“Through the blur, I wondered if I was alone or if other parents felt the same way I did - that everything involving our children was painful in some way. The emotions, whether they were joy, sorrow, love or pride, were so deep and sharp that in the end they left you raw, exposed and yes, in pain. The human heart was not designed to beat outside the human body and yet, each child represented just that - a parent's heart bared, beating forever outside its chest.” ― Debra …
children
There is Always, Always Something to be Thankful For
Thankfulness is a word we throw around pretty nonchalantly. We utter a “thank you” to plenty of people through out the day whether it be to our family members, a coworker or a grocery store clerk. I never really thought much about being thankful until I found myself navigating through a situation in which I felt I couldn’t be thankful. In January 2010 our 5 1/2 month old baby boy, Case, died of SIDS. Grief was a process that I was familiar with, my mom had died 9 years before, but I didn’t …
I Want to THRIVE, Not Just Survive
Thrive: 1. to prosper; be fortunate or successful 2. to grow or develop vigorously; flourish I think we’ve all gone through seasons of merely surviving life. I have had times where I wake up out of the fog of survival and I realize that this is no way to live. The circumstances look different for all of us. Some of our circumstances are fleeting, some may never go away. Some may be a result of choices we have made or quite possibly life has given you something other than you …
Happy Mother’s Day!
"Mother is the name of God in the lips and hearts of children." William Makepeace Thackeray On this Mother's Day we celebrate the Art of Motherhood. It is a joyful experience, filled with immeasurable love, sometimes immeasurable grief, and always a lot of giving. It is undoubtedly an art form, a craft, a creative, undefined, makeup-as-you-go noble profession that takes what seems like a lifetime to master. More importantly, it is a privilege. What is the Art of Mothering? I think Reena …
Love Languages Made (even more) Easy
Dr. Gary Chapman is known around the world for his best-selling book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts. It has become so wildly popular because the concepts are simple to understand and yet profound and life-changing when applied. Most people already know their dominant Love Language (Gifts, Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service), but it usually ends there. It's not enough to just know your language, we have to understand it and communicate it to …