• Family

    Training

    There are days when I donโ€™t feel like doing all that is required of me as a parentโ€“particularly in the area of discipline. Some days I am just really tired, and I think, โ€œI only want to love my kids,…

  • Family

    Olympic Dreams…and Realities

    I absolutely loved watching the Olympics! I love the competition, the excitement, the dreams, the challenges, the emotions, the life stories. I cannot imagine all the time, work, and dedication these athletes have put into their sports. And Iโ€™ve noticed…

  • Family

    Kids and Their Talents

    My firstborn, Callie, recently had the privilegeโ€“and joy!โ€“of performing in her first big musical. She played the role of Narrator 4 in Ridgeland High Schoolโ€™s production of Aladdin, Jr. I cannot describe how much I loved watching her on that stage! Performing…

  • Family

    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

    Hard Conversations

    Hard conversations are part of life. And for those of us who really donโ€™t like confrontation, these conversations can be extremely taxing. The easy way out would be just to avoid them altogetherโ€“to โ€œkeep the peaceโ€โ€“, but we all know…

  • Family

    A Tough Break

    โ€œMama, come quick! Callie hurt her arm!,โ€ Katie ran to tell me. Our family was attending an M-Braves game with another family, and the kids had gone off to play in the grass behind center field. Since I was in…

  • Family

    All-Skate

    My husband and I recently took our three children, plus some extra girls, to the roller skating rink. We had been skating once or twice before, but it had been a while since our last venture. Callie, my 12-year-old, took…