Happy 7th Anniversary
They say that this anniversary is itchy! I am not sure why people seem to think this is the time couples re-evaluate their relationship when statistics show it happens much earlier in the marriage. I am not sure it is a real thing anyway but I would say that every anniversary is an opportunity to…
Too Good to be True
Is it true that I am God’s favorite? Does He mean it when He says He loves me enough to die for me? Does God actually have my best interest at heart? Really?! If I look at scripture, I can be convinced, most of the time, that every time God interacts with humankind He is…
What I remember
There are many lives I remember: People who have walked through my life leaving footprints on my heart; voices that whisper kind words that I can still faintly hear; touches through deeds and presence that have given my life purpose and changed its shape. Some I remember by name and some I cannot. Last night…
Happy Birthday Clay
You are 26 today! When you were born, I could not see this far into the future to imagine what you would be like as an adult. Of course I hoped and prayed for a son to grow into a godly man. Together your dad and I worked hard to instill values and habits that…
Happy Birthday Connor
With this letter I first and foremost want to wish you a happy birthday. I also want to take advantage of it to say thank you, and I love you. Thank you for loving Emily and for the happy moments wee have enjoyed together this past year. Thank you for continuing the pursuit of work and…
Grief and Covid
Another friend died of covid. UGH! He was healthy, “young”, a dad and a great husband. This is not supposed to be like this! I feel like I focus way too much on loss and grief. Perhaps that makes me a negative person, but I figure if you don’t care to read my thoughts –…
Olympics
The 2022 Winter Olympics are going on and I am once again mesmerized by the skill, the talent and the inspiration of such focused and driven athletes. Of course to be good at anything, whether it is sports, academics, music, etc. the key is practice. Over and over again. Practice makes progress. And watching others…
Panic Attack Letter (2009)
I wrote this when your dad was first diagnosed with Brain Cancer 13 years ago. I just found it and thought you would get a laugh from it! I was in a bit of a panic at the time so this is very random! Dear Clayton and Emily, I decided to write down some important…
I Matter
Well – it happened. I am officially old. I am really stunned at this latest change that occurred in my life this week. It really was only made official this week but it has been a reality I have been denying for some time. One of the things the pandemic has done is push back…
It’s OK but it may not get better
I think it is important to acknowledge all the feelings and painful truths we live with day in and day out. While I know empirically that everything will eventually be okay and I know that it is alright to be in the thick of it all with the hope of relief, it all can get…