1. Grief Can Hit You Out of Nowhere. Grief found me in April. I shed a lot of tears, but I needed to let it all out. I'd been in get-it-done mode since we got Jackson's diagnosis in January. I hadn't allowed myself to grieve and grief is part of the process. One of my blog readers shared something very profound with me after I wrote about my grief. She wrote, when we ignore grief it can easily turn into a root of bitterness. I don't want to be bitter. I want this chapter of our lives to Continue Reading
What’s Your Favorite Summer Activity? {Get to Know You Monday}
There's really too many to list. The long laid-back days. Mornings spent watching Jackson play in the backyard before the temperatures reach triple digits. Lots and lots of Popsicles dripping sticky down his chin. Trips to the zoo and the water park. Delivering cookies to the fire station. A visit from my high school best friend. Taking Jackson to see the new Disney Planes movie. But what I've loved most about this summer, hasn't been one particular activity, but the memories I've been making Continue Reading
Celebrating America
Fourth of July stirs up warm feelings and wonderful childhood memories. There were trips to Jack and Laura's lake house with my dad's family, jet ski adventures with my cousin Casey, and amateur fire work shows. There was homemade ice-cream, ice cold Dr Pepper, and refreshing watermelon. As I got older Fourth of July was spent riding in my hometown parade, singing at the local festivities, and celebrating with my best friend Amber. John and I have spent the last few years at home - Continue Reading
Five Minute Friday {Exhale}
Sitting on the back porch of my parents house, peace has a way of seeping into my soul. It's not the house I grew up in, but it's still home. The birds sing a harmony of good mornings as the sun rises in the Texas sky. Some days the breeze rustles the trees making a melody, but this morning they remain frozen. An American flag hangs - the red, white, and blue - a reminder of the freedom we celebrate today. The porch swing sways every worry away. Cardinals are Continue Reading
Lying to Myself
I've been lying to myself. Pretending that book sales don't matter. Since writing my books, my motto has been to reach one person. If my words stir the heart of one person, than I have succeeded. But I got tangled in the mess that is book publishing and big platforms and lost sight of the one. And yesterday as I checked my book sales on Amazon, I found myself crying over the laundry pile. I felt like a failure. I questioned why I wrote the books in the first place. Are my Continue Reading