Dear Adoptive Families,You may be wondering why I’ve called you all here today. You are probably already on the defense, expecting me to ask you all sorts of inappropriate questions. You have little laminated notecards in your purse with “auto-responders” for queries such as, “How much did your kids cost?” and “Are they real siblings?” and your personal favorite, “Do they know they’re adopted?” (My family gets that one, even with obvious ... Read More about 9 Things I Know About Adoptive Families
Motherhood
two surprising concepts that revolutionized our parenting
I did not think of myself as someone who had it all together, but I suppose I came off as one who did. So many children had passed through my care that dozens of moms asked for input on parenting, never mind that I was a single, childless woman.After I married and infertility became my label, I still raised a few babies. They came five or six days a week and from infancy ‘til preschool I taught them and potty-trained them and loved ... Read More about two surprising concepts that revolutionized our parenting
Guilt vs. Grace
Earlier this year I was struggling with guilt. I mean, really struggling. Nearly every day there was some sort of failure in my life, something I wished I’d done better, some area I didn’t measure up to my own standard.I got impatient with my toddler.I didn’t keep the toys picked up.I let the bathroom get dirty.I was frustrated with my husband for no good reason.All those things happen on a regular basis if you’re a sinner ... Read More about Guilt vs. Grace
How Moms Shape Their Son’s View of Women
Little arms wrap around my waist as my young son hugs me from the side. I’m busy changing his baby brother’s diaper, so I hardly pause to ruffle his hair.“You’re beautiful, Mommy,” he suddenly says.That surprises me. I look down into my boy’s sparkling eyes. Honesty brims in his heartfelt gaze. He means what he said with everything in him. “Um… thank you, son,” I reply.He bounces off to go play. The moment has already faded from his ... Read More about How Moms Shape Their Son’s View of Women
A Letter to the Undocumented Mother
by Charlotte Gray Hey you,Yes, you, the one who is a mother without documentation to prove it.The one who has given mother-love to those who didn't come from your body.The one who wipes snotty noses at a daycare. The one who dries tears at the playground. The one who babysits for free so a child can experience a stable home. The one who cares for younger siblings full-time. The one who prays for the teenager racing down the street ... Read More about A Letter to the Undocumented Mother
When Motherhood is Dark
For the third time in twenty minutes, I crept into the bedroom where my tiny son was napping. I stared at him, dark lashes against soft cheeks, little rosebud lips, petite fingers curled into a fist. Was he breathing? Of course he was… but I touched his back just to make sure. Then I touched him again, giving him a little shake so that he stirred. With a sigh of relief, I left the room, but I knew I’d be back. This constant hovering was more than ... Read More about When Motherhood is Dark
Shaken Momfidence
Every mom knows the feeling. Things are going well, and then suddenly, something happens that throws your world into a parenting whirlwind. Maybe someone criticizes your parenting choice, or your normal routine does not work leaving you clueless as to how to care for your child, and you lose your Momfidence, my word for “confidence in mothering instincts.”The first time it seriously happened to me, and I mean seriously--like as in ... Read More about Shaken Momfidence
He Gave Me Lydia
I will never forget the first sight of her itty bitty wiggly body, or hearing the sound of her dainty feminine cry!At long last, my baby was here!The doctor scooped her up and laid her on my chest. As we snuggled on our living room couch, skin-to-skin, full of tears, joy, relief, and thanksgiving, I remember greeting her with the only words I could say, "I love you so much!"Of course, that was my favorite moment of 2014, the ... Read More about He Gave Me Lydia
I Need Thee Every Hour: A Vision for Devotions in Changing Seasons
I first caught the vision when I heard someone share during a funeral at our church. The man's grandson reflected on many memories, but said that the one impression that would never fade was what he saw each morning during visits to their home. He'd awake to find his grandparents sitting at the kitchen table reading the Bible together.I was single then. But I knew that's the kind of marriage I wanted. That's the kind of priority I wanted to ... Read More about I Need Thee Every Hour: A Vision for Devotions in Changing Seasons
War Sirens and Oil Flasks
The siren sounded and I wasn't ready.For several days I had this nagging thought that I needed to prepare a bag for a quick trip down to the bomb shelter, if it came to that. Israel was engaging in Operation Pillar of Defense, and we were living through it. With the battle in the South escalating to missile attacks on Tel Aviv and Rishon Le Tzion, both only a forty-five minute drive from Jerusalem, the reality of our circumstances hit ... Read More about War Sirens and Oil Flasks
Why not now, Lord?
Rain splatters on the windows. It is cold, but the air is warm. "Come look!" my daughter pulls at my arm, her brown eyes sparkling. There are new piggies in the barn. They hide from the camera and grunt happily as they munch on corn behind the water dish.We talk about names and I veto her idea to name them after friends and family. "It will sound a little funny in a few months, when we talk about sending them to the butcher," I explain and ... Read More about Why not now, Lord?
the truth if you’re thirty, single and longing to be a mother
In a spirit of honestly I must confess that I won't be thirty for a few weeks yet, but stick with me, okay?So...the truth?A family friend just wrote it in an email, Although you feel that you are getting older, you are still in the prime of your life. I read those words and there was a sparkle in my heart that was a little bit like the twinkle of a fairy-godmother's wand. It probably sounds silly to those who are thirty or older ... Read More about the truth if you’re thirty, single and longing to be a mother
