Dear A, Has there ever been a more obedient, cheerful, and delightful 3-year-old? I think you'd be hard-pressed to find one. In fact, I'm somewhat sad that age three is coming to an end because you infuse so much goodness and virtue into our home. One of your very best qualities is that you are forever grateful. […]
Dear O, Otherwise known as our poet. At age seven, you are a gem of a girl with a sparkling and winsome personality. Unafraid of stage lights, you glisten in the spotlight. As in previous years, you are adept at penning and performing beautiful poems with titles that would make even famous authors sit up in […]
We moved in late July to a house with a front porch and a mountain view. Every single morning - and that's not hyperbole - I look north and am overcome with gratitude. If you've ever lived in a house that is a HOME, you know this feeling. It's as if we were meant for […]
"I can't bear it." You folded your hands over your face in misery. We were reading the final chapters of "Charlotte's Web" and, though this is probably our third time reading it, your tender heart is not unmoved. You have always felt things deeply - observing tiny details in nature and faces. You wish for a […]
Nineteen years ago, we were standing in my parent's kitchen - pink tile and dirty dishes. The house was empty and you leaned over to take a kiss from my lips. My first kiss. A few days later, I told my parents, "I'm dating Tim Sheaffer." Matter-of-fact. I don't remember there being a big discussion. […]
If Compassion Experience comes to your city - GO. Make a reservation or walk-in. Bring a handful of kids. Let them listen to the lives of four real children in Bolivia, Uganda, Kenya, and the Philippines. You and your children will each be given an iPod and a headset. Then, you'll be invited to walk […]