DIY projects, thrifty home decor and easy crafts
I take a deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. What was that breathing technique I saw online? 4-7-8 Inhale for a count of four. Hold for a count of seven. Exhale for a count of eight. Heart still flip flopping an extra beat. I open my email and watch as the messages flood my inbox. Stress. To do lists…. Read More
Thank you to my daughter Rachel for sharing a precious reminder of the beauty of motherhood with “The Day I Fell in Love With my Pregnancy Stretch Marks.” When I became pregnant with our son, Aiden, I was the heaviest I had ever been. I knew it would help to lose a few pounds but my husband thought I was sexy… Read More
There are joyous seasons in life, days filled with sweetness and precious memories, almost to the point of taking my breath away. Then the seasons of grief arrive, days filled with inconsolable heartbreak, crushing the wind from my lungs. Blessedly I’ve known both seasons and every one in between. Ordinary days full of diapers and messes, schoolwork and piano lessons, basketball games… Read More
I am a big believer in modeling behaviors I’d like my children to imitate. I want to reach their hearts in teaching them compassion for others. But let me be honest. In the area of helping others outside of the family, I often fail. I get caught up in the minutia of everyday life and modeling these important elements of life… Read More
I had every intention of sharing an adorable post today full of pictures this weekend of our new puppy and, of course, our baby grandson. Unfortunately, life sometimes shocks us into reality and heartbreak. Saturday was one of those days. We got a call early in the morning that my husband’s brother had a heart attack. No warning. He was at home… Read More
A few weeks ago I was sitting at my computer working (not unusual in the least) and felt a moment when I believe God planted a dream within me (quite unusual for me!) Today I want to share just a few thoughts on how I believe God is working in my life and family. I have been working diligently… Read More
What makes a good marriage? Here’s a poignant story of years of brokenness and being remade through faith in Christ. Today is my 28th wedding anniversary. 28 years. Almost three decades of living life together. Fights. Makeups. Morning breath. Childbirth. Just ordinary lives lived through extraordinary stories. I wish we had an inkling of what we were getting into when… Read More
Many of you longtime readers have heard all about my oldest daughter Rachel, with everything from her DIY wedding in 2011, baby gender reveal party last August and the unexpected arrival of baby Aiden early in December. From age eleven and a half and up when we adopted a sibling group of three in 2000, Rachel was so faithful in babysitting and encouraging… Read More
I’ve been amazed at the way my recent post with my story on when to see a family therapist has resonated with so many people. For the most part I don’t consider myself an anxious person, but there are definitely times that I lose sight of my blessings and only focus on the problems. My goal here is to encourage… Read More