“Not a Mother-Woman”

There is a kind of mother who seems to hear the true calling of her life in her newborn baby’s cry. A mother who tells other expecting women, “When you see that baby for the first time, your whole world changes. It’s love at first sight!” There is a kind of mother who seems to […]

You’re Not Worried Enough: The Strange Key to Fighting Anxiety

Growing up in church, I have read Jesus’ sermon against anxiety, Matthew 6:25-34, what felt like umpteen-million times. Familiarity had coated this passage, causing me to skim it with the pride of experience rather than humbly approach it as the Lord’s effective comfort to His people. “Yes, yes, lilies of the field and all that.” […]

The Performance-Driven Mama

One afternoon, after a very bumpy morning that ended with me yelling at my kids (again), I dejectedly clicked on a link that promised to reveal my maternal “grumpiness trigger.” I answered a few questions and received an email telling me I had a Growth Trigger. In short, if my kids aren’t displaying character growth […]

Why Proverbs 31 Gives Me Panic Attacks

Cap was traveling. I had spent the day alone with my dear five-year-old, my adorable nineteen-month-old, and my moody, hysterical threenager. All day long I had placed her in her room so I could cool down, resist the temptation to erupt volcanically, cry out for help, and guide her patiently into an understanding that her […]

How Disney World Improved My Parenting

This post is the reason I love to have a blog. Because a thought, for me, does not remain in my head unless it is expressed in some way—verbally or written. And because writing out an essay for the sake of making the thought stick, but then throwing the essay away, doesn’t feel quite write. […]

My Facebook Fast: Results, #1

For the past three years, my husband and I have enjoyed a January Facebook Fast. We have found that as we set goals and seek to establish new habits for the fresh year, it’s best to back off from social media so that we can have extra focus. When I gave up Facebook this January, […]

My Solution to Resolutions

New Year’s Resolutions have come under fire lately. My whole adult life, I’ve heard the (perhaps deserved) cynicism. While I’m generally skeptical of what culture says we should do, I do like New Year’s Resolutions. The new year is a guaranteed fresh start, an official milestone to look forward to as the beginning of something good. […]

Top 10 Children’s Picture Books (So Far)

We are ardent book-readers and library-goers. As I read to my babies (at the moment 18 months, 3-going-on-four, and 5 [WHAT?]) I have stumbled across a few picture books that have inspired my undying love, appreciation, and even awe. I take into account both content and illustrations, because I cannot abide intentionally ugly illustrations or […]

3 Life-Changing Greatest Showman Tidbits

You already know I love this movie. I’ve written two blog posts about it (here and here). Here’s another, which is about three practical, noticeable ways this film has benefited my life. If my repeated analysis of this film bores you, skip to number 3. It’s the grand finale. 1. ZENDAYA I don’t have much […]

A Review of Four Years of French Parenting

My three-year-old pranced into the dining room and took a look at our plates. “Are we having RADISHES?!” she asked. “Yep,” I said. She tore off through the house. “GUYS! WE’RE HAVING RADISHES FOR DINNER!” This was pitched to the extreme degree of delight that only a highly sanguine three-year-old can muster. I share this […]