While I addressed a mountain of Christmas cards this morning, my husband and I chatted about how a task that is an absolute nightmare for some is one of the highlights of my season.
Full Circle
love
Best Girls
On Friday afternoons, my dear Kristen comes over for a little accountability group, which translates to three cups of coffee, catching up on all the THINGS that have happened since last week, and then glancing at the clock eight minutes before she has to leave to pick up her kids from school and saying, “Oh, wow, I guess we should group!”
Bathtubs, Bush People, and How We Survived the First Nine Octobers
My husband and I celebrated nine years of marriage on Wednesday. My in-laws were here visiting from Ohio, and they let us go away for a night. The two of us. Alone! Continue reading
Grace
Have you ever had a secret? One that you had to keep from everyone? One that was surely worse than everyone else’s secrets?
I carried the weight of a secret, and it wore me down. It kept me turning in bed when I desperately needed sleep. It masked the bright flavors of my favorite foods. It dulled the colors of my world. Continue reading
*SUPERBLAKE*
Hello, Friends!
Here’s a little sunshine for your Monday…
In November, I shared the Sternhagen family’s journey through a sad and bewildering time as their infant son Blake was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a condition that could dramatically shorten a child’s life (full story here). Continue reading
Grand Edits with Lisa Wangerin: Revising Life with a New Take on Love
Ah yes, Valentine’s Day.
In the cold, dark depths of winter, a lot of folks are thinking about love. We’ve set aside a whole day to honor it—to find new ways to acknowledge or appreciate love. Continue reading
The Things We do for Love (Dirty Jobs: Daughter Edition)
My dad had hip replacement surgery last Friday. The procedure went well, and he was discharged on Sunday, with physical therapy scheduled for Monday. My mom got sick on Sunday night, and couldn’t bring him to his appointment. I volunteered to transport him to and from therapy. He called that morning and explained that he really needed bathing. Could I pick him up early and bring him to my Nana’s house so he could use her walk-in shower? An hour later, we were standing in her bathroom, unloading my dad’s Pert Plus and Irish Spring from a ratty blue duffle bag. Continue reading
Give a Little
Last week, I wrote about the decision to give my son Miles a doll for Christmas. While stewing over gift-giving options, I expressed my dilemma to a friend: “I just don’t know what to get these kids who have everything.”
To this, she replied, “Do you have to get them a gift?” Continue reading
Grand Edits with Gwen Sternhagen: Revising Life with an SMA-diagnosed Child
All of life is a draft. We look ahead with expectations and hopes of what the future will bring, but often, despite our choices, despite our resolve, events or circumstances beyond our control force us to rethink our plans. We edit our pages, making grand revisions, accepting the twists and turns of our story, doing all we can with what we are given, determined to create a narrative that is beautiful, albeit messy — our own shabby, yet shimmering story. Continue reading
REVISIONS OF GRANDEUR 