The guys went north, loaded with fly rods and wading boots. I went west, to the Dressbarn. Can we just stop here and ask who in the world came up with the name “Dressbarn”? Makes me think of when somebody chalked a cattle crossing on the street, in front of the girls’ dorm in college. Barn and cows aren’t the… Read More
It’s Going to Be Okay
I woke up in Wyoming, and I was one sad momma. Those men of mine were leaving Montana that morning, to meet up with me at my mom’s (where I had helped host her annual, two-day, killer garage sale.) This was the week. The week where we would be seeing our youngest in the rear view mirror, as we drove… Read More
Who Can Show Us Any Good?
If a blog post could somehow be a steaming latte in your favorite flavor (coconut milk for my friend who can’t have dairy), I would surprise you at work with 16 ounces today, along with a high-calorie glazed doughnut and a long hug. Because it seems like most everybody in my little circle is having a hard, hard time. There… Read More
Comfort for You (with Enough for Leftovers)
I left the writer’s retreat so that I could teach Spanish on Friday afternoon. With a few minutes to spare, I decided to swing into the church and get a hug from my husband. The parking lot was full, which was weird for a Friday when usually only my husband is there working on his sermon. I wonder what’s going… Read More
Severe Heartache and How To Treat It
I was just on Facebook and a friend had posted that people should have to pass drug tests in order to receive welfare. Then I sat down on the floor to fold underwear and was thinking about people doing drugs. (Us girls, we do tend to think on a round-about.) My thoughts went back a few months to April and… Read More
Love Leaves No Elbow Room
I’ll tell you this –I felt smooshed on the 4th of July. Every chair had some aunt or grandma or cousin in it, plus a few borrowed friends crowbarred in. There I was trying to be sad because there was no dad in this celebration except for our story telling about him, and those two kids of mine all grown… Read More
An Alternative to Crying, from an Expert
I wandered down the cereal aisle, because my boy wanted more Lucky Charms, and I’m the mom who buys the processed cereal. But I do always pack a piece of fresh fruit in his lunch, so there’s that. As I put the cereal into the cart, I thought about how that girl of mine would be home from college in… Read More
The Question We All Want Asked of Us
Remember the plane falling from the sky and everybody screaming? It’s about to crash into the middle of a crowded baseball stadium, until Superman gets underneath, catches it by the nose, and sets it down gently. Then he opens the door and steps inside, checking to make sure the passengers are safe. Are you okay? He asks Lois Lane, his… Read More
That’s Not the Light of Day -It’s Just the Glow from the Ice Machine
This post is a shout-out to my precious grandma friend who has been in rehab for more days than she can count. Diabetic and with recent leg amputation and congestive heart failure, your nights have lasted for what seem like 36 hours, as you try to catch your breath and get comfortable in bed. You told your sweet niece you were… Read More
God Loves the Blubbering Woman
I had a hard day. Matt called me when I was driving home, and I blubbered all of it to him. Apologized. Hung up. Then I got home and cried some more. Pulled it together to go get pizza and enjoy it with the family, until the layered stressors of the day crawled up my back and forced tears out… Read More