A few weeks ago, my mom and I took the boys to a local orchard to pick strawberries. I’ve never gone strawberry-picking, so this was a new experience all around. A tractor towing a big wagon-bed carried us out to the fields (the boys were ecstatic!).
Ok. Yes. I know the calendar says that it is now the second day of June and that May has been boxed up and put on the shelf for next year. Unfortunately, I am a lifelong procrastinator. I lost track of time somewhere around Mothers’ Day and the last few weeks have been full to…
I wish I could draw in pen and ink the image, a memory my camera was too slow to capture: Two little boys marching into the woods, galoshes, skinned knees, and croquet mallets held tight in chubby hands, resting on small shoulders; determined adventurers seeking treasures of pinecones and rocks, slaying dragon(flies) and monster(trucks).…
Dear Friend, Exercise is one of those things that I don’t realize how much I enjoy or need until after I get started—can I hear an Amen? It always seems like so much work for…what? Sweat? Aches and pains? No thank you. I’d like to pass. “I’ll take Bonbons and the Recliner for 200, Alex.”…
“Are you ever so excited you can’t close your eyes at night when you go to sleep?” I overheard Will ask one of his friends this question. He was rhapsodizing about the upcoming pizza and bowling party after church on Sunday. He had worked hard for the privilege of going to the party and he…
I love good food. I love to cook. And I love healthy food that I can feel good about serving my family. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of time to cook. So, finding good, quick recipes for healthy and filling meals is important to me. I recently tried this recipe out on the family…
On rainy spring days I am reminded of Mr. Schulz’ 11th Grade Creative Writing Class. It was there I realized how much I like to write. And it was there that I discovered a world of poetry outside Whitman and Shakespeare, who lived behind dusty jacket covers in our house. I discovered William Carlos Williams…
Last weekend I went to a women’s retreat for the ladies of our church. Two-hundred women laughing, talking, singing, crying, listening, praying, playing, relaxing together. I came away feeling full—full of good Amish food (they make magical pie…and noodles), but mostly I was soul-full. The theme of the retreat was Pause. The idea being, we…
I’m a foodie. I love trying new foods from around the world and close to home. I enjoy cooking new foods, the tastes and textures, the exploratory science of it—especially if someone else will clean up the dishes afterwards. My husband, Justin, also likes trying new foods. He enjoys eating what I cook and, joy…
Lately the boys (Will is 5 and Sam is 3) have been asking a lot of questions—and giving a lot of answers—about heaven. I thought I’d share a bit of what I’ve learned. Sam: Mommy? When are we going to heaven: today or tomorrow? Will: No Sam. We go to heaven when we get dead.…
Letters From Home 