Dear Amma and Papa, There honestly are no words I can say to accurately express my love and gratitude for you. When I was looking for someone to spend the rest of my life with, I gave little thought to the immeasurable impact his family would have on our lives. Yes, I worried that his […]
I come from a long line of gardeners. My widowed grandmother lived with her 2 never-married sisters, and they won countless “yard of the month” competitions in Hoisington, Kansas. Caring for plants came naturally for these sisters. They knew exactly where to plant specific flowers, what chemicals to add to the soil for proper acidity, […]
Dear Mom, It’s been another long day and I can hear the chaos occurring in the other room as those little girls of mine are winding down gearing up for bedtime. I’m exhausted, mentally and physically as I slowly walk into their room to say our prayers and kiss them goodnight. As I tuck them […]
When I was little, I saw both of my grandmas almost every day. My maternal grandma lived down the street. We stopped by several evenings a week to visit (and have dessert. Grandma was an excellent baker!) and since my mom worked, I stayed with my paternal grandma during the weekdays when we didn’t have […]
“The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities.” -Stephen Hawking When I was young my family moved frequently, if not to a new city a different house in the same city. However, as an adult I have moved less. I went to college at Wichita State in 1999, […]
Keeping your little ones entertained can sometimes prove to be a challenge. They are either running all over the place with their short attention spans, or they are not old enough to enjoy certain activities. Thankfully, Wichita has some wonderful activities for the two and under crowd! All Around the ICT Libraries: The libraries in […]
Quality one-on-one time is always a great way to reconnect, make memories, and show love to someone. It’s also important for strengthening relationships, maintaining openness, and reminding another person of how important he or she is to you. Mother-daughter dates do all of those things, whether they’re with your daughter(s) or with your own mom […]
We recognize that sometimes the things we feel we can’t talk about are the things others also feel unable to discuss – this post has been published anonymously as part of a series to engage our community in those difficult conversations. Click here to read more posts from this series. When I met my husband […]
We recognize that sometimes the things we feel we can’t talk about are the things others also feel unable to discuss – this post has been published anonymously as part of a series to engage our community in those difficult conversations. Click here to read more posts from this series. I cannot wait to be […]
I will never forget the moment I learned my parents were getting divorced. I was an adult with 2 young kids, and the news was jarring. Totally unexpected. Maybe I was naïve and should have seen it coming, but I didn’t. Since then, things in life have settled down (sort of), and I’ve had about […]
We recognize that sometimes the things we feel we can’t talk about are the things others also feel unable to discuss – this post has been published anonymously as part of a series to engage our community in those difficult conversations. Click here to read more posts from this series as they are published. So […]
At least once per year we visit our family farm. We love the open spaces, big farm equipment and small town feel. Our family farm resides in a small town in Nebraska. When I was growing up, the town of Thayer consisted of a church, grain elevator and bar. This is where my parents met […]
Our girls are just 16 months apart in age, and it was a little hairy out of the gate. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, two girls so close in age, but it was a little more intense than I expected during those early years. Now that they are 4 & 5 at […]
My parents have given me too many gifts to count or name. But looking back on my life, I can say with great confidence that one of the most beautiful, life-changing gifts they have given me is simply this: community. When my mom was in her third trimester with me, she and my dad met […]
