I’ve never really fit in anywhere. I’m too liberal for Republicans and too conservative for Democrats. Too spiritual for the Baptists and too worldly for the Pentecostals. I’m too loud for the introverts and too quiet for the extroverts. I make too much money, according to the Millenials and Gen Z’rs, and haven’t saved enough, … Continue reading Identity Crisis
Arkansas should come with a warning label. A massive sign with red lettering at the border of Oklahoma reading: “Warning: Brown Recluse, Black Widows, Lyme disease-carrying ticks, and Poison Hemlock await you. Enter at your own risk." I’m pretty sure this state is trying to kill me and my entire family. Someone over here has … Continue reading New Beginnings Bring Hazards….And Rewards
Eight years ago, I carried my screaming four-year-old out the doors of Target and ran for my car, praying no one would call the cops because they thought I was kidnapping her. Luckily all I got was the judgemental stare-down from the Karen Mom. I could hear her thoughts. “That kid is too old for … Continue reading A Neurodivergent Childhood
Oh, mommas of babies and toddlers, I totally get it. It’s exhausting. The no sleep, leaky boobs, choking hazards, diaper blowouts, colic screaming, and days and nights all running together. Grocery store trips that take Jesus, a binky for the baby, and a bribe for the toddler to make it through. The judgemental looks from … Continue reading There Is No “Easy” Season
I’ve lived in the Austin area for over 25 years now. It’s the longest I’ve ever lived in one area in my life. I was supposed to have only been here three years. Five at the max. I’ve always been a little bit of a gypsy at heart. My feet would get itchy after being … Continue reading New Beginnings
I have four kids whom I love and adore. They are my sun, moon, heart, and all the other ridiculous sappy things. Additionally, I homeschool four said kids. This means they are also the cause of the tic under my left eye and why I sneak chocolate in the pantry on tough days. But even … Continue reading The Real Challenge of Parenting…and no, it’s not our kids.
I hear the way the world screams for our kids. I feel the cold tentacles of porn so readily accessible on the internet, the pain from addictions to drugs and alcohol, the pull from friends, the media, and even our government on our youth to step off the foundation of Jesus that we’ve placed them … Continue reading An Open Letter to Youth Group Leaders, Church Leadership, and Especially Parents:
The house we now call home wasn't always inhabitable. As a matter of fact, it had sat abandoned for a couple of years before we bought it. During the remodel and up to almost a year after moving in, we spent much of our time taking it back from the wild. For example, early in … Continue reading Mice in the Attic
The oldest Coconut leaves for Africa on a mission trip in less than 24 hours, and I don’t even know how we got here. Wasn’t it just yesterday she was 11, starting middle school, knowing everything about everything, and humiliated that I would even think about wearing THAT out of the house? Or maybe it … Continue reading Coconut #1 Goes to Africa
I’m homeschooling the Coconuts this year so that means I’m required to be able to answer questions that range from how to diagram a sentence to quantum physics with lightning speed. I’m over here pulling Algebra out of places in my brain that haven’t been accessed in 30 years. I’ve already consumed enough chocolate and … Continue reading Burn the Ships
Conversations With Coconuts 