The holidays stir up all the feelings. Hope. Joy. Nostalgia. Perhaps nausea? The truth is for many December is the hardest month of the year for many individuals and families. At this time our hearts especially hurt for the loved ones who are missing around the table. The stress of the season can cause us […]
Day 12 :: Esther {More than a Pretty Fac...
Yesterday I downloaded My Fitness Pal to my phone. Again. I have felt overweight ever since my son Jack was born 6 years ago. Whether or not this is true is besides the point. Since then, I have not been able to maintain my pre-pregnancy weight for more than a few months and I HATE […]
Write 31 Dayers :: We NEED Your Voice {s...
Write 31 Days begins in 10 days and if you’re like me you are wondering, “Where did September go?!” My September looked like this: It began with first day of school, continued on to flooding in my parents basement, followed by packing, followed by anther first day of school, continued on to moving, followed by refinishing […]
How these Superbowl Ads are Going Agains...
The Superbowl commercials have been celebrated for decades. We watch with great expectations. To laugh. To cry. To groan. To cheer. Mini-movies which make us laugh, cry, groan, cheer, fall in love, and of course, want what they’re selling. And yet, my friends, for years I avoided the commercial breaks. The message many of the […]
Why I didn’t wait until Christmas for th
Candlelight flickers, twinkle lights shine, and the sliver of the moon suggests the sun it reflects. Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. We choose to recognize that Light wins in a world of darkness as we adorn our houses, trees, and streets with glimmers of joy. For in celebration […]
The One Thing I would say if I Could Spe...
Yesterday was my son’s 6th birthday and today this beautiful picture my sister made showed up in my Timehop feed: I look at my son, my face, the quote, and I feel a surge of emotions. I remember how shortly after this picture was taken I became overwhelmed by Jack’s inability to latch, I remained […]
Why Sympathy Spurs Shame, but Empathy Em...
Day 28 of 31 Days of Connecting When Jack was 3 or 4 months old, we went to a family friend’s house for lunch. Not knowing them well, I mostly kept to myself, hiding myself in Jack’s needs. When he finally went down for a nap, I had no choice but to engage in conversation with […]
(You don’t have to) Try
A Monday Moment. I remember the first time I heard Colbie Caillat. Tim and I were on our first date after Jack was born when Realize came on over the speakers at California Pizza Kitchen. I think we were both listening to the lyrics, because we caught each others’ eye and grinned foolishly at one […]