Mother’s Day weekend 2013, a mixed-Pyrenees pup joined our family–not long after our adopted daughter, having suffered great loss, too, joined us at the age of almost three. Unlike our other dogs who were purely
Read moreTag: fire starters
Who’s Your Daddy? I AM
“A wise son brings joy to his father…” (Proverbs 10:1a NIV). Although my name’s not actually Joy, my husband did bring me to his father, as well as to my own, when we were merely
Read moreMoms Gone Wild
Supported Mothers Did you know elephants give birth to the largest babies on earth? Each baby weighs around 200 to 250 pounds, and a mama carries her baby for twenty-two months! And all the moms
Read moreBeauty from Ashes
I’ll be honest. Mother’s Day hasn’t always been my favorite day. In fact, this particular Sunday in May brought heartache for years—not because I’d suffered the loss of my own mother but because I hadn’t
Read moreThe Bravest Words I’ve Ever Uttered
Sick in a Foreign Land “Samantha.” My voice wasn’t even a whisper. “Samantha. Help me.” The door to the bathroom was cracked, but there was no way Samantha could hear my weak cries for help.
Read moreWatching Their Love
“Did you really put a fish in Granny’s pocketbook?” I asked Papa. “I did. And she picked it up to comb her hair before she realized it wasn’t her comb,” Papa chuckled. After he shared
Read moreChristmas: From Dread to Joy
Christmas as a Kid Christmas was magical at my house as a kid. Our house transformed into a festive wonderland the weekend after Thanksgiving. Multiple nativities, many boxes of ornaments, handmade treasures, figurines, quilts, and
Read moreLeave the Corners, Don’t Cut Them
In my day job, I am the newest salesperson in a highly competitive environment. In addition to being new, I am also the only woman on this large, successful team. In my first few weeks
Read moreA Thanksgiving to Bond
One morning Izzy spent five minutes navigating the deck stairs, another five taking her place in the middle of the yard, to bark—once—at deer she saw over the fence. As the deer fled, she kicked her feet and marched back across the yard and back up the deck stairs, seemingly in slow motion. I wanted to help her but she wanted her independence. And so, I stood at the ready, but allowed her to have her triumphant moment…
Read moreThe Red Leaves are Special
I was nine. My mom contacted my teachers, gathered schoolwork, and loaded a box of activities for the twelve-hour car ride to Beckley, West Virginia. My great-grandmother had passed away, and my family was going
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