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Family

Dear Nate (on your first day of high school)…

Hi, Nate… And here we are at high school. You are so ready. You told me the other day that you were bored at the end of middle school and that wasn’t good for you. I see this. You’re at your best when you feel like you’re doing something epic, fresh, and thrilling. High school...
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When Life Feels Ughhh

In Houston, it’s raining for the third day. The summer is both dragging on and way too short. We’re restless for something else and dreading school’s start. I’m working on projects that move too slowly and am ready for relief. As I journaled about what could help me out of this rut, it felt like...
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5 Ways to End a Season Well

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—    he will watch over your life;8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going    both now and forevermore. -Psalm 121:7-8 Last week was Senior Walk at our high school, Lutheran South Academy. It’s always a bit startling to see all these students leaving LSA. The cliché is true: it goes fast. One minute, your...
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A Prayer for Catie & Sophmore Year

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...
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Dear Nate (on your first day of 8th grade)-

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...
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Dear Elisabeth (on your first day of 10th grade)…

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...
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5 Tips for Staying at a Vacation Rental

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...
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4 Reasons Your Teen Needs Camp

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...
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Welcome to Our Family’s Favorite Place

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...
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HoCo X2

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...
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