• 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

    Now Entering the Teen Years

    Itโ€™s official. I am now the parent of a teenager. My daughter Callie turns 13 this month, and I can hardly believe it. Just like every other parent in the world, I find myself wondering where the time went. I…

  • 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

    The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

    I was born at 5:05 pm on March 5, 1975, which was my Granddaddyโ€™s 50th birthday. I love the month of Marchโ€ฆand the number 5! I also love that I was named after my Granddaddyโ€™s mother, Carrie Elizabeth. In turn,…

  • 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…

  • Family

    Now Available: Unlimited Fresh Starts

    Fresh starts. New beginnings. Second chances. I donโ€™t know anyone who doesnโ€™t like these ideas. And thereโ€™s something about a brand new year that gets us all excited about โ€œstarting overโ€ and making changes and improvements in our lives. Undoubtedly,…

  • Family

    It’s Always Time to Be Thankful

    November causes many of us to be particularly mindful of counting our blessings. I wish we didnโ€™t need a reminder, but Iโ€™m glad we have it. I have found personally that when I am focused on being thankful, my perspective…

  • Family

    Testing 1, 2, 3

    Iโ€™ve taken several pregnancy tests in my 14 years of marriage. And Iโ€™ve had a range of reactions to the results. Surprise, disappointment, shock, disbelief, and (of course) joy! Iโ€™m not going to tell you which reactions go with which…

  • Family

    Happy Camper

    Last summer I sent my firstborn to an overnight camp for the first time. This was a big step of faith for me. I really donโ€™t think Iโ€™m a โ€œhelicopter mom,โ€ but I think we can all agree that dropping…

  • Family

    The Pot and the Kettle

    Do as I say, not as I do. I wish this statement were less descriptive of me. I’ve been a mother for only nine years, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to apologize to my children…