My empty nest is not quite as I imagined it. I never dreamed I’d be a puppy parent to Great Danes once my own kids were grown! The house is rarely silent as I’m usually either talking aloud to the people or the puppies, or trying to be heard over the barking. Every breeze or …
Unity
When my hair started to thin from chemotherapy and my makeup could no longer hide the dark circles under my eyes, it was hard for me to look in the mirror even long enough to brush my teeth. The lump and the scar on my right shoulder from the portacath showed glaringly in my mind’s …
Dreams
I woke in the night to one of those hard cries from the boys’ bedroom that’s sure to leave you with the snubs, you know-when you have trouble catching your breath after a good cry. Our oldest was a sound sleeper like his momma even as a toddler, but when I went in to comfort …
Identity
When our older son wanted to go on his first international mission trip, we all needed to apply for passports. We gathered to submit the required documents, only to find out that when my handwritten birth certificate was entered electronically, two letters in my maiden name had been transposed. I offered my parents’ marriage license …
Invisible
When my youngest was in middle school, he played the double bass in orchestra. He grew five inches over summer, so he was given a 3/4 bass in place of his 1/2 size. The case was soft-side and only used when we traveled to concerts so it lived in the spare bedroom most of the …
Practice
I learned the value of good note taking in high school and college. On nights leading up to a test, I could copy my notes and during the test, I was able to close my eyes and see the answers I needed in my mind. Since writing things down helps me to remember them, I …
Sleepless
I’ve always been a night owl, mentally more alert in the wee hours than early mornings. In fact, I’ve been known to quote the Creation account in Genesis claiming that I’ve had it right all along because the King James Version says “and the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Genesis 1:5) The …
Gifted
I can be stubbornly obstinate and needy all at the same time and it’s infuriating! Why is it so hard to ask for help when I truly need it? I am a giver, a fixer, and a pleaser by nature but sometimes the well is depleted and there’s a vacuum longing to be filled. Then …
Static!
I love my Adirondack chairs on the back porch! When we first moved in last April, our dining table sat vacant for months as we enjoyed the spring and summer dining outdoors! One thing we’ve learned, however, after popping the fire out of each other one time too many, is that static electricity builds up …
Fragrant
It amazes me how a simple smell can conjure up mental images rich with memory! Elephant ears, french fries with vinegar, candy apples and cotton candy color in a cool autumn evening at the State Fair. All at once I’m picturing my firstborn on the swing ride with his daddy before there were three! Freshly …
A Fitting Reply 