Easter Sunday was yesterday. This year, Easter was a huge relief. Yes because we got to celebrate Jesus rising from the dead. But not only that. This year Easter also marked the end of a really hard Lent. Lent wasn’t hard in the penitential, sacrificial sense. Lent was hard because the last six weeks have...Continue Reading
When other shoppers see our huge Target cart of blonde kids coming down the aisle, about half of them grin and tell me how wonderful big families are. The other half just kind of stare. And count. And check me out to see if I might be pregnant again. Or wearing an Amish hair...Continue Reading
This is a story about the patio our family and some friends have been building in our backyard. It’s a story about hardscaping the marshy wetlands behind our pool, but it’s also the lesson of what our family has learned about community. The story begins with the muddy dead space that’s been behind our pool for...Continue Reading
Our new favorite family pastime is watching videos from when the kids were all really young. I know they’re all really young right now too, but these videos are when they were tiny young. Most are 30-second iPhone videos of shaky first steps and first tastes of peas. The kids love seeing their toddler...Continue Reading
This weekend Elisabeth finally learned to ride a bike. She mastered this skill a full two years after Sam–not that anyone around here is keeping track. (This is a joke. Twins are always keeping track. Elisabeth didn’t notice Sam zooming around on two wheels like Sam doesn’t notice Elisabeth is a full inch taller than she...Continue Reading
Am I the only mom who dreads the bedtime routine? Who is WORN OUT from the bedtime routine? This is the time of day when I “forget” to read stories, when sleepy kids cry during prayers, and everyone moves in SLOWWWWMOTIONNNN. Why? Because we are all tired. The day’s wardrobe malfunctions, spilled yogurt drinks, fights...Continue Reading
We were in Galveston again this weekend to do some work on the beach house, to relax, and to eat donuts. Galveston is home to the best donuts at a little shop called Home Cut Donuts. That link is to the glowing reviews on Yelp. Home Cut donuts is a no-frill, locals’ spot that will probably...Continue Reading
The end of this story is that Sam did, in fact, turn around before the escalator reached the bottom. He did not fall over those people or crack his head open on that tile floor. His habit of riding escalators backwards is just another nerve-racking adventure of parenting young kids. While he’s doing this, and...Continue Reading
This morning I gave chapel at the kids’ school. Let me tell you, kids are a tough crowd. Groups of grown-ups have sort-of made up their minds about me as a speaker before I even start. Some people in the audience are rooting for me. There’s also those in the group who are distracted or just...Continue Reading
It’s only Monday morning, and this week is already wearing. me. out. For real, y’all. All the volunteer commitments and kid nurturing, wifing, housekeeping, writing, speaking, email-answering and befriending have clustered up into BIG DEADLINES this week. I’m not complaining, but as I look at this week, I’m seriously wondering… Who will do all that...Continue Reading
