Dear Lord…. Here we are, God. Year 2. Lord, You keep working Your perfect plan, and I continue to be grateful. Thank You for being with Catie through freshman year, God. You were right there with her—through the nights she stayed out with new friends and the days when she was homesick and weary. Through...Continue Reading
Thank you, sir, for this Summer of Ping Pong. The hundreds of games we played together (ping! pong! ping! pong!) set the summer tone. You are bouncing between full-teenager (your first phone & mission trip) and full-kid. This was a hard summer to be the baby of our family. You hate feeling left behind as...Continue Reading
Dear Elisabeth (on your first day of 10th grade)… Today, two of your teachers announced that theirs is the hardest class in high school. For the rest of us, this warning would worry us. But you love a challenge. Love it. Case in point, lifeguarding defined your summer. You heard the city pool needed guards, and the...Continue Reading
Before you book a VRBO or AirBnB, here are 5 lessons we’ve learned as owners. 1. Read the Reviews (Carefully) Everyone reads the reviews before they book. But the reviews on VRBO and AirBnB are complicated because not all of them are accurate. After you check out of a rental, the owners receive a survey...Continue Reading
A month ago, our daughter Catie left for her summer at Camp Lone Star. She’s serving as a counselor. We’re happy for her to have this unique, wonderful experience. And we’re sad for us because we miss her so much. Last week, I got to serve as the V(ery) I(nspirational) P(erson) at CLS. Besides the...Continue Reading
Please excuse the over-the-top passion in this love letter. I’m a local, a writer, and in-love with this island. This little sandbar has given so much to our family—and gushy praise is one way to celebrate it. Many years ago, my parents were Texas transplants (young teachers who were called to teach at St. John’s...Continue Reading
Truths I learned from our freshmen twins & their first Homecoming… Some things change. After Catie’s four Homecomings, I kind of felt like a Homecoming veteran. I am not that. Because HoCo is really different as a mom of one independent girl than it is for two freshmen—especially when one of those freshmen is a...Continue Reading
Dear Nate… (on your first day of Seventh Grade) This year is already different. You are different. You’re growing up, exploring everything, and very much transforming into your own person. I’m honored and exhilarated to watch you become your own, unique person. In a family of runners, you’re trying football instead. All your siblings hated...Continue Reading
Dear Mom of a New Senior- This will be one of the biggest years of your life. I just finished it and can now see what I didn’t know. Mostly, this year will feel like planning a big wedding, with celebrations for ten months straight. Then, right after the big event, you prepare for the...Continue Reading
Welcome to Houston, the most ethnically diverse city in the U.S.Our people are loyal and loud. The brutal heat, constant traffic, and devastating hurricanes unite us in deep and important ways. And so, when it comes to welcoming visitors, we do it with confidence.Welcome to the very best big city in the world. Here’s what...Continue Reading
