Parenting
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We Raise Them to Leave
We leave today to drop our middle-born son off at college. Although we have launched kids before him, there is a tender grief that arrives with each exit; a sort of reckoning that comes with the end of an era. When I first began having children, I did not consider the goal of mothering was… Continue reading
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When Necessary Rhythms Become Foundational
I’m in a season of transition as a mom; entering the “twilight years” of parenting as I have known it. My eldest son graduated to heaven in 2022 and my role of mothering him is finished. My second eldest son has moved out and is living independently. My middle son is leaving for university in… Continue reading
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Six Ways to Shepherd Our Children Through Pain
I have a son who survived an oftentimes fatal, catastrophic pediatric seizure disorder as a baby. The disorder caused brain damage, developmental disabilities, and he has struggled with seizures now for 16 years. After a particularly terrible seizure last week, one of his brothers sat in my room in tears. He was unable to sleep… Continue reading
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The Tension of Grief in Moments of Joy
Raising five boys, there was never a loss of brotherly competition or rivalry in our home. There was always an effort between the boys to show who was king for the day. When my kids were young, this dynamic was especially present during times when one of the boys had the opportunity to shine. When… Continue reading