She is two now. There are so many hard things about being two. She can do so much, but thinks she can do so much more than that. “I do it by self,” she says, even when those shoes will not be on her feet without help. Clothing is a burden. “I be naked,” she says with a giggle. There is yogurt or peanut butter smeared on everything, and then of course there is the possibility of watermelon or popsicles or ice cream. …
Yes, there are hard things about being two, but then there is so much I never want to forget.
Come Again Another Day
Rain, rain go away. it’s not just kids that song that song- it’s the parents too! When you have a toddler, days of rain mean constant creative thinking. Where can I run their energy out today? The alternative is driving each other crazy at home. So we figure something out, make it work, and take a walk the moment the sky clears. On the other
Welcome, little one
I marvel that you fit inside me only one month ago. As you sleep with your head on my shoulder, I breathe in your brand new baby smell and stroke your silky hair. I labored for you; you made it pretty easy for me. I waited for you; you came just a few days early to meet me. It is amazing how quickly we become
Advent Reflections
Advent. It is for a long week of waiting, anticipating, and reflecting. I remember as a kid the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas felt so long; as adults we often feel there is too much to pack in. Either way, we can still choose to use the time wisely, to focus on the things that really matter. I have always loved this time. I love
On sitting still
In a world where most people are busy busy busy, it is weird to be the person sitting still – especially when you’re not usually that person! In the hurried, harried times we long for stillness, but sometimes when the stillness arrives we don’t know what to do with it. Right now, at home with my new little one, my days are slow and solitary,
On Being Uncomfortable
I think there is more to the end of pregnancy than simply the physical discomfort. Don’t get me wrong – the physical discomfort is real – the kicks in the ribs from the inside, the lack of any comfortable seated position, the leg cramps that wake you in the night, all these things exist. In some ways, though, the physical discomfort is a helpful mask
A cairn to mark my way
My friends and I scrambled over rocks, hiked, and climbed our way through the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan a several years ago. One place we stopped, just to stare, was a high overlook – you could see desert for miles. On the ledge where we stood were hundreds of small rock piles, Cairns. A cairn is used to mark a path, to keep you going
Pererfect moments
Life is often challenging and less than easy. Sometimes, however, we are given little sparkling glimpses of grace, little tastes of how it should be, and life is perfect. And I am grateful. We’d ventured out into the cold today, my husband and I, braving the wind chill, mittened hands held tight in a dash to the car. “Be Okay” by Oh Honey came on
Snow Day
The world is white. Snow sticks to the trees and in the silence I stay home. I am given time. The value of stillness undeserved, of moments I should not have, settles in my heart. As I wrap myself in blankets and hot chocolate warms my hands, I am grateful. I am being still, Lord, and as I look out the windows and watch the