waiting is for the weak

When we were in the process of adopting Joseph, we finally got word that his in-country court date was set for July. I stared at the calendar and time eked by. I rearranged books in the nursery and resorted tot-sized toys. I made up my mind. My mama heart couldn’t wait any longer. I hammered […]

thanking teachers this Christmas

Teachers deserve a thank you. More than that — they deserve a standing ovation. Teachers invest all they have into our most precious gifts, often quietly and without fanfare. When I had the chance to partner again with Hallmark, I knew who I wanted to buy a Christmas gift for — my son’s teacher. Joseph is in his first […]

busy moms: here's how to keep the joy this christmas

Hey, busy mamas. I see you. I know you know what’s looming in the horizon. Soon you’ll be juggling mistletoe and eggnog, balancing pageants and wish-lists, trying to love your littles and manage some semblance of sanity along the way. You know that holiday to-do list that’s already creeping up on you? That ever-changing checklist […]

so very merry

Can you believe it? Christmas is here! I’ve taken a bit of a blogging break here in December. I’ve been fingerpainting Christmas trees and frosting snowman cookies and experiencing advent through the eyes of two little ones, and it’s been so very merry. But I just wanted to take a little minute, in the midst […]

let's have coffee (and free coffee for you)

I’m not what you’d call a morning person. A typical rise-and-shine routine for me looks something like this: I fall out of bed and manage to see a few fuzzy shapes on my way down as I fumble for my Coke-bottle glasses. I stumble past the mounting pile of laundry, narrowly avoiding waking up my four-year-old, who has snuck into our […]

o holy night: free christmas printables

Do you have a favorite Christmas song? You know, one that gives you goosebumps? For me, it’s O Holy Night. The words paint a picture of the God who humbly came to Earth with a scandalous and glorious love that changed the world forever. Since I couldn’t manage to get the song out of my head […]

i want to send you a christmas card!

I love Christmas cards. I love sending them, and I love receiving them, too. There’s something about giving and receiving handwritten notes and cards. I’m the first to admit: I’m glued to my iPhone and guilty of posting a billion Instagrams, but not printing enough photos. I can fire off an e-mail like nobody’s business, but I […]

hope is my anchor

Remember my lovely friend Natalie? If you’re doing some holiday shopping, you’re going to want to check out these really amazing Hope is My Anchor shirts she’s selling to raise funds for her adoption of twin boys from Central Africa. (I’m pretty sure Jonny ordered one of these for my birthday…yay!) We have this hope […]

bless all the dear children.

The annual children’s Christmas program was tonight. Adorable angels sang their hearts out. One of the wise men cutely missed his cue. Enthusiastic three-year-olds rang jingle bells. It was one of those shows that just give you the warm fuzzies. I sat in the audience with Joseph on my lap. Unsure how he would last […]

meditations on mary, motherhood & a manger

Tomorrow marks my 25th week of pregnancy. Being pregnant during advent season, a time of expectancy and anticipation, has had me thinking a lot about Mary. Mary — the peasant girl who found herself supernaturally carrying love. Within the womb of a poor peasant girl from an obscure village in Galilee, God the Son became […]