Permanent Records

From a fairly young age I have loved writing in a journal. I wrote my first journal entry when I was 4 years old in my green hardback journal. I wrote on and off for years growing up, and then when I was about 13, I wrote faithfully daily up until the day I got married. It's been spotty for the past 18 years, but lately, I've been rededicated to writing regularly in my personal journal. (There's just soooo much I don't want to forget about life in all of its ups and downs.)

Every so often I do my best to get my children to follow suit and write regularly in journals too. Ellie is the only one that does it on her own, and I LOVE IT!! Luke is asked to do it every so often, and it is probably one of his least favorite things to do. But like I told him a couple of weeks ago, when there was apparently "nothing to write about." "Just write about ANYTHING!You'll be happy you have recorded the daily stuff of your life."

He must have got the idea, because he proceeded to write about an incident that will likely be fun (for some?) to remember one day. Luke gave a brief synopsis of the event (he is required to do at least 6-8 sentences!), but instead of taking a photo of his version (privacy?), I'll share briefly my own version of it.

On a pleasant Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, Joshua walked into the house from playing in the backyard wearing only his underwear. Of course I was immediately alerted to something being wrong and I asked him what in the world he was doing, and WHERE. WERE. HIS. CLOTHES?!?

As I looked at the family room window to the trampoline, and listened to Joshua's version of the incident, it all fell into place. Luke, Joshua, Drew and a couple of neighbor boys were jumping on the trampoline, when Luke thought it would be funny to chain Joshua to the side of the trampoline and see if he could get himself free. Which Joshua was able to do...but he had to leave his clothes chained to the trampoline in order to gain freedom.

I didn't laugh (at the time). I went outside, yelled at Luke, sent the neighbor boys home, and instructed Joshua to go back and retrieve his clothes. Luke's defense was, he wouldn't have done it to anyone but his own brothers. Mike laid on the couch throughout the whole incident trying not to laugh.

Someone asked me the other day, why I don't write blog posts as much anymore. She complimented me on being funny and writing well in the past, and asked why I stopped. I didn't really have an answer, except to say, that maybe as my children get older, they do less funny things, or more accurately, they do things that are sorta funny/sorta questionable. Such as chaining a brother up to a trampoline and him having to strip down to his undies to get free. Perhaps good judgement would say to keep it in the personal journals only. But here we are. (Which really, now that I think about it...sharing the yellow snow incident a few years ago was questionable too.)

(Joshua drew a picture of the trampoline experience in his journal later that evening to go along with the above entry.)

It just so happened Drew chose the exact same thing to write and draw about that Sunday evening too.

And now I have a whole blog post about an incident I had no intention of recording. I was going to write about journals and how much I love Ellie's journals that she always invites me to read. (I'll give her privacy and won't take a photo of them.) I love how much she writes about herself. Love it! She'll surely treasure those written monologues one day.

Megan on the other hand, has discovered a new way to record her life.
Oh boy.
Megan's biggest fan is herself, and her newest hobby is perfect for her.
Vlogging.
She can talk all she wants to a camera and nobody has to interrupt her to get a word in, or tell her to stop talking.
And she gets to edit the hours of her chatter to her greatest priority. It's quite a good hobby for a self-proclaimed narcissist. (insert winky face)

You can watch her introductory vlog here. (And if you really love it...there's more on YouTube!)

Now. Go record something permanent yourself!
You won't regret it.

Motherhood Realized...

It was no less exciting to open the package with the second book I'm a part of, as it was the first. Although, we have yet to make it to Baskin Robins as a family to celebrate like we did the first time around. (And believe me, one of my children keeps reminding me of that fact!)

The week of the book launch was exciting, as I've mentioned before. Motherhood Realized made it to #27 of ALL the books sold on Amazon. It fell shy of making the NYT list the first week, but still, what an accomplishment! (It still could make the list in the upcoming weeks.) It hit bookstores on April 3rd, and I'm going to make a trip to my own Costco and Barnes and Nobles soon to see it in person on a shelf.

I'll be doing a few upcoming book signings at the Costco in West Bountiful and Lehi in the coming weeks, but will miss a book signing at Kings English (darn! it's a fabulous book shop!) in May due to being out of town.

(a few of the authors in the Motherhood Realized book)

I did however love the Book Launch event the Power of Moms put on last week in SLC. It was a wonderful evening. There was so much good food for thought, but my very favorite take-away came from a recent friend and mentor, Ingrid, who gave some wise advice. "Just keep showing up each day."

