A Broken Christmas

It’s Christmas morning, 7:00 am. I am sitting in the living room, wrapped in a blanket. My kids are still asleep. Today, there will be no gifts, no celebrating. Instead, my kids will get up, pack their bags, and leave for their dad’s house. They will be gone for ten days. I don’t think I […]

Off the Bench

Do you mind if I brag for a few minutes? I’m sure you know that I love my kids. They are all amazing: smart, talented, kind, unique. They each have their own individual passions and strengths. They all love God, even if they express it in their own unique ways. They all bless me more […]

Lessons from a Loogie

Several years ago, I took my kids to the local amusement park. One of their favorite rides is known as the Schooner. It’s a large ship with rows of seats. It swings back and forth like a pendulum, going higher and higher. My kids love to be in the very top row of seats. On […]

Through God’s Eyes

“But Mom,” my son muttered as the tears began to run down his cheeks, “Blake has never made a B. Cassie has never made a B. I don’t want to be the only one who has a B on my report card.” I am beginning to think that I am not going to survive pre-algebra […]

Raising Boys in Purity

Being a single mom is tough. It means carrying the entire load on your own shoulders. There’s no one to help make decisions, no one to share the burdens of raising kids. It is non-stop activity, trying to juggle the schedules of multiple children and figuring out how to get everyone where they need to […]

Redneck Princess

I am a Redneck Princess. Let me tell you a little about myself and my family. My Grandpa was born in 1911. He was the oldest of seven boys (bless my great grandmother’s heart). Because he was the oldest, he was basically the ranch foreman—responsible for looking out for all of his younger brothers and […]

The Summer that Wasn’t

Today is the first day of school. This morning, my kids got up, got themselves ready, and went out the door to catch the bus (even though Mom was planning to take them…not sure how I feel about that!). My precious daughter is starting fifth grade…her last year as an elementary student. My middle child […]

Leading My Children

Fifteen years ago today (July 8, 1999), I was eight months pregnant with my first child. I had been put on bedrest a few weeks earlier as the doctor watched my blood pressure go up and my blood counts go down. Around noon, my doctor called me personally—never a good sign. “I think I’m going […]

In Over My Head

One thing has become abundantly clear to me in the last few weeks: I am totally and completely unequipped to raise teenage boys. I find myself questioning if God knew what He was doing when He allowed me to become a solo-parent to two boys. I don’t understand all these boy things, and I am […]

The Never-Ending Roller Coaster

Do you like roller coasters? My kids LOVE roller coasters! Three years ago when my daughter was only six, we went to Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. We stood in line waiting for the Powder Keg. As we got closer, my daughter decided she didn’t want to ride. I coaxed her onto the ride, […]