Making the decision to move 1,000 miles away from the deep roots you’ve put down over the course of your life is not an easy one. I speak from experience, as it took my husband and I years to finally decide to move from the cold northeast to the mild climate of Tennessee. Now that […]
When Fear Meets the Pushmi-Pullyu
As wives and moms, you take on a wide variety of roles, including the Pushmi-Pullyu. For reference, a Pushmi-Pullyu is the two-headed llama from the famous Dr. Doolittle series of children’s books. You are probably curious what you could possibly have in common with that creature. When you encourage your loved ones, you do so […]
The circle of life brings big gifts in tiny packages
I’ve updated this post from a year ago, in honor of our circle of life that will soon be expanding. I look back over the rocky chasms and green fields of the past almost 30 years, and zoom in on those beginning months that were shaping me to be a parent. Yes, we […]
What Ricochet the Dog teaches us about parenting
Are you familiar with the story of Ricochet the Dog? She began “school” as a young pup so that when she grew up she would be a Service dog for an individual with disabilities. There are parallels between what happened during her training and what can transpire as you raise your children. You have […]
Through grateful eyes: a fresh perspective
As a parent, you have probably experienced close calls and feelings of helplessness with your children. Your toddler disappears from the backyard. The police call to say that your teens have been in a car accident. Your daughter phones from across the ocean, sobbing about how a sadistic old woman—her host mother for her junior […]
Overwhelmed? 6 Steps to more peace-of-mind
The race is on again for a new week, and you and your mind are running at top speed, full out, and it’s not even 9:00am on Monday morning. Hubbie. House. Job. Laundry. Clean clothes. Ironed clothes. Lunches. Kids. Backpacks. Missing homework. Missing sports equipment. Get in the car. Let’s GO. We’re going to be […]
5 Secret Paths to the Heart of Your Family
Have you showered your family with expressions of your love, only to be left gasping in surprise after they’ve responded with an upended bucket of cold water? Welcome home, honey! I did the laundry, cleaned the house, and we’re having your favorite dinner. Go sit and relax for a bit, and I’ll hold the kids […]
Hearts and homes made new
You just had the MOST. AMAZING. EXPERIENCE. EVER. And you just can’t wait to tell your friends and family about it, because you know they will want to join you next time, once they hear how AWESOME it was. As you enthusiastically explain, they look at you as though you are crazy, that there can’t […]
Is your Supermom cape taking you to the breaking point?
As moms, we often work so hard living up to unrealistic images of perfection from society, our families, our mothers and our own personal DNA. We buy into the culture of being a supermom, even if it just about kills us in the process. Lisa-Jo of the Gypsy Mama wrote an uplifting post about it […]