Some days it seems all I do is "show up", and there are some days I not only show up, but actually perform too!

Just yesterday someone joked that I must have "most of the answers". Of course I laughed! It coincidentally coincided with a text from a wise, wise friend and mother whom I absolutely admire, expressing her frustration with some mothering difficulties of her own. I'm a firm believer that very few (if any) mothers have most of the answers. Motherhood is difficult and challenging, yet it is mixed together with such beauty and loveliness that it comes together like a magical kaleidoscope--a beautiful result made up from a little of everything.

I love that I have friends and fellow mothers to share in the experience with. Some of my best learning and encouragement come from friends and fellow mothers. Two of these dear friends shared the Book Launch evening with me. Love them!

(Dear friends, Melanie and Kari)

The friend that text me yesterday wasn't exactly asking for any advice (she surely knows I have little to give), she was simply asking for some validation and support that she is not alone. No mother is! I hope every single mother alive knows that. That's one of my favorite things about Power of Moms events...seeing mothers faces and lives light up when they realize, there is a giant support group of women that are committed to being in this motherhood thing together and helping one another along the way.

Even if some days, the advice is simply to keep "showing up." 

Smiles Amid Barfs

We've had the stomach flu around here, and it hasn't been pretty. Megan is the only one that has escaped it so far. Mike and I had some kind of deranged synchronized throw-up schedule yesterday. We laid in bed together ALL day, with the exception of when we would each run to a separate bathroom/bucket. If we hadn't been so sick, I think we would have laughed at the synchronization. It was by far the most un-romantic amount of time Mike and I have ever spent together.

Things really went down hill around mid-day when Drew started throwing up too. Except Drew had it coming from both ends. Mike and I took unspoken turns helping him out. I'm not sure what made me cry more, the fact that it seems completely unfair that mothers are allowed to get sick, or the fact our little 4 year old nurse was now down for the count himself, and no longer at our beck and call.

Drew was asleep on the couch in our bedroom, and Mike and I were resting in bed when the germaphobe of the family, Megan came home from school. She promptly entered and exited our room in one motion, claiming she was closing and locking our bedroom doors and asked that we stay in our rooms. She then promptly began to Lysol the whole house. I was settling back into bed after another meeting of my head to a bucket and just beginning to think how silent and peaceful the afternoon routine would be with aforementioned germaphobe taking charge and not allowing anyone to interact with the sick parents (and Drew)...

When suddenly, I heard a loud commotion. This time it wasn't Mike and his throwing up (that can be heard from miles away), it was Luke arriving at the front door and yelling, "Ellie is throwing up on the bus RIGHT NOW."

I can't even remember if I started laughing or crying. It's kind of all a blur now. Luke started barfing a few hours later.

On the bright side to our otherwise not so bright day, I was receiving several emails and notifications about the new book I am a part of that was just released on Monday. Motherhood Realized: An inspiring anthology for the hardest job you'll ever love.  The initial success has been extraordinary! It is now #1 in "Motherhood" books on Amazon and yesterday afternoon was #122 in ALL of the books on Amazon. It was also on Amazon's Movers and Shakers List yesterday.

(Can you see it down there on the bottom right?)

Motherhood is far from glamorous. I can attest to that from personal experience yesterday and now today, as 6 out of  7 of us have dealt with the stomach flu. It seems sort of a funny twist of irony that amid the diarrhea and throw-up of the day, the book I'm an author in with the subtitle, "An inspiring anthology for the hardest job you'll ever love" was racing up the charts.

It certainly gave Mike and I something to smile about yesterday as we jointly parented together during times there wasn't much else to smile about.



Book Info:
Hop on over to Amazon HERE and buy a copy of the book! Or buy two or three or more! Buy one for the moms you know that would love it. We are focusing on generating orders THIS WEEK, by Saturday, March 29th. (That's what helps rank us high in lists and can potentially help us get on the NYT list.) Mother's Day is coming up in 6 weeks or so...buy one and save it for the moms you love.

My Wednesday Evening

Occasionally I have the opportunity to act kind of professional. Like, speak at a book launch/signing event for the new Power of Moms book I told you about. I got to interact with some wonderful women that I absolutely love, and was delighted to meet some new ones.

Except, my thoughts of professionalism ended somewhere around the time I caught a glimpse of these "author photos."

Take this one for example?

