • How Change can Bring Good Gifts

      People at church on Sunday asked about Mason starting school, and how things were going. I had replied that he was beginning on Monday, like it was days or weeks away.  No big deal.  We’re good.  It’s not tomorrow or anything.  Um, hello.  Somehow I didn’t realize that Monday was the very next day, until I was on my way…

  • From the Kitchen :: Deep Dish Skillet Cookie

      One of the things I love about fall is the permission it gives me to bake all the yummy things.  Breads, muffins, cookies, cakes…somehow the cooler weather makes me want to hunker down and stuff my face.  Anybody?   The trouble is that this also affects my waistline.  And my self-control.  So, I try to limit our intake.  My…

  • For Your Weekend: Podcasts & Series

    Good morning from our little home in Virginia.  We’re due to get heavy rain today, our portion of Hurricane Matthew, and the sun’s later appearance in the sky has the kids sleeping later than normal, a gift for sure.  With the busyness that comes from the beginning of a new school year, weekends are a nice break.  Not always restful,…

  • What Fear Exposes about my Heart

      “So, we’re all in agreement here?”   Nods all around the table.     “Ok, Mom, then can you sign here that you agree to the fact that your son has a disability?  And then we’ll move forward with this process and you can come back in two weeks to discuss Mason’s IEP.”   I took the paper from his…

  • 8 Things I Learned in September

    During the survey I did recently on my blog, one of the categories you all said you enjoyed was my “What I Learned” monthly wrap-up posts.  I’m glad you do, because I enjoy these as well.  They help me to pay closer attention to what’s happening in my life and the significant, simple, and interesting things I learn throughout my days.…