A Different Dream for My Child

As a parent of older children, I’ve learned that my older children may not share the dream I personally have for their life. Coming to grips with the reality of that is an essential part of letting go and launching them into adulthood.But what if the...

“Plugged In” is a great resource for parents

When our kids started wanting to go to movies with their friends, Mark and I discovered Focus on the Family’s “Plugged In” Resource. We subscribed to the monthly magazine and tapped into their online movie and video reviews. In fact, our kids soon...

Open Heart, Open Home

Two years ago we had the opportunity to share our home with a young man from Poland. Daniel stayed with us for about a month and simply became a member of the family. This past week he came again for five days. We loved the time spent with him. We continue to help him...

I take the time when I get it!

Last week I spent three days helping Matt and Anne get their house ready for the baby due in April. They live three hours away (4 hours if Chicago traffic is bad!) so I don’t get to spend as much time with them as I’d like.As a mom of three married kids...

The "why" behind our cell phone decision

Yesterday, a blog friend asked why my husband and I feel cell phones are “bad” for our kids. I’d like to share with you the “why” behind our decision.First, we don’t think cell phones are necessarily bad for kids. We just...

Life is So Unfair!

So my 13-year-old son wants the world to know that he is the ONLY kid in 8th grade who doesn’t have a cell phone. I told him I was happy to tell the world for him. After all, I think it’s only fair for people to know how unfair Mark and I are to our children. And...

Snacks and Meals with God

I’ve been sharing over the past few weeks about the concept of having snacks and meals with God. A snack is a short time for reading the Bible, journaling, or talking with God. A meal is an extended time of doing the same thing.We’ve been primarily focused...

Our Hot Tub Surprise

I’m posting today about our hot tub surprise over at our ABC’s of a Healthy Marriage blog. You can join the conversation here!