Faith, Family, and Forging a Difference
I don’t typically think about my mortality on a daily basis. However, throughout this past year, my husband and I have been reminded of the fragility and brevity of life on numerous occasions. Early in the year, we had a young cousin nearly die in a car accident. In the fall, I experienced two rare and serious complications while having … [Read more...] about Keep Short Lists
My hands and my heart have been so full these last two weeks as we’ve been adjusting to life as a family of five! We welcomed our third child, Gilana Brielle, on September 20th. Gilana means “joy” and Brielle (a diminutive of Gabrielle) means “strength of God” or “heroine of God.” She weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. and was 19 in. long. Her … [Read more...] about Our Hearts Are So Full!
It’s no secret that I enjoy Christmas music. In fact, I enjoy it so much that sometimes I’ll listen to it in the middle of the summer. I haven’t done that yet this year, but when I was listening to it last winter I noticed that there are a number of Christmas songs that aren’t all that Christmassy. What I mean by this is that the lyrics aren’t … [Read more...] about Christmas in July: Christmas Songs that Are Great for Year-Round Listening
We get so carried away with red, white, and blue desserts, parades, picnics, and fireworks that it’s easy to forget that the 4th of July isn’t just a day for relaxing. It’s Independence Day—a day for celebrating our nation’s history, namely our independence from the British Empire. When I look at the political section of the news these … [Read more...] about Avoiding Discouragement in Our Volatile Political Climate
Last week we discussed how creativity benefits all of us, regardless of the particular roles we fill. We also examined 6 mental blocks and habits that stifle creativity. Today we are going to consider 6 strategies that can help us foster creativity when we’re feeling stuck. Hopefully these strategies will help us come up with new ideas … [Read more...] about 6 Things that Foster Creativity
A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I reached a new milestone in our lives as parents: We purchased a minivan. Many couples shudder at the thought of driving a minivan. In fact, just a couple of days before we purchased our van, I saw this bumper sticker on a minivan parked in the grocery store parking lot. I’ll concede that they … [Read more...] about Why Minivans are Really Cool Vehicles
We tend to associate creativity with certain people or roles. For example, artists and musicians need creativity for their work. However, we don’t often consider how creativity benefits the rest of us. I’m a stay-at-home mom, yet creativity is incredibly beneficial in my work. When I’m creative, I’m better able to plan menus, better … [Read more...] about 6 Things that Stifle Creativity
My husband and I have two wonderful girls. We’re expecting a third child. We don’t yet know if this baby is a girl or boy, but since we first started sharing about the pregnancy, we’ve been hearing questions and comments like these: “Trying for a boy, huh?” “Maybe you’ll finally get a boy.” “You must really want a boy.” “Surely … [Read more...] about Why I Don’t Care if I Have a Gender Balanced Family
