Faith, Family, and Forging a Difference
It’s been pretty quiet at OF THE HEARTH over the last couple of weeks. Why? I’ve been occupied with this blessing: My husband, Preston, and I welcomed our daughter, Amaris Gail, on October 7th. Amaris means “promised by God” and Gail means “my father rejoices.” She weighed 8 lbs 9 oz and was 19 in long. She arrived a little … [Read more...] about She’s Here!
After supporting many friends through pregnancies, I thought I had a pretty good grasp of the breadth of modern pregnancy celebrations. However, when my husband and I were finally blessed with a pregnancy this last spring, I quickly realized that I had no idea how pregnancy is celebrated by a large number of Americans. After announcing … [Read more...] about Modern Pregnancy Celebrations: Nurturing or Narcissistic?
A few weeks ago my husband and I had access to cable television because we were staying in a hotel for a couple of days. Though we have a TV in our living room, we don’t have cable or satellite for it. We typically enjoy having temporary access to cable. My husband will watch a couple games and other sports-related shows. Together we’ll … [Read more...] about Why I’m Glad We Don’t Have Cable or Satellite TV
A couple of weeks ago my husband and I were somewhat speechless at an article we read on the news: Would You Go One Year Without Makeup? In short, the article is an account of a 20-year-old university student who is going a year without wearing makeup. She has undertaken this “experiment” to help women become more confident and feel … [Read more...] about Going Without Makeup: Normal or Newsworthy?
This last Saturday my husband and I helped friends move into a new apartment. My husband did a lot of heavy lifting in warm temperatures and I did what I could given I’m in the third trimester of pregnancy. By the time we headed home, we were beat. Fatigue like this is normal. It’s part of our human nature to be tired after we’ve … [Read more...] about Getting Rest
I really enjoy sending and receiving Christmas cards. Unfortunately, the amount of paper and energy it takes to produce traditional Christmas cards means they’re not particularly green. In today’s installment of Christmas in July 2014, we’re going to look at some environmentally-friendly ways to send Christmas greetings. Be sure to catch the … [Read more...] about Christmas in July: Going Green with Christmas Cards
When we look beyond the picnics, parades, and fireworks that characterize our Independence Day celebrations, we remember that the holiday commemorates our nation’s birth. This commemoration serves as a reminder to me to pray for our government leaders. This is a wise thing to do because the God we serve is all-powerful and nothing … [Read more...] about Praying for Our Government Leaders
My husband and I are experiencing some challenges as we rearrange to make room for the baby we will welcome this fall. Though it is sufficient, our townhome will never be described as spacious. When its small size is coupled with our motley assortment of furniture, it becomes challenging to find room for our possessions. When we first … [Read more...] about Growing to Love My Mismatched Furniture
