A neighbor happened to call the other afternoon. “How do you find the time to hang out all that laundry?” she asked. “It gets the girls outside,” was my reply of the moment. But as I thought about her question later, I realized that I look forward to that time hanging out the laundry. Yes,…
Dearest, Sometimes, I awake in the middle of the night from dreaming of you. I think to myself, I haven’t written Merritt in forever—or called him, or anything! I miss him! And then I remember—I’m married to you! You are sleeping right next to me! It washes over me anew then, as I snuggle up…
Seasons change. Siblings grow up. People get married. School and jobs and marriage take siblings all around the country. Not too long ago he was my baby brother who I took delight in dressing in different outfits and taking pictures of and having as my personal baby Jesus in the Christmas plays. Now he’s a…
When I saw that Dandi Daley Mackall’s book When God Created My Toes was available for review, I ordered it for my girls. They really liked her book God Loves Me More Than That. However, When God Created My Toes was a big disappointment. Not only were the pictures far from the bright, cheerful illustrations…
Dear Daniel, You’re going bald on the top of your head, you’re developing a double chin, and your baby acne has come out in full force. But you’re starting to coo and even smile a time or two! I’ve had to cut your fingernails three times now and you’re outgrowing some of your newborn outfits. …
The door closes behind my husband, off to work. I take a deep breath. The day is ahead of me. Along with a table full of breakfast dishes and un-eaten food, an overflowing laundry basket, and a desk covered with unpaid bills and unwritten thank you notes. But before I can attend to them, there’s…
Dear Daniel, Your big sisters love you very much. Before you were born, I was getting out some coming-home clothes to pack in the diaper bag, when Ruth finally realized that you were, as she phrased it, “Running around in your tummy without clothes on!” It was quite the revelation to her. As was the…
My mom blesses us with her gift of organization as she helps pick up after our 1-year-old and 3-year-old. His mom blesses us with her gift of teaching as she passes on her knowledge of gardening. My mom loves to shop (and return things). His mom loves to garage sale (and sell things). My mom…
Motherhood should come with an hourglass. Today was the day I thought I was due with my third little one. But as of last night, he is already three weeks old. Where did the time go? How can he already be so big—even developing a double chin—when he hadn’t yet figured out how to nurse…
If you met me, you’d find a girl with dark red hair who still feels closer to 20 than to 30 (even though it’s not true) and is taller than most of her friends (but not her brothers). You’d see two little girls bouncing around me, and a swollen stomach indicating another little one on…
I had the titles that sat on my grandmother’s bookshelf beside the fireplace nearly memorized. I studied the spines as I sat in the big cozy chair. The Rim of the Prairie. A White Bird Flying. A Lantern in Her Hand. Spring Came On Forever. My grandmother loved Bess Streeter Aldrich. Somewhere in my teens,…
When a PaperbackSwap package arrived the other day, I realized I had to write another post for YLCF’s “Snapshots of Favorite Books”. I grew up with a pink blanket and “Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear…” and “The Goops.” My brother and I (not to mention our mom and dad!) could quote many of the poems…
The End.
The End.