I'm grabbing my dress while crossing my legs as though I'm doing some kind of potty dance or something?! What in the world was I thinking or doing? My sister-in-law was nice. She said it looked like I was about to curtsy.

Not sure what's worse, that I'd curtsy at someone taking our photo, or doing a potty dance.

Or there is this one. The only people not looking at the camera are a one year old and ME?

All in all though, what a fabulous evening. I was honored to present with these great ladies, and then sit in a discussion group with some truly fabulous mothers. I LOVE learning from other women.

What a fabulous night!

Can't Help But Smile

I spent a lot of Saturday mornings as a child at a bookstore with my dad. Specifically, WH Smith. As much as I loved the stationary that filled the downstairs, I loved the shelves of books that filled the second floor more. Probably due in part to the fact I probably left the store with a new book each time. My parents said no to plenty of things, but asking to buy a new book pretty much always got a yes.

Except the time my parents said no to the Seven Days with Topsy and Tim special pack of books. Oh I remember leaving the store disappointed, and though I don't remember the season, I'm assuming the reason I was told no was because Christmas was just around the corner. I don't have a lot of things from my childhood, but I'll tell you, one of the things I treasure most is my Seven Days with Topsy and Tim pack, that Santa placed on a baby doll changing table under the tree one Christmas morning. I absolutely love those books, and so do my children. I think my children love them for a lot of reasons, but especially because I CAN'T read them without an English accent.

I digress. Enough of Topsy and Tim.

Back to bookstores with my dad as a child.

Loved them. Besides WH Smith, I remember frequenting Sutton Library with him, and then often going to a bookstore just down the way from there. And sometimes, we'd even venture clear up to the top of the High Street (and beyond) to a little bookshop next to the Sutton Post Office. I have no recollection of what sections my dad would peruse, while I found myself lost in my own perusal of books.

My dad had two rules I had to adhere to each time a book was purchased.

1. I had to read the first page to him. I guess to check it was on my level? One of my most clear book purchase memories is crouched down on the second floor of WH Smith with Black Beauty open to the first page, reading it while my dad stood over me. I wanted that book so badly. "Everyone" was reading it, and I didn't want to miss out. After reading the first page flawlessly, my dad approved the purchase of the book. Once home, I never got past the first page. Remember, I'm not an animal lover, nor a fantasy book lover.

2. The second rule is a no-brainer. You never take a book from the front of the stack. EVERYONE picks up that book to browse through. For years now, I've volunteered at our PTA sponsored school bookstore. It seems no one else, had a dad with the same "Pick the book from behind" rule as me. Makes me sigh every time to see someone purchase a book that 329 other people have already looked through.

Oh man, am I long-winded.

My point here is really just to tell you how excited I really am to be part of the Power of Moms book that was originally published last year, but the cover has been beautifully re-done and been picked up by a national publisher.

The newly designed book is now on sale. Even on Barnes & Noble website! I know it isn't WH Smith, but it's a close second. You can see it HERE. There is a chance that it may be sold in some Barnes and Noble bookstores. I can't help but smile to think about that. I will absolutely make my dad take me there and buy one, if and when it is. I'm hoping he won't ask me to read the first page, but you can bet neither of us will reach for the one in front.

Barnes and Noble aside, one of the locations it is for sale in, is a quaint, darling bookstore in Salt Lake City, Kings English Bookshop. I will be participating in a little book signing on October 24th at the store, and will also be participating in a book launch evening next Wednesday evening in downtown Salt Lake.

A second Power of Moms book will be released next spring, and I am honored to be a part of that book too. It is beautiful as well. I love everything about the cover.

That's a lot of rambling for one post, but I love books. I have recorded in my journal from 1993, "a secret wish" which was, to see my name in print in a bookstore.

Twenty years later, that secret wish makes me smile.

Hoping No One Else Has Regrets

(photo courtesy of Macy Robison)

Perhaps you read the article written recently by a mother who made the claim that having her two children was the biggest regret of her life. (You can read the article HERE.) Obviously with a headline and article like that, many voices chimed in with their opinions and comments. While not one to typically get wrapped up in shock-value stories, for some reason I’ve had this one on my mind ever since reading it.

When I linked to it on my Facebook page after reading it, I mentioned that I wished I could sit around my kitchen table and discuss it with some of the wonderful women I know. I still do. I feel like there is SO much for all of US to learn from that one mother's experience. 

