This was parenting lesson number three — being included at this stage is not your right anymore, it is a privilege. It is a gift and a blessing that they give you, and when you get invited, you go. [...]
In 2011, we reconnected and started writing letters to one another that gradually shifted from platonic pleasantries to romantic odes reminiscent of the stuff in movies. [...]
My process started with a LOT of tears and feeling really stupid and ashamed for buying maternity clothes and doodling baby names on my notebook at work. [...]
My generally sweet-tempered children can be disobedient, can throw some loud and obnoxious tantrums, and can make me shake with rage. But I can’t imagine my life without them. My kids are the greatest blessing I have. [...]
Somehow, it took dropping him off at kindergarten for me to realize this truth: I’m not going to know about the majority of my son’s life experiences. [...]
The other feeling I had when I saw that Bible on his desk was that maybe, just maybe, by the grace of God, I had done something right as a mother. One thing I've learned from my children is that their journey to faith is their own. Their own choice, their own passion, their own pace, and their own personal relationship. [...]
From an early age, we wanted our children to have an awareness of needs around them, compassion, and generosity to give of themselves. However, it is hard to know how to do that when our child is only five years old! It is also hard to balance serving with the constant busyness of school, sports, church, and family activities. Even without children, it can be hard to find the time. [...]