My husband loves magic. He loves to watch Penn and Teller on TV and just about any magician on stage. He even has his own bag of tricks. Each child had a magic-themed birthday party when they turned seven. Mostly for their dad. So ever since our son first started college in California seven … [Read more...] about The Power in a Name
life vest
Rushing Joy
Confession: Black Friday, Small-Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are all in the books for this year. And my Christmas tree still isn’t up. This is primarily due to my new normal with heart failure. I used to spend weeks decorating, including three trees and a ridiculous number of seasonal … [Read more...] about Rushing Joy
Spoiler Alert
Last week I pulled up to a stoplight behind a white Subaru and noticed a bumper sticker right away. I was rolling slowly up behind them as the words came into focus: “I love my spoiled, ungrateful children.” Wow. Not the worst bumper sticker I’d ever seen, but it certainly got me thinking. Who … [Read more...] about Spoiler Alert
Witches, Imposters & Ghosts
The first contest I ever won involved a tiny clay sculpture I crafted and submitted to the Harper County Fair. I remember being very surprised that I had won a ribbon, considering I had only taken one art class. And I was sure the other entries came from professional artists. Empowered by that … [Read more...] about Witches, Imposters & Ghosts
Signed Up for All-Day
Many years ago, a new-teacher friend of mine shared a story with me that has resonated more clearly since my diagnosis. She was on her first day of teaching First Grade. Back then, Kindergarten was only a half day, so First Grade was an even bigger transition for most kids. The morning went … [Read more...] about Signed Up for All-Day
5(ish) Reasons My Blog Is Different
I am a girl who loves a good list. Long before Erin Condrin, Daytimers, The Bullet Journal, and Trello, before agenda planners were even a thing, I made my own out of a ten-cent spiral notebook. It dictated my day, and my life. It always sat on top of my junior high book pile, the crowning jewel … [Read more...] about 5(ish) Reasons My Blog Is Different