I wrote this essay in the fall of 2020, before the election and right in the middle of the extreme tensions surrounding the election, COVID issues, and racial justice issues. I would rather not enter into the fray of current debates when they’re actually happening, and still am not debating any of the issues themselves. […]
On 2021, Society, and the Loss of Humor.
I have been doing a lot of pondering, and a bit of mourning on why I cannot write anymore…or why I do not write anymore…whichever it is. I miss writing terribly, and I’ve tried several times over the past couple years to return to it with regularity, but I find myself unable to do so. […]
Backwards Blessings.
My 92 year old grandmother, my Mother’s mom, moved in with my parents in Mid-April, five months before my dad passed away. I remember the week she moved in – it was an extraordinarily chaotic week for our entire family. Mammaw had had a bad day at her house, which was the impetus for getting […]
It Gets Easier. No Really.
There’s a universal set of lies that mothers of adult children tell mothers of small children. 1. Enjoy every second – I sure did! 2. You’ll blink and they’ll be graduating high school! 3. Oh honey, keep your chin up – because it only gets harder. I’ve spent the last nine and a half years […]
Backwards Parenting: Because Nobody’s Perfect.
I don’t blog too much about Ali anymore – after all, she’s eight and a half and has earned the right to privacy in most matters. Not sharing her stories is my decision on her behalf, as she has certainly never expressed this to me, and quite enjoys reading back through my old blog posts […]
On Experiencing a Personal-Sized Tornado.
Last weekend I went on a girl’s trip with a few Moms in my small group. But I’ll get back to that another day. I got home from that trip around 3:15 Sunday afternoon, and when I drove up and parked, Fred (The Cat) came running up to me, with a very uncharacteristic nervous series […]
An Anniversary of Questions.
June has come back around. It has been a year since I quite suddenly became unwell. I remember the night that it started – a Friday night – wide awake half the night, my lungs overcome with pain and feeling like they’d been deflated, my head dizzy and full of pressure, my heart beating faster […]
Twenty Minutes Away: Revisited.
Sunday was the three year anniversary of Alabama’s unforgettable Tornado Outbreak, the day that brought us 62 tornadoes, killed 140 people, and injured thousands. Two days after 4/27/11, Prince William and Princess Kate wed. And two days after that, Osama Bin Laden was killed. Needless to say, the national news quickly forgot the fact that […]
A Journey Update
This is a guest post by my Dad. His prior guest posts can all be found here. A year and a half ago, Rachel related the diagnosis of my cancer. I was stunned and deeply appreciative of all of the comments, concerns and prayers that her readers expressed. This week, when Rachel asked for a […]
Notice Where You Are.
Lately, photos have come more easily than words. I’ve caught myself eyeing every turn, every sky, looking to capture something magnificent. …And then still end up surprised when magnificence is everywhere I look. Those stunning sights have always been around me, but it took this summer to seriously look up from my life and see […]