Two years ago, I was preparing to welcome a new life into the world. My due date was April 9th—Easter Sunday. The timing alone felt like a divine appointment after going through a season of grief. As I walked through that pregnancy, I kept reflecting on the significance of Easter: resurrection, ...
Jesus Loves You (and He Hears You!)
"Jesus Loves You."Those three little words, whispered from a tiny voice, stopped me in my tracks this morning. Sweet little Colter was standing at the hallway gate – you know, the one we put up to keep this little one out of the homeschool while his older siblings do their work? And wouldn't you ...
Our Words May Echo
I recognize the Lord telling me that the words I say, the phrases I repeat, and the tone I use today will echo for more than just my years here on Earth. What comes out of my mouth will carry through my children and their children's children.What an honor that could be if we allow the Lord to work ...
Quick Life Update: November 2022
Surprise! This summer I have been quieter here on the blog, yet making plenty of noise over on social media. Take a peek at our announcement on Facebook and a slightly different one over on Instagram. The Lord has given my body the opportunity to carry another little one! After 2 years of ...
Wife + Momma
There isn't an easy way for me to adequately describe the depth of the joy and honor that I feel to be the wife and mother of this family. The love I have for this tribe is overwhelmingly beautiful, intense, and never-ending.Gathering around the table for homemade apple pie (my grandma's recipe) ...
Favorite Bible For Pre-Teen and Teen Boys
If you are looking for a great bible for a pre-teen or teen, and really, boy or girl, I encourage you to check out The Action Bible. Our son, who is now 14, loves this book! When he first got it he was 10 years old and the graphic images were a little startling. It did not make a great bedtime ...
The Simple Joys of Motherhood
Motherhood. It drains me and fulfills me like nothing else ever could. If I don’t get too caught up in all that I have to do, I can really practice being grateful for what I get to do. Today I am grateful for laundry. A bathroom floor covered in dirty clothes is a blessing in my eyes. As I pick up a ...
You Can’t Give it if You Don’t Have it- So Get It!
As I got ready for bed one night this week I walked past this sight, in the middle of my living room floor. Our cat, who we call #slightlybetterbrownie on social media, was checking out the tracks left out by my kiddos. Normally I would've told the kids to clean them up before bed, but I was away ...
Happy 3rd Birthday, Sweet Girl
Sweet Girl, Tonight I am going to put you to bed as a 2 year old. When you wake up (I’m guessing at about 3:30am, and again at 6:30am), you will officially be a 3 year old. Man, just when you got the hang of admitting you were 2, and not 15 when people asked, you’ve got another age to ...
My Heart Today: The Orphans
Photo Courtesy of Courtney Lorenz Photography. My family and I drove home from church today in our Town and Country van. We bought it new, had it custom-fit for our family, and delivered to the same dealership where we had bought our last minivan, just a couple years before that. When we got ...
An Open Letter To My Adventure Boy, As He’s Turning 8!
Dear Buddy, Just a couple more sleeps and you’ll be 8 years old. 8! I remember when I was pregnant with you, and your daddy and I went to the gender ultrasound. When the ultrasound tech told us you were a boy, we cried tears of happiness. Then we called to tell your great grandpa, Carl (dad‘s ...
5+1 Car Survival Tips for Parents of Littles
Always keep a bag in the van (because moms don’t drive cars- ha!). Include a spare set of clothes for each kid, cheap t-shirts and shorts work perfectly. If you have a kid in diapers, toss in about five diapers and a pack of wipes. Keep this stash separate from your diaper bag. Trust me: one ...
One of the Most Overlooked Essentials in the Parenting Tool Bag
Parents of littles, if you don’t own an otoscope yet, I highly suggest you order one now. Trust me, you’ll want it before it’s 11 p.m. on a Friday night and you suddenly need to check your 2-year-old’s nose to:A) Figure out which nostril the popcorn kernel is hiding in.B) Make sure she didn’t sneak ...
Choosing Patience in the Parking Lot
There we were, a family of five, hustling through the parking lot so I could squeeze in a quick stop at the shoe store and still get all my errands done. Our little circus looked something like this: A dad strutting confidently with his fresh haircut. A preteen with her eyes glued to a ...
Memories For My Baby Girl: Daddy Twirls You Around the Kitchen
My memory may fail me at some point. I know this, because it has before. This little blog is not only my place to encourage others, but to chronicle my thoughts and store my memories, in case I ever forget these sweet moments. I have no idea how long my posts will stay on the internet. It's my ...
Enjoy the Journey, Heaven Awaits
For Christmas we gave the baby a stroller for her own babies. It took her less than a week to figure out she fits in her new dolly stroller. Oh boy. The last doll stroller we had (about 10yrs ago) was held together with massive amounts of duct tape by the end of its life (well, its ...
Mother Daugther- Girl Talk
Girl Talk: Nurturing Your Daughter’s Heart My oldest daughter is officially a middle schooler. Don’t ask me how this happened—I probably blinked or something! I have so enjoyed raising her and getting to know her. Honestly, I think that last part is almost more important than the first right now ...
A Letter to my Children… & You
Written for my children, for when they are older and will understand it more. In the meantime, maybe you {my dear readers} could use this right now, too? I know I would benefit from these words being spoken to me daily. My Dear Children, I pray you are clinging tightly to Jesus. Be ready. Be ready ...
Show me the mother and I’ll show you the child quote
At the suggestion of a friend, I just started watching Army Wives. I really didn't need another show to watch. I'm good with just Parenthood. I love the story lines, even when they make me cringe. um, hello Julia? What are you doing?! I'm only a dozen-ish episodes in on Army Wives (watching on ...
DIY: Diaper Sprayer Shield How-To
This post contains affiliate links. You can visit my disclosure tab to learn more. We’re a cloth-diapering family, and yes… I catch a lot of crap for that. Get it? Crap. Yep. Momma’s got jokes for dayyyys. There’s a little gadget you can buy for about $20, but I’m a DIY kind of gal anyway, so I ...