Yesterday my husband and I said NO. NO, we don’t want to play dinosaurs. NO, we don’t want to do play dough. NO, we don’t want to sit in your bedroom floor. NO, we don’t want to blow bubbles on the back porch. NO, we don’t want to paint. NO, we don’t want to read […]
Parenthood isn’t in the number of weeks I cradle my infant or the months I get to claim her a toddler or the years before she graduates high school. Parenthood isn’t in the rush to create memories or the push to reach certain milestones. It isn’t in the curation of the perfect family outing or […]
Church didn’t happen this morning. Oh, it happened, but we weren’t there- if you consider the church to be a sanctuary in which you sit for an hour on Sunday mornings. And I do. I found my church 16 years ago as a young mom with a medically involved baby and a husband with boots […]
Don’t keep the I Love Yous for special occasions. Don’t save the text until tomorrow. Don’t put off the phone call for another day. Don’t postpone the adventure for another season. Don’t be quick to claim an excuse. Don’t wait for it to be easier. Don’t hesitate when it comes to your nearest and dearest. […]
Summer isn’t everyone’s cup of tea- iced tea, of course, because it sure is hot out there. Maybe it’s just not your season, and if that’s the case then please do not apologize. Give thanks for air conditioning and go live your best life- autumn will be here soon enough. If summer feels like an […]
My husband and I kicked off our married life with a light-hearted disagreement about how to decorate our first home. I had a decorating plan. He had a shot glass collection. My decorating plan did not include his shot glass collection. Barely 20-year-old us had a fun little banter going about why this collection should […]
Introverts have a bad rap for incessantly talking about being introverts. We can be annoying, but there is power in understanding and respecting one’s own temperament. And when you finally have a handle on these things, you want to tell people. So, hi. My name is Mandy and I’m an introvert. I lived my childhood […]
I’m in the throes of raising a tiny human, sustaining a meaningful marriage, growing new friendships, maintaining old relationships, chasing dreams, and managing all that daily life throws at me. It’s often amazing and occasionally exhausting. To complicate things, I have a hateful little monster that follows me around. For a long time I defended […]
May you have that one friend. That one friend who you can spend all day with and not get tired of. Truly. That one friend who shows up at your house uninvited and knows she’s as welcome as if you’d had it planned for weeks. That one friend who loves & disciplines your child as […]
Dear Me, Summer is nearly here. You get to stay home with your daughter all summer and that is the best news ever. Seriously, it is the BEST. I know that this is your favorite. I also know that all the togetherness can get a bit intense, and you’re already mourning the snippets of alone […]
