We went to a Texas wedding this summer. The colors were Texas sunset orange and blue. The kids made a new friend. The bride was radiant and the groom was handsome. The end. Or rather just the beginning!
Network Marketing | Dream Job
For whatever reason, network marketing has a bad rap. Maybe it’s pushy sales “friends,” products that fall short of promises, or just straight up saturation. Tell me you don't know someone--probably dozens of someones--who are selling something through network marketing. However, as a true extrovert (someone who finishes an exhausting day and looks to go...
What I learned from homeschooling through crisis
We’re entering our sixth year of homeschooling. More than half of our homeschooling years, so far, were marked by crisis and trauma. The feelings of my inadequacy to keep up the academic home front were strong. However, I knew in my gut that homeschooling isn’t just school at home, it is a family philosophy of sorts where...
City meets County | Lesson #1
We had a youth (we’ll call him Jay), who aged out of an inner city foster care system, live with us for the better part of the last year. When we started this journey (even after taking in three older children through adoption), we didn’t even know what we didn’t know. Because this also happened during...
Foto Flashback Friday
I am blessed to have a family who loves God, loves others, and especially loves kids. Poppop (paternal grandfather) embodied all of those. Recently, a field named in his honor for all his years of service to the Eastwood Recreation Council was re-dedicated to him. A new accompanying playground, dedicated to another long-time community servant,...
DIY Sunscreen
One could go crazy bouncing between the sunscreen-all-year-round-anytime-you-go-out-of-doors camp and the we-need-more-vitamin-D-in-our-lives-and-sunscreen-is-in-the-way camp. I haven’t really given much thought to it because I’m really not together enough to sunscreen my kids religiously–or even semi-regularly. I do know, however, that when I decide we need sunscreen I want one with minimal to no toxins. The last...
Be a Lighthouse
At the risk of sounding repetitive (see #6), listen to or read (depending on your learning style) the song that is my new parenting anthem. MY LIGHTHOUSE by Rend Collective In my wrestling and in my doubts In my failures You won’t walk out Your great love will lead me through You are the peace...
Brave
Love God, all you saints; God takes care of all who stay close to him, But he pays back in full those arrogant enough to go it alone. Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God to get here soon. Psalm 31: 23-24 (MSG) A particular holiday can either be joyous and celebratory or evoke emotions of grief...