Life is Hard

Life is hard. We want to shield our kids from the hurts of this world.But we can’t.For the last three semesters of college, Erica has had an art professor she absolutely loved. “Joe,” as the professor instructed the kids to call him, had been that...

Turn back the clock!

My kids have started school this week. Kolya is a freshman and Austin is in the 8th grade. Next week Austin turns 13. He’s my baby!Last night Austin said he didn’t want me to tuck him in anymore. (Tonight he told me the same thing, but 10 minutes later he...

Wednesday’s Words of Encouragement

Communication Strategies for Parentsby Jill SavageWhen our youngest son was in preschool he sat at the kitchen island telling me about his day at school. I was busy fixing dinner so I multitasked while listening to his story. Finally, he stopped and said, “Mom,...

Sometimes you just gotta be a kid!

Tonight our church hosted a block party for the neighborhood. It was a great evening of meeting the neighbors, eating great food, and letting the kids play in huge inflatables. After the event was over, the party company said that four adults at a time could go in the...

The “yes” mom opportunities continue…

It’s the last week before school starts so this week I’ve really tried to be conscious of the “yes” mom opportunities that come my way. Tuesday night both boys had a friend spend the night. “Mom, can the four of us sleep on the trampoline...

Wedding Plans

Well, we’re in the midst of wedding plans around here. Erica and Kendall’s wedding date of September 25 is fast approaching. It’s honestly been a pretty relaxed process mostly because Erica and Kendall are pretty simple and easygoing. The colors are...

Wednesday’s Words of Encouragement

Family Mealsby Jill SavageAs a mother, there are many days that I long would love to hang a sign that says “Kitchen closed”. Between meals and snacks, the focus on food can be overwhelming. When I find myself frustrated with the amount of time I spend in the kitchen,...

Chatting With God

One of the things I love most about summer is sitting out on the porch. This picture is my summer place to sit and chat with God.My husband is a pastor and the last few months have been challenging “church” months. This morning I was reading the book the...

We have a "Yes" Mom winner!

July has been a good month for all of us who have participated in the “Yes” mom challenge. I’ve loved reading your “yes” mom stories…they have encouraged me and challenged me all at the same time! My hope is that some of us have...

Savage Family Fun Day

We don’t have the pleasure of living near our extended family. And it seems that every time we get to see our family, it is because we have a family event to attend or some other functional purpose. At the beginning of the summer I proposed a “Family Fun...

Busy Day and a “Yes” Mom Moment

Today was a busy homemaking day. Kolya and I froze 8 gallon bags of summer squash and zucchini from the garden. In the past I’ve given away our excess and not really taken the time to freeze it, but this year I’m both giving away and freezing....

A Different Kind of “Yes”

Our youngest son, Austin, is at church camp this week. It’s his second year to go to the week-long camp in Clinton, Illinois with his friend, Mason. (Mason left, Austin right)Last year I made sure that Austin received a letter or a postcard from someone in the...

I’m here!

I’ve been a bit unplugged for the past few days. My Grandma’s health has been failing and we had to make a trip to Indianapolis to help my sisters and parents move her out of a retirement home and into an assisted living facility. I didn’t take my...

A Change of Plans

A few weeks ago my husband’s employer changed health insurance companies. That’s a bummer when you’re in the middle of a diagnosis/treatment program like Erica is. Knowing that Mayo was not “in network” I submitted an appeal to allow her...

Monday Musings

Hello all,Erica and I are back in Rochester, MN, this week for her specialized therapy. Her myoclonic jerks have slowed down a lot but they are still there. We’re hoping to say goodbye to them forever. She had two sessions of occupational therapy today and was...