A funny thing happens on our way to getting older. We lose our perspective on much of the past. It’s typical for us middle-aged parents to wish for “the good old days,” when the children were little and innocent and tucked safely into their beds in our own home. When we huddled on the family […]
Last weekend I had the privilege of watching my nephews, ages 5 and almost 7, participate in their second wrestling tournament. There’s nothing cuter than little boys (and one random girl) in uniform, anxiously warming up for the big event. The gym was loud and chaotic as parents and grandparents positioned themselves strategically around four […]
Several years ago, Farmers Insurance came up with a brilliant tagline, one that I’ve found myself repeating when the occasion fits. While their ads may vary from the zany to the ridiculous, they always end on the same note. “We know a thing or two, because we’ve seen a thing or two.” And I’d like […]
Maybe I’m a little odd, but I love Mondays. Most folks prefer a Friday, which holds great promise for the weekend. Who doesn’t love a wide-open Saturday with endless possibilities for fun or relaxation, or a Sunday afternoon nap, curled up on the couch with a good football game in the background? Sure, I love […]
Several months ago, we ran into some old friends at a wedding. We asked about their move to a new home, and the husband replied with a smile, “We used to have awesome neighbors. Now we have awesome opportunities.” His comment has replayed itself over and over again in my mind as I’ve pondered how […]
My daughter’s birthday is right around the corner, and as per usual, I texted her to ask for a list of gift suggestions. Little kids are happy with anything, but bigger kids have developed an individual sense of style. No sense spending money on something they neither like nor need. She mentioned a pair of […]
Paper towels Milk Butter Chicken Toilet paper Beans Laundry detergent Fruit Cereal I’m making out my grocery list … again … and I sigh as I think to myself how many times I have purchased these items over the years. Week after week, for over thirty years (gasp!) my trips to the grocery store look […]
I love a good movie. I love the way a storyline twists and turns, taking my imagination a thousand different directions before tying all the loose ends together–shocking me with surprise witnesses, unexpected events, and out-of-the-blue revelations. The better the suspense, the better the movie. Yeah, I like a story that keeps me perched on […]
I’ve recently had several bad experiences in the dark. I’m not talking about like when you’re a kid and you fear what could potentially be hidden in the shadows–all the monsters and bad guys our minds used to conjure up to keep us paralyzed and quaking under the sheets. I recently spoke to a childhood […]
Remember this little saying from elementary school? “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” We chanted it and thought it was funny, but truthfully, we didn’t have a clue what it meant. We just liked it ‘cause it rhymed! And it seemed like a good thing to shoot back, […]