Good morning... One thing that has lifted my spirits this year is the act of spring cleaning. My friend Elizabeth has begun a small decluttering business, and she used me as her guinea pig. Here is what she wrote up about our hands-on experience. ****** Most of us slowly grow blind to our clutter. We walk around it—or [...]
Good morning... As a kid, I remember the summer season starting Memorial Day weekend, as we finished the school year, and ending on Labor Day weekend, before we returned to school. Now as an adult, I wonder, "When does summer really begin?" Googling the question I learn a few new things. Actually, the summer season can be tracked [...]
Good morning... Remembering the valor of the men and women who have served our country over the years, Ronald Reagan speaks our truth in the video below. "Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply, it has a cost." Wikipedia explains: "Valor generally refers to great courage, bravery, and strength of mind, especially in the face [...]
Good morning... Thirty-nine years ago, on Memorial Day weekend, Steve and I were married in my hometown of Berea, Ohio. This anniversary morning, we wake in Athens, Georgia, new grandparents to Charlie, who is a week and two days old. Our youngest daughter could not come to meet Charlie at the hospital, since she woke that day with [...]
Good morning... A line lingers from yesterday's post. "Looking out the window, we might ask: 'I’ve got to raise kids in this?'" Multiple wars. Gun violence. AI explosion. Financial worries. Racial injustice. Deadly disease. Deep deep division at home and abroad. God, I've got to raise kids in this? I met a poem this week which brings to [...]
Good morning... Having heard that I just became a grandmother, a friend from Florida wrote: "Sue I am SO excited and happy for you!! Yay yay yay!! Just catching up on emails and overjoyed for your whole family!" She continued: "I love this Henry David Thoreau quote too: 'Every child begins the world again.' And the video below [...]
Good morning... After four years of infertility and four miscarriages, this picture was taken just minutes after our first son Kyler was born thirty-one years ago. We see the blood, his gasp for breath, the total admiration in my face. Giving birth is risky, very very risky. Every time a baby is born, an awesome, terrifying miracle takes [...]
Good morning... "When a child is born, so is a grandmother," wrote a longtime friend when our first grandson arrived. I was thinking about this statement when I opened the following email. A regular reader wrote these touching words after our blog Nothing Like A Newborn. She gave me her permission to share her story with you. "Beautiful [...]
Good morning... From all the loving texts and emails I have received since our first grandchild, Charlie, was born, one word of encouragement lingers. "How does the saying go?" a friend wrote. "There is nothing like a newborn to remind us that God has not given up on the human race. Charlie is the sweetest reminder. These are [...]
Good morning... On May 14th, we got our son Kyler's first text at 2:14 am. "At the hospital! Pray for us. Chandler is doing amazing." I wrote our blog post in the middle of the night, sharing their request for prayers, then I headed back to bed for my second sleep. At 9:00 am, his next text came [...]
