It’s summertime. I’m in the kitchen cutting up blackberries for a salad. They might be the only thing on the plate that my kids eat. (I’m hopeful anyway.) The kids are playing in their room, so my attention is split between the task at hand and the baby monitor propped up on the bar. There’s …
We’re a few weeks into the new year. Kids are back at school. Hopefully, many of us are back into some semblance of a routine. February is a long month for being so short. I find this month to be one of my favorite times of the year to shake things up. It’s far enough …
There’s a trend going around social media where you compare yourself now to where you were a decade ago. Despite having a blog, I put very little of myself and my family on social media these days. But I found the idea intriguing. In 2016, ten whole years ago, I was already more than 10 …
We’re officially halfway through January. How are you feeling? If you’re a resolution setter, how are they going? (I’m not a resolutions person, although I do usually look at some of my habits and routines to see what needs to be reworked). Making resolutions, or recognizing where we need to change, is often the easy …
A little confession before we begin: I’ve been trying to write this post for a long time. It’s been a draft for a few years, but I think about it often. I’m not sure why this idea has such a hold on me. I’m even less sure I’ll be able to communicate it to you …
A few weeks ago, we traveled to my parents’ house for a quick visit. The kids played, and my mom and I tackled part of a long-overdue project – cleaning out some of my stuff from their house. I lived with my parents well into my 20s, so this was a daunting task. We spent …
I originally wrote this in April 2014. At the time, I was working in my hometown at a small local nonprofit. Housed in a church, it was the only free after-school program in the Valley. We provided after-school care for 30 upper elementary school and middle school students, many of whom were first-generation immigrants to …
I don’t watch golf. It’s one of those sports I don’t really understand (see also soccer and water polo). But I do watch the news. Don’t worry – I promise those two things are related. Earlier this week, I saw a news story about a golfer named Scottie Scheffler. Apparently, he’s a big deal. He’s …
Most of these words came to me last week in a flurry. I sat down with my journal, and they poured out of me onto the page. I don’t usually write long form in my journal – it’s more for the day-to-day happenings, or maybe a note I hope to flesh out later. When the …
I remember learning about being a parent long before I ever was one. Growing up, I had good role models in both friends and family. As a young adult, I attended a church in my hometown and met weekly with various Bible Studies and small groups. Many of the participants were a few years older …
