Updated on September 11, 2020
The stories we tell on this day …
This day. It appears on the calendar out of the sweltering blue of summer and amidst the slow push into fall, breaking the patterned chaos with its remembering. Those crystal clear details of 18 years ago; how the room smelled, where you were standing, how incredibly blue the sky was, whose arm you grabbed, and the sound of the voice of the first person who asked you what was going on. You remember. And every year you marvel at the vivid scenes that replay on demand the instant someone asks you where you were on September 11, 2001.
Updated on August 30, 2019
So many words. So much power.
“She’s probably the loudest teacher I’ve ever met. She uses so many words. And she never stands still. We all think she’s crazy. Her name’s Mrs. Sain. You’ll see when you meet her. Don’t put your head down on your desk, though, she loses her mind when you do that. ” The boy laughed and looked up at his mom. He had no idea that the loudest teacher he had ever met was standing right behind him. Or that her 23- year- old heart was breaking a little.
Posted on August 16, 2019
Feeling a little thirsty? Here’s how to stay hydrated …
By the time you actually feel thirsty, your body is already in dangerous need of water. A dry mouth and a sandpaper tongue indicate that your system is desperately searching for a way to rehydrate its cells. So staying properly hydrated means drinking water before you need it. And we all know this. The old eight cups of water a day rule, right? But these are the things that suddenly seem extra important when the heat index is 103 degrees and you’re dropping the ten-year-old off for baseball practice. Welcome to the dog days of summer here in the South.
Posted on August 1, 2019
How to Begin
Beginnings have a way of stealing our breath. The unknown and the long road ahead can be exhilarating and overwhelming all at the same time. And you can forget everything you
Updated on July 18, 2019
Through a storm
We spent last week at the beach on the edge of Tropical Storm Barry. And as we watched the Gulf change from calm and easy waves to pounding and crashing surf, I was reminded of some words I wrote early in the spring. When the double red flags were raised into the Florida sunshine and our kids were chased out of the water by the overwhelming rip current, I remembered why it is we have such reverence for storms. Storms can come out of nowhere on days when the sun is still shining right in your eyes. And make you think it’s no big deal. But standing on the edge of the churning ocean, I realized I still have a lot to learn about the power and the pull of a storm.
Updated on June 27, 2019
How to stand in line
The check-out line at Old Navy gives me hives. Especially when the clock is ticking away seconds until my feet need to be planted at the bus stop. I just need one pair of pants; a pair that will hopefully cover the ankles of the boy whose legs won’t stop stretching. But, the line is endless. Behind me stands a mom with a toddler in full-on meltdown mode. She’s doing all the mom things. But he’s a toddler. And in his fit, he grabs one of the trinkets from the display shelf. Seconds later, the toy is hurled to the ground and shatters into a million pieces.
Posted on June 6, 2019
What is it you want to grow this summer?
Click HERE and I’ll read the whole thing to you in just a few minutes! He wanted to grow a cabbage. The biggest one ever, he declared as he carried this tiny plant home from the bus stop. He was waving this paper about prizes you could win if your cabbage grows the biggest; visions of farmland and blue ribbons danced behind his eyes. But here’s the thing. This suburban boy of mine? He doesn’t even like cabbage.
Posted on May 17, 2019
A Prayer As We Go
Click HERE and I’ll read the whole thing to you in about 3 mins! We’ve played the final concert, cheered for the final game,
Posted on May 3, 2019
The One Thing that Could Cure Our May Madness
Psst… it’s May. I know. I know, we’ve all been whispering it to each other in hopes that our calendars haven’t caught on yet. May. This month of madness that ends our school year and propels us into the summer. It’s staring us right in the face.
Posted on April 19, 2019
Good Friday; A Rescue story
We never intended to need a rescue. We did everything right. Well, at least as right as 20- something’s can do when planning a camping trip in the middle of winter. We had maps (yes, paper maps, call me old), firewood, sleeping bags, tents, food. More food. And seriously, a camping trip in the winter in Georgia isn’t really a big deal. I mean it could be 70 degrees. Or it could snow.
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