60 Feet 6 Inches To Home

I started writing this post several weeks ago after my uncle Mark passed away. I have had a hard time finishing it, in part because this is not the kind of subject I usually write about. But the thoughts kept coming and I felt the need to finish it. Over the past few months we have seen more than a half dozen people we know leave this world. Some had lived long full lives, served their country in WWII, had wonderful careers, enjoyed retirement and their grandchildren. Others not yet 40, with young children, some middle aged with kids in college or new grand babies on the way. Several had battled illness and lost their fight, while others died suddenly. They all had plans, goals, dreams and people that loved them. I have experienced death, loss and grief before, but these recent events have reminded me of something I have known all along...life is short and how we spend it matters. My uncle's memorial service was standing room only. The chapel was filled with family and fri...

                                             Over the last week or so my Facebook feed has been full of posts as kids we know head off to college for the first time. Seeing the pictures and reading the teary eyed comments bring back the memories of last year at this time, when we were in the exact same situation. I remember how it felt as if it happened yesterday, watching our son walk into his dorm, his new home, as we drove away. I still get emotional when I think about it. For me, the next several days were the hardest. Sadness and tears would hit me at the most unexpected times and as hard as I tried I could not prevent that. I felt like I was grieving and celebrating all at same time. I was so excited and proud of my son,  but my heart hurt. I missed his physical presence, but it was more than that. It was all the little things that came along with him being...

Our world is more connected than ever with the invention of the Internet followed by, email, X-Box Live ,  Facebook , Facetime,  Instagram ,  Twitter , Snapchat ,  Beme , Periscope and of course texting. We are able to reach out to individuals or large groups without leaving our coach. We can reconnect with old friends, keep in touch with family who live far away, see how others are spending their summer and even witness life changing events in real time. And while I appreciate and use a lot of this technology, I worry that it may be having a negative effect on how we relate to each other. I have seen couples or families out to dinner who instead of having conversations with the living, breathing people sitting across the table from them, they are on their phones. I see kids of all ages out on errands with their face buried in a screen of some kind instead of interacting with the people around them.  I feel like adults are losing some of our social skills a...

Last weekend families all over took time out of their busy schedules to celebrate Father's Day. Facebook and Instagram posts were full of sweet pictures with captions expressing gratitude and love for dads and husbands a like.  Gifts were bought and given. Meals were shared and memories were made. Our family was no different. I too posted something on social media in honor of my husband, who is an amazing father to our boys. We enjoyed church, a baseball game and dinner as a family. We also spent some rare time with my extended family. It was a good day. I love that we devote a special day to show the father's in our lives just how much we love and appreciate them, but to be honest I am not sure that is enough. Sadly I have noticed, that fathers and men in general are not always represented in the best way. Advertising and entertainment industries often portray them as incompetent, shallow and disconnected. Showing them to be more committed to their jobs, hobbies,...

So far the majority of the posts I have been motivated to write have been about things or situations that are surrounded by some sort of emotion. For this post however I have decided to write from a more practical point of view.  As always I hope that if you are reading this that you find it useful in some way. I don't claim to have this parenting thing down by any means, but I have learned a thing or two over almost 20 years of motherhood.  Some of the lessons have been learned through trial and error. Others have been handed down to me by wise women I've had in my life in a number of different circles.I have also learned a lot from reading books and blogs about parenting and boys in general. I am so grateful to not be on this journey alone and for the grace that my boys have shown me over and over again. For a while now I have been keeping two lists. The first I titled "Tricks of the Trade", and the other "One-Liners".  The tricks are little things I...

Walking on the beach -Maui, HI I got my first job when I was 14 years old. I worked at a family owned restaurant similar to a Dairy Queen. We had just moved to a new town and working there for the summer allowed me to get to know some of the kids before starting high school.  I enjoyed the job and loved the people who owned the place. I have maintained contact with them to this day. Since then I have held a number of jobs. I was a cashier at a grocery and convenience store, a cosmetologist, veterinarian assistant, switchboard operator, a human resources assistant and lastly my current position as a secretary at an elementary school. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed parts of all of them and know with out a doubt that I have learned a lot during my time at each one of them. But starting today like I do for a short time each summer, I am returning to the job I have held the longest and love the most, full time mom! I did not go into motherhood aspiring to be a stay at h...

Memorial Day was born out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his  General Order No. 11 . “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.  One hundred years later in 1968 the date was moved to the last Monday in May allowing for the three day weekend  ( www.usmemorialday.org). Arkansas National Cemtary Currently it seems, that for many, Memorial  Day signifies the beginning of summer. It's a chance to head to the lake for the first time, gather with family and friends ...