Despite the author’s shocking claim, and the bluntness of her article, I can’t help but feel sadness for a mother, who started down a path she never enjoyed. Though I don’t know any other mother who feels this way about her role as a mother, I do know mothers who are unsure and unhappy with motherhood. I’m sure you know some too. Which is why, as I think about this regretful mother, I think about how vital it is for each of US as mothers AND women to master a few seemingly simple yet difficult principles.

1. Judge Less
It really is too bad that we frequently need to remind ourselves that we are not walking in anyone’s shoes but our own. I don’t typically read comments from articles, but this article certainly piqued my interest enough to scan through some of them. My intent here, is not to choose sides, but merely to say, perhaps we should be much slower to judge this mother, as we should be with ALL mothers. We would all benefit from reminding ourselves that rarely do we know the whole story. Whether we're observing a mother lacking patience with her children at the grocery store, or reading an article about something we disagree with, too often we (please someone tell me it isn’t only me?) are guilty of jumping up on our mothering pedestals and casting judgement instead of love and encouragement. 

2. Accept Individuality More

Our roles as women are complicated and vast. Some women want motherhood, some do not. Some mothers love being a mother, for others it is something they tolerate. Some mothers stay home with their children, some mothers have employment outside of the home. Some mothers homeschool, some mothers excitedly wave to their children as they board a school bus. Which one is better? Let me correct myself , which one is better for YOU and YOUR family? As mothers, aren’t we glad there are few rights and wrongs in motherhood, and a whole lot of “It’s right for us.”? The stance “It’s right for us” affords us variety and individuality as we mother our children differently. Yet too often we are quick to categorize other mothers doings as “right or wrong”, while wanting our doings categorized as “right for us.” We need to give all mothers the same acceptance we want.

3. Encourage Always

I wonder what a difference it may have been, if the mother who classified having children as “a regret” felt supported and encouraged. I wonder if anyone ever put their arm around her and encouraged her to share her thoughts and feelings. A lot of mothers in our midst are depressed, unhappy and discouraged in their roles as a mother. What are we doing to help them? Oftentimes our assistance can be quite simple, an encouraging word, a couple of hours of babysitting, or a listening ear. Other times our encouragement may need to be more. Either way, what are we doing to encourage other mothers?

Although some of us may love motherhood more than others, being a mother is no easy task for anyone. I think that is one of the reasons the mother sharing her sad story tugged at my heart. Motherhood (and womanhood) is not a cookie cutter type lifestyle. We are all so vastly different, and all in different stages of contentment and confidence. There seems to be some proverbial mold we are supposed to fit, but few do. We need to toss the mold and cut each other some slack.

Too often, we mothers are our own worst enemies. I’m a firm believer that the more we encourage, and strengthen the mothers around us, the better we will become in the process. At the risk of controversy, I say bravo to the mother for being brave enough to share her story. Perhaps in the process she has encouraged and helped another mother.

I find it fitting that at the end of the article, the mother refers to her adult children, one of whom now has a debilitating disease, and she is the full-time care-giver. As only a mother could, she states that if it were possible, she would have the disease instead of her daughter. She further says she would cut off her right arm if either of her children needed it.

What does this tell us? She is a mother who loves her children.

We mothers are far more similar than we are different.

A Few Things

Occasionally I feel as though I am Fabulous. For the most part I feel like I'm Ordinary. But mostly I'm beginning to realize I am FABULOUSLY Ordinary. You can read about it HERE.

Mike may or may not have laughed out loud that me of all people wrote this article about loving other people's children. He did however compliment me on "turning over a new leaf." I've assured him though that just because I wrote the article doesn't mean I've completely internalized the principal... You can read about it HERE.

And sometimes Drew makes me smile...

Happy Thursday.
Did you know Thursday has always been my favorite day of the week?!?

My Favorite Photo(s)

 For thoughts about this favorite photo of mine, click HERE.

A Book! A Book!

It seemed truly providential that my BFF Melanie happened to be at my house last Thursday morning when the UPS delivery man knocked on my door to deliver my box of....BOOKS!

It enabled me to have my own personal photographer while I couldn't help but smile as I cut open the box to see for the first time the published book that has an entire chapter, plus a few excerpts in other chapters written by Yours Truly. It has been a long time coming. I started writing that chapter almost 2 years ago. But when it is a book written entirely by mothers, it doesn't exactly get finished as quickly as everyone may have preferred. (It has something to do with all those children the authors are trying to mother simultaneously while writing, editing and publishing a book.)

