Eva: Do you have a girlfriend, Ben?Ben: Well, kinda. We broke up.Eva: Oh?Ben: But if I know her, she will be back.Ben: It only took one game of air hockey to make her my girlfriend. The scene out my backdoor describes what summer is supposed to look like; flowers blooming, ferns hanging from the back porch enjoying the shade, and a mist of water that comes their way. Hearing the girls squeal delightfully as they splash in the pool fills […]
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Leaving the Arena
Except for Monday by Lori Morgan made an excellent teaching guide to the days of the week for my children. It brings laughter every time we sing. Kristen Howard I could hear the gravel turning underneath the tires as we pulled out of Dry Run Road from Pierre, SD. It had been the place that I called home for many years. I created a picture in my mind as we drove away; the house, the corrals, and last out of […]
Continue ReadingThe Barge
The more I see of San Francisco, the more content I am with raising chickens. Laura Ingalls Wilder Before we moved from Tuscaloosa, AL, I was sitting in the doctor’s office waiting to be seen. It was concerning Charlotte. Of course, I didn’t know her name at the time because she would not make her debut for two more years. My heart was sinking. I wanted out of the traffic, a country life that gave me space, and another baby; […]
Continue ReadingBehind the Scenes
I will call it Home Sweet Home. This is perfect! I will write about the home’s inner workings and how important our time spent at home is. I will shine a light on our finer qualities and teach others how they, too, can have a perfect life, just like me. It will grab readers and be an instant success with the click of a button! I had the support of my family and a green light from the Lord. I […]
Continue ReadingThe Lemonade Stand
Splat! The glass jar of spaghetti sauce rolled out of the SUV and broke into a thousand pieces on the concrete, splattering all over my legs, shirt, face, and sunglasses. I just stood there momentarily, taking in all that had happened while Penny, our female golden retriever, and Peanut, the youngest of the herd, a male golden retriever, licked up the tomato goodness as fast as they could. I could tell from the taste of the sauce in my mouth […]
Continue ReadingOn My Honor
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Revolutionary War was never for independence at first. In the beginning, it was a war for equal treatment and representation. The colonies were forced into war, forced to proclaim independence from England when their demands would not be met. The King of England did […]
Continue ReadingPulling Weeds
Weeds are never-ending. No matter how diligent I am to spray weed killer on them or spend time pulling them up around my flowers, it seems like in just a few days – they are back. I was outside pulling weeds with the girls; Charlotte was running around collecting rocks from my flower bed while Eva was helping me. The dogs were off in the distance, stirring up trouble, no doubt. Eva had a Barbie house that she wanted so […]
Continue ReadingSmell the Roses
Trimming my rose bushes, I was moving along methodically while Charlotte napped; Eva was helping me when she stopped and dropped her nose into a beautiful bloom. She smelled it deeply, then looked up at me and stated, “These Magnolia blossoms smell like a fresh bar of clean soap, Mommy.” I couldn’t help but be amazed at her description and detail. I stopped what I was doing and smelled the deep-scented magnolia flower. I was surprised to find out it […]
Continue ReadingWhere Do You Need Me?
Clump. I heard it. I didn’t see it slip from her hands, but I heard it. I knew immediately what had happened. In my distraction, Charlotte had taken Chuck’s college ring and tossed it into the toilet. I was beyond reach and could not stop Charlotte in time. I closed my eyes, knowing the ring was gone. What was I going to tell Chuck? His class ring had slipped down the toilet pipe and was gone. Defeat written across my […]
Continue ReadingGrowing Fruit Trees
He needs no introduction. I hope you enjoy an excerpt from my father’s journal this week. We are growing something in our children. What they produce largely will be determined by the parents. I’m thanking God for choosing the Stockdale family in which to place a tiny baby named James M. Stockdale, Jr. He was born into a church-attending family. It is a family of one father and one mother. There is already an older sister, and there will be […]
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