Wisdom (or Something) at 40
I turn 40 years old this month. 40! I am really having a hard time believing it. No, I don’t think that 40 is old; I’m just surprised to have gotten here so quickly. So now that I’m in my fifth decade…
Love at First Sight
My water broke sometime between placing my order and actually receiving my chocolate milkshake at Sonic. I was with my sister Julie, who was visiting from out of town. We had been hoping that I might go into labor while…
Music Review: Slugs & Bugs
Looking for music that will entertain and engage your young children but won’t drive you crazy at the same time? I’d like to introduce you to the entire Slugs & Bugs collection. Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson, both seasoned singer/songwriters,…
Merry Christmas!
Putting up our family’s Christmas decorations, including decorating the tree, usually only takes a few hours. We could probably get it done even faster, but we get distracted by watching It’s a Wonderful Life, which is our yearly tradition. We also…
Firsts
On a cold January afternoon back in 2001, at a hospital in Texas, my husband and I looked at each other with a mixture of fear and uncertainty in our eyes. Are they really going to let us take her home?…
For Love of the Game(s)
I played softball in second through twelfth grades, basketball in third through eighth grades, and volleyball in seventh through twelfth grades. (I ran track in seventh grade, too, but that was a terrible experience. I hate running but somehow got…
Family Reunions
So many Fourth of July holidays when I was young were spent driving with my family from our home in Memphis, TN to my great-aunt’s house in Batesville, MS. I didn’t know Aunt Molly and Uncle June all that well,…
Birthday Party Wins and Fails
Since this issue of Parents & Kids Magazine has a lot to do with birthday parties, I thought I’d revisit some of my own children’s birthday party “wins” and “fails” from over the years. Win: My first child’s first birthday party included pretty…
Hard Conversations
Hard conversations are part of life. And for those of us who really don’t like confrontation, these conversations can be extremely taxing. The easy way out would be just to avoid them altogether–to “keep the peace”–, but we all know…
Pain and Perspective
A few Saturdays ago, I had big plans for the day. I had a huge to-do list, since our big yard sale/fundraiser for our adoption was just a week away. I had items to gather, donations to sort, errands to…