Back to the fact I had my own personal photographer last Thursday morning. Melanie was kind enough to give all the right reactions to the excitement that I felt was bursting out of me.

It's nice to have a few fans.
Namely my personal photographer and my dear husband and five children.

My personal photographer put a picture of me on Facebook later that night holding the book with the comment, "I do races, she writes books. Congratulations to my bff on her published book."

Mike put flowers on the kitchen counter, the kitchen table and the bathroom counter, and my favorite chocolate bar under my pillow. When I thanked him not only for the flowers and chocolate but for the fact I know he had to make a special trip to a store. (They didn't come from Home Depot or any landscape supply store.) He detests stores and I was touched he made a special trip for nothing except flowers and chocolate. Turns out it was a HUGE act of love, because he just so happened to be hauling a trailer with a machine on it that evening and he had to park a fair distance away from the store to accommodate his load. I'm quite certain he's pretty much my #1 fan. (Especially because when I arrived home from somewhere Thursday evening, he was laying on the couch reading "the book.")

Although my children come in a close second for being big fans of me, for eagerly listening to me read some of my favorite parts of Chapter 10. Actually, I probably shouldn't include Joshua in that "top fans" category, because he asked more than once, "How much longer will you read for?" or made statements such as, "This is taking too long" and "Please stop reading."

Overall, it was a great day. It has been an exciting project to be a part of. There are some truly great gems found in that book, and I feel honored to have worked alongside some fabulous co-authors. It's been a long time coming, and despite having a couple of little regrets about the book (1. My title, 2. Drew is my only child not mentioned by name in the book), I can't quite describe the feeling holding that book in my hand last Thursday morning.

Although I loved the flowers around my house (I hadn't found the chocolate bar yet at this point), I thought we should do something to celebrate. We never take our children out for ice cream at Baskin-Robbins (although Mike and I go a fair amount ourselves), so it was quite the treat when the children found out we were going. As we piled into the car, I asked, "Why are we going to Baskin-Robbins?"

Sweet-minded Luke said, "Because our wonderful mother is a published author in a book."

Drew said, "Because I want ice cream."

For more information about the book, Deliberate Motherhood: 12 Key Powers of Peace, Purpose, Order & Joy, you can check it out HERE. Or you can purchase it HERE or HERE.

Time-off and Clowns

I'm not going to tell you about my fabulous, dreamy, soothing, luxurious, best-ever, all-spoiling, poignant, sentimental, meaningful (insert sarcasm here) Mother's Day, or my wonderful (no sarcasm necessary) time spent at the Park City Power of Moms Retreat  this last weekend. Instead, I'm going to simply link to an article I wrote recently that's on the Power of Moms site.

I should scan in the original piece of art that inspired the essay, but it is up high in a file box and I'm taking a few days off. Now I don't exactly mean I'm taking time off of all my duties, or that I'm too lazy to climb on a step-stool to rummage through a file, what I mean is...

Never mind, it's nobody's business but my own. I'm taking a few days off.
That's it.

Now go read about Clowns or Clouds.
Click HERE to read.

When It's a Nightmare

On Sunday while reading from the scriptures, two of my children (my oldest I might add) decided it was time for fun and games. I slammed my Book of Mormon shut (being careful to keep my finger in the page) and while  hovering on the verge of tears said, "I am only doing this out of obedience. I am not feeling the spirit. I am not enjoying this. I am getting nothing out of it. I do not like this."

How's that for the introductory lesson to begin our traditional Easter Week's, "Last Week of Jesus' Life" study?

It was quite the coincidence that this article was published a couple of days later. If for no one else but myself.

Perhaps it will encourage you too.

Religious Practice in the Home IS NOT EASY (click on link to read)

An Ironic Assignment

For years my BFF and I have had a re-occurring conversation about homework. Although we have differing opinions on a lot of subjects, we agree 100% on homework. We both think it should be abolished and banned from every school worldwide.

We complain to each other about worksheets, book reports, science fair projects and just about anything else that comes home in our children's backpacks.

So I found it very ironic when I took on an assignment to write an article titled, "Five tips for getting homework done without a fight."

Whhaaattt??

I couldn't bring myself to tell Melanie about my assignment, even though writing the article gave me a little added stress for a couple of weeks. Though typically a big cheerleader of my writing, I figured this one she would outright laugh at.

