Skip to main content

Posts

You Smell Like Summer

  As I snuggle up next to you and say prayers, I can’t help but notice, you smell like summer. That familiar smell of sunscreen. That outdoor smell. Your cheeks are lightly sun kissed. Too young to remember the events of the day for long.  Exhausted from our day of fun.   You want snuggles before you fall asleep, pretty much every night now.  I know many say that I shouldn’t do it.  It spoils you.  But to be honest,  I enjoy those nightly snuggles as much as you do.  Maybe even more. For just a couple minutes every night I lay down next to you and you wrap your tiny little arms around me. The worries of the world disappear. You smile at me and close your eyes. The smile lingers on your face for a few seconds more.  Sometimes,  I lay there for only a few minutes.  Then, I give you one more kiss and we say good night before I leave.  But other nights, nights like tonight, I lay here and watch you as you drift off to sleep. Tonight, you smell like summer.  A fresh reminder of the fun day
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

Lifting Women up

Happy International Women’s Day, no wait, it was yesterday.  Like many moms, I am a day late. Honestly, I forgot.  But the sentiment is still the same.  Sometimes being a little late, well it's just a reality that I am dealing with these days.   This “I can do it all, by myself, with heels on” culture is really hard on women.  I have fallen into that trap one too many times and the outcome hasn’t been pretty.  Though I agree shattering that glass ceiling is important, so is shattering the idea that all women have to do it all to be successful.   Frankly, we are enough just with who we are; the way God made us.  What we choose to do, or not do, doesn’t define us. So, I am proposing that we take a step back and decide from this moment forward to only lift other women up.  And if we find ourselves tempted to pull them down, kick off those heels and run the other way. One thing we need to do: normalize asking for help.  Typically, as soon as a woman shares a struggle or asks for help,
Post a Comment
Read more

How Valentine's Day has changed

  Our first Valentine’s Day together was sweet. Ten years ago now.  It seems like a lifetime ago. We had a romantic dinner and cute, little, thoughtful gifts for each other.  I still remember picking each individual gift and writing a note to go with each one.  It was all about the two of us and our new and exciting love. The next few years we started this tradition of making dinner at home together.  But it was a pretty elaborate dinner.  There were always gifts and making a pretty big deal about spending the day together.  He was busy trying to make up for all the crappy past Valentine’s Days I had with old boyfriends and I was trying to spoil him.   Things have really changed.  The past several years, I can honestly not remember what either of us has gotten from the other.  I think we haven’t done presents for some years.  We definitely didn’t this year.  Well, actually I told Jay that he got me a Starbucks coffee today, that I picked up at the drive thru on my way home from the pet
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus over Politics

I wasn’t sure I was going to comment about the recent events in our nation. I have started so many blogs about the dissension in our country, but never finished. Felt lost for words.    Where are we?   Who are we?   What I am about to say may make some people unfollow me or angry.  But, if it does upset you enough to do that, I would like you to take a minute and question why.  If you are offended...does it mean I hit a cord?   Over the past year I have simply watched kind, loving christian people turn their faith into their political party.  I may have been guilty of this myself.  Politics has gone from something that people can disagree on to something that defines a person.       And before you try to stop me and say “well wait, maybe you don’t understand or know about this,” I have taught government for the past several years.  I understand the government and work really hard to know the facts, so that I can teach my students in a completely unbiased fashion.  I pride myself on the
Post a Comment
Read more

We do Santa a little different around here

  As Christmas approaches, my excitement typically rises. It’s my favorite time of year. But without fail, someone will utter the words “better be good, so Santa brings you lots of presents.” Or “you are such a sweet girl, I bet Santa will bring you something nice this year.”  My kids have always looked at me or my husband confused. I smile, and we changed the subject. They mean well. I get that.  But we do things a little differently in my house.   Last night, for the first time, my 6 year old looked at me and said “I do not think Emmy is on the nice list this year.”  I am thankful her little sister didn’t hear her say that.  I honestly was taken back. Ugh.  Now how do I get this out of her head?  I don’t do elf on the shelf. I personally find him a little creepy. This could have something to do with growing up in the Chuckie era, but a little elf, mischievously moving around my house, spying on my kids, nope not for me.  Absolutely no judgement to those that do it. I know a lot of pa
Post a Comment
Read more

A Different Type of Thanksgiving

This year, Thanksgiving looks a little different.   It’s not going to have all the excitement. There will be no sweet potato casserole. The side dishes will be limited.  The house will be quieter.   Hosting Thanksgiving is our thing.  We have hosted every year since we bought our first home.  Typically, my aunt comes and my husband’s whole family comes.   It’s the only time we are all together in one big group.  And there are a lot of us.  Hosting everyone is a big deal to me. It’s become our tradition. The only Thanksgiving tradition my kids know. But this year is different. This year it will just be the five of us.  Every year I get stressed.  Anyone who knows me knows that me being stressed isn’t really anything new.  I rush home to clean, bake and premake everything I can for the next day. I am usually up late. Anyone with kids knows that cleaning with kids around is like brushing your teeth with Oreos.  I’m always exhausted. I usually shower 30 minutes before everyone starts arriv
Post a Comment
Read more

God's Impact on Marriage

  As we celebrate our 7th year of marriage, I could make it look like it’s been all bliss.  Life is perfect.  We are the perfect couple.  Life is always great.  Someone once told me we were the “power couple for Christ.” Which is an amazing compliment, but, for those of you who know me, I am not about the highlight reel .   When we pretend our marriages are perfect, we do a huge disservice to other married couples who may have struggles. I also think that we do the same thing to unmarried people when we complain about our spouse or our marriage and make it appear that the struggles are not worth it.  There is a difference between being real and complaining about your spouse. This is meant to be real .  A dose of reality .  First off, when we met we were not leading a very Christian life. Honestly, we weren’t really followers at all.  Neither of us were sexually pure and we moved in together 4 months after we met.  Here we were, both fiercely independent people, in their late 20’s, with
Post a Comment
Read more