New cars come with lots of bells and whistles. Drivers have options to put more and more control in the vehicle itself. Cameras and sensors aid in parking and changing lanes. With the press of a button, cruise control monitors your speed, and can now apply the brakes. As the driver, trusting it is scary.…
Traveling is great, and I’m blessed to do a good deal of it, but I always look forward to coming home. Dorothy said it best when she clicked her red ruby slippers together and repeated, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” She was right. The young girl from Kansas was in…
My daughter and I have just returned from her college orientation. The time to spread her wings is coming, but not until September. In the meantime, anticipation is settling in for both of us. Emotions bound to engulf us are on the horizon. That far-off feeling of excitement or the looming thought of dread is…
Happy 4th of July! On this day, may our hearts be filled with gratitude for our country and the freedoms we have. May the symbolism of today be a reminder of what this country was designed to be; United & Free. We are the United States of America, not the Divided States of America; let’s…
Playgrounds are a childhood right of passage. My childhood would’ve been incomplete if it weren’t for park playgrounds. Parenting my daughters would’ve been very different without playgrounds for entertainment. They provide an outlet for socialization and physical exploration. Imaginations soar, and clouds are within reach when kids go as high as possible on the swings.…
Patience and acceptance are lessons I thought I’d learned. Life doesn’t seem to agree with me. That or I need more practice. Situations involving both virtues keep entering my life. Accepting what life gives me is easy when I get what I want. When something happens that I don’t desire, patience and acceptance are more…
Sunday is Father’s Day, making it a good day to say thank you. Thank you to all the dads who have done their best without having to be the best. You’re good men who never forget that “Dad” is a title earned, not received. From the start, many of us wanted to be just like…
Walking passed an elementary school the other day, I overheard part of a conversation between two young girls. Matter of factly, the first girl said, “I’m not a kid anymore. My childhood is over.” To which her friend replied, “No, it’s not! You still have three more years!” I’m guessing the girls were wrapping up…
New parents wonder how they’re going to survive keeping a child alive. They blink, and before they know it, graduation caps are being tossed into the air. Those same parents then wonder how they will survive without their child. Graduations bring changes for everyone, graduates, families, and parents alike. Previous chapters of life are closing.…
Do you see the dog howling? Or the snail head? Does something else catch your attention? Cloud formations are fascinating. Depending on a person’s imagination, the fluffy white puffs against a blue backdrop can vastly differ from person to person. Our imaginations make connections and give life to shapes in the clouds. What is obvious…