I really wish I had the nerve to send it to my daughter's second grade teacher, but I don't. (And please, nobody out there forward it to her!) Because really, I don't even think homework should be given to elementary school children AT ALL. Let alone on Fridays and holidays.

I strongly dislike homework. In fact, I'd even bring myself to use the "H" word on this one. I HATE homework--nonetheless it is probably here to stay.

And so I dedicate this article to my dear friend, Melanie.

Five tips for getting homework done without a fight...
(click on the link to read).

PS-If you're a teacher or a parent, please share with me your opinion on homework!

A Thank You for a Thank You

Last fall Megan helped our friend out with an open house at her store. Megan was thrilled that she was able to help with face-painting, constructing princess wands, and the clean-up at the end. She was even more thrilled that a Halloween bracelet she had seen in the store was given to her at the end of the night as a 'Thank you.'

By the time Megan got home that evening, she couldn't stop talking about her cute bracelet and how kind it was of Joni to give it to her, and how she didn't expect to have received anything as payment for 'having had fun.' After sufficient oohing and aahing over the bracelet, Megan questioned, "Should I write her a thank-you note for it?"

Ahh-that great lesson in showing thanks, yet receiving thanks.

I asked her if she said thank you when it was given to her, knowing full well she would have. (I never doubt that with Megan. Now some of my other kids are a different story.....) And then I explained that the bracelet was Joni's form of a thank you note, and sending a thank you for a thank you could go on endlessly.

Fast forward six weeks or so to the evening I received the most beautiful, surprising (delicious) delivery. It took me a couple of minutes to see who it was from. When I saw the note, I cried.

It was from our friend Russ, whose wife I wrote about in a blog post here last January and then in November a version of the article was in the Deseret News. (The online article can be read here, the in-print edition would be at the recycling land fill by now.) Russ sent me the delivery as a thank you for my kindness.

When the article was approved for publication in the Deseret News, I was mildly nervous about the obviousness of who it was about. My fears were laid to rest when the day after the article was published, Mike received a text that said,

"Just got a frantic call from my sister who just read the paper. Hug your wife for me and Logan. It is a fantastic article. Way above and beyond."

Mike called Russ, who was clearly touched by the article. And then the next day, my delivery came. 

As I tearfully tried to explain to Mike how touched I was, I kept thinking about how I needed to send Russ a thank you. And then together Mike and I realized, that was exactly what the delivery was. A heart-felt thank you. Even though really, my article was thanking him (and his wife) for a valuable lesson learned.

And while Mike joked about me writing an article about an article, I dilemma-ed about being so filled with gratitude over a thank-you.

Of course I sent an appropriate thank you and acknowledgement for such a thoughtful gesture. Even if it was in a 2011/2012 type way.

Santa and Jesus

Remember my article that caused some to think I thought Santa was all Christmas was about...
Click HERE to read my thoughts on what Christmas is really about.

Don't you love the weekend before Christmas?
Hope you have a good one.

Adult Reading Only

***Warning--Do not have a young child reading this over your shoulder please***

So I've stirred up a little bit of a controversy over at KSL's website this morning with this article...

I was asked to write an article about "The transition from Santa to reality..." You get the idea...
Here's my response to the comments that clearly have a few people riled up.

#1 I wrote the article clearly under those guidelines. I was not asked to write an article on "The true meaning of Christmas" or about Jesus. I understand those parts of Christmas, and I actually was assigned an article along those lines that will be at a later date.

#2 Parents are concerned their believing children will read the article. Excuse me? What child of believing age really needs to be on KSL's website unsupervised. There are a lot of news stories completely inappropriate for a young child to be seeing.

#3 I have never understood the whole if Santa isn't... than how can Jesus be... argument. Just don't get it. I have been a believer in Santa, the Easter Bunny and even the Tooth Fairy and have never once doubted the reality of Jesus Christ.

Now, far be it from me to burst any young child's bubble, but I felt as though I accepted an assignment to write for and in an adult forum, and I would feel terrible if a young child read my article.

Obviously, I won't be showing that published article to my children. And fortunately, Megan is the only one of my children that occasionally reads my blog.

You can click HERE to read the article.
Merry Christmas!

Guest Post-The Fight That Turned Into Flowerbeds

Today, I'm excited to be guest posting over at 'Our Garden Gate'! If you're interested, you can see what one of our very first fights was about as newlyweds...

Happy Reading!