yes, I have my hands full (and no, you don't have to remind me)

Yes, my hands are full. No, I don’t need you to pull me aside at the grocery store or the church lobby to remind me. I’m a busy mama to busy little ones. We have an incredibly active five-year-old, an almost three-year-old, and a precious little two-month old. In April, we’ll welcome baby #4, and we’ll have […]

what my toddler's tantrum taught me

“Mommy, I NEED chocolate milk! Right now!” I placed the baby in her swing and made my way to the kitchen. “Can you ask nicely, buddy?” “Chocolate milk, pleeeeeease?” He asked as he ran to the fridge, swinging open the doors and standing on his tip-toes to reach the chocolate syrup bottle. “I get it, […]

the conversations we need to have

In light of all that’s trending online right now about a certain person coming from a conservative, extremely large family, my heart has been heavy. I have no interest writing about pseudo-celebrities or drudging up drama. And I certainly don’t want to use the pain and suffering we see in the news as click-bait for […]

hope springs forth: it is good

I woke up to a toddler in fuzzy footie PJs lying on top of me, and rolled over to meet my other son’s little brown toes aiming for my face. Throughout the night, we managed to attract a two-year-old, a four-year-old, and an over-weight dog under the covers of our queen bed. This morning, as I collected morning kisses […]

Parenthood was an amazing TV series. Period.

On Thursday nights, I’d shuffle two little boys into their PJs, perform more than one dramatic reading of “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,” and whisper goodnight prayers. Then, I’d tuck away under a blanket of my own, grabbing the remote and keeping tissues in sight. Thursdays were for “Parenthood” — the show that […]

play with your kids

Parenthood is a straight-up adventure. These imaginative little boys of mine take me on wild rides all the time. And while there are certainly times when I want to tuck-and-roll, most of my motherhood moments are magical. My heart swells when I see them slay dragons and fight fires and tackle monsters. Sometimes I have to remember to toss […]

fresh snow, new beginnings, and motherhood

We’ve spent the day snuggled under blankets, watching sparkling snow add layer after soft layer, stretching as far as we can see. We’ve played trains and built towers and watched a little Mickey Mouse, too. And that great big piece of my heart that is carved out for being a mama is filled to the brim. […]

when parenting is hard

As soon as you set off on the adoption journey , as you start walking down the path of pregnancy — you realize something. Your little one isn’t here yet, but this parenting thing? It’s already hard and there’s no map to get you were you need to go. The path of parenthood is amazing and beautiful and […]

31 days of living free: how to keep dreaming big (and giveaway!)

At some point in our lives, we stop dreaming. We learn too much about this big world of ours, and we start believing the lie that we are not enough. Oh, we know about childlike faith, of course. We think it’s sweet and worth a pat on the head and then we go on with […]

dreaming at 10,000 feet

I’m typing this on a plane, trying ignore the dips and drops as we hit some of that “unexpected turbulence.” If you ever need to be reminded how small you are, just hop on a plane. I’m sitting here, buckled in, heading back to my little tribe, signing off from a long weekend away in […]