To my kids, Christmas smells like cinnamon bread, warm spiced almonds and cashews, and kettle corn. Also, sausages with peppers and onions cooking on giant flat top grills. That’s because we used to go to Dollywood every year at Christmas time. If you’ve never been – either to Dollywood, or specifically to Dollywood’s Christmas –… Continue reading Smoky Mountain Christmas
Pain is a powerful teacher. But what it most easily teaches is fear. Fear is the voice that says to your spouse, “Yeah, things have gotten better. But we still have so far to go…” Fear doesn’t celebrate small victories or see the possibility of brighter days. Fear is the voice that says to your… Continue reading Lesson Learned
Be still… Not a problem. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m really good at being still. It’s practically a superpower for me. I can spend hours being still. I only move to turn pages in my book or maybe reach the remote control. My hands might move just enough to knit a little, but… Continue reading Be Still
The very first Halloween costume my daughter had, when she was just five months-old, was a lamb costume. It was full body, made of faux wool with little patches of tan on the feet to indicate hooves. The headpiece was separate and velcroed under the chin, and it was topped with sweet little lamb’s ears… Continue reading Little Lamb
I was never a fan of the Proverbs 31 woman. You know the one – that fearsome, do-it-all creature who rises and goes and bargains and buys and makes and feeds and never, ever stops. I developed a grievance against her many years ago when I heard one too many Father’s and Mother’s Day sermons… Continue reading That Woman
We had breakfast in the mountains Saturday morning. We packed our chairs, and the Coleman stove, and the little cook table, the night before. We rose at an indecent hour for a Saturday to bake a casserole and fill thermoses with coffee. Then we drove for over an hour as the sun began to lighten… Continue reading Breakfast in the Mountains
My husband and I just had our 29th anniversary. It’s a little bit shocking. I don’t see how I’m old enough to have been married for that long, but there it is. We didn’t do anything big to celebrate. I mean, 29 is not a big celebration year. At this point it’s more about the… Continue reading What We Didn’t Know
“That makes my tummy red.” This was one of my daughter’s favorite expressions when she was a toddler. Having to pick up her toys made her tummy red. Having to sit down and eat made her tummy red. Correction or discipline definitely made her tummy red. Being told to do something that she didn’t want… Continue reading Little Speakers with Big Thoughts
“And then, one day,” she whispered to herself, “all the things will be easy. All the distractions will be less distracting, and all the worries will be less worrisome. The path forward will be open and clear. Then,” she said to herself, “then, life will be wonderful. And also,” she added, “I will be wonderful.”… Continue reading Some Days
James L. McTeer, Jr. passed away on July 2, 2020. But for just over 51 years, I was fortunate enough to have him here on earth as my father. The past two weeks have held a great deal of sorrow, but they have also held so many blessings. Blessings of love and support. Blessings of… Continue reading When I Get Home
