In memory of my first bunkmate at camp, Chapman Quantz McMeekin Over the last month my family has admired a mother Robin preparing for the arrival of new life. The nest was a work of art, even including a piece of mint floss, a shred of a left-over yogurt pop, and
Continue Reading"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" You say either and I say either, You say neither and I say neither Either, either Neither, neither Let's call the whole thing off. You like potato and I like potahto You like tomato and I like tomahto Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto. Let's call the whole
Continue ReadingHer name was Marie-Francoise-Thérèse Martin. But most know her today as Saint Thérèse of Liseaux or "Little Flower." At the age of nine, Thérèse determined she would become a French nun. On a pilgrimage to Rome with her father, she had the pluck to ask Pope Leo XIII for a special favor
Continue ReadingA Spring Conversation Rose: (The inquisitive 4 yr old) "Mama, can trees talk?" Charlie: (The imaginative 12 year old) Of course they can Rose. Why do you think both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien put talking trees in their books? Mom: (The 40-something tree hugger) Rose, I think trees are good listeners. (Rose smiles with
Continue ReadingIn memory of Amy and Karen---Two women who fought the good fight, may they both sleep tonight at Heaven's gate. I love an underdog story. And Easter for me is the greatest underdog story ever told. Over 2,000 years ago there was a Galilean peasant----- A carpenter's son. He was not rich, royal, or
Continue ReadingThis past week I was in my home state of South Carolina. Although our state flower is the palm tree, I'm partial to the Angel Oak, mythic in size and elegantly adorned in a crocheted cape of silvery moss. Driving the familiar old road from Charleston to the isle of
Continue ReadingWhat does a heaping pot of chili (recipe next week!), dozens of mugs of hot chocolate overflowing with marshmallows, four batches of banana chocolate chip muffins, a surprising experiment in making Tiramasu (future post!), two seasons of Master Chef Jr (my kid's guilty pleasure, and mine!), dangerously competitive family marathon's
Continue ReadingYou know that moment where you hear something, and it just reaches in and clutches your heart and won't let go. More than likely, you have heard the nugget of wisdom before. But for some reason this time it burrowed in a little deeper. For me last week, the messenger
Continue ReadingI'm a sucker for love! Every night I play this game with my children where I say, "I Love you." They respond, "I love you more." And then I crescendo with, "IMPOSSIBLE!" It's as if you can actually see their heart growing out of their chests! When it's all said and
Continue ReadingWhat do you do when the bottom falls out? Suddenly you find yourself holding on for dear life as your whole world slides off its axis. For years you have counted on your health, your marriage, your sobriety, your financial security, a friendship, a pet, a job, healthy parents, even
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