I tried to shut out the giggles and screams from the rest of the volleyball team so I could drift off into the sweet oblivion of sleep. That was it. The only plan I had to escape the horror movie playing out on the large tv screen in front of me. A movie I did NOT...

We seem confused about what books our boys should be reading. The glorious dawn of summer means parents are concerned about what their kids should be reading on their watch. This time of year always brings the inevitable plea for help from social media. Mom: My son is...

A recent trip to New Mexico coincided with my sister’s birthday. It’s been a few years since her passing and her kids were really young at the time. I wonder sometimes how well they remember her. My brother-in-law’s new wife does a remarkable job of finding ways to...

I’m trying a garden in our new climate even though I have bugs and kids and a dog working against me. Not to mention the possibility of hail, hurricanes, and tornadoes. (Because when they say, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” what they really mean is, “Everything is...

I hate moving. I hate it a lot. It’s physically demanding, emotionally draining, and there’s no time for resting. You have to interact with people you don’t know, who will likely become an impactful part of your new life. So you know—first impressions. During this...

The first baby came while my husband was still in the demanding years of his undergrad program. I brought in the bulk of the money and worked clear up until delivery day. We made the decision to live off of basically nothing so I could stay home and take care of our...

I remember the plastic smell of my first library card. My sister helped me spell my name in childish scrawl on the strip on the backside. "C-R-Y-," letter by letter I painstakingly worked my way to the L before realizing this little strip was grossly inadequate for...