My mom has a big heart. Most mothers do. Today, as we find ourselves passing Amish buggy signs near Lancaster, Ohio, I am reminded of a childhood memory that started simply because my mother was kind.
Sometimes we experience medical trauma in our lives that lands us in the hospital. When that happens, we meet people along the way, hear their stories and get a chance to make a new friend.
Read MoreHave you ever noticed how quickly the sky can change when a storm is coming? Clouds darken. The leaves on the trees are upturned revealing their light green underside. The air is heavy. And then the thunder billows and in the distance the lightning streaks across the sky. Rain comes pounding down, flooding roads and soaking everything it touches. Here in Pennsylvania that change can happen quickly and sometimes without much warning we find ourselves running for shelter from the storm.
Read MoreWe have an old house. A very old house. I’m still working on finding out exactly how old. Grandma always told us that it was 1825 for the main house. Parts of the kitchen, once a summer kitchen, have been hard to date. But I’ve been trying. Over the last week, I’ve spent 25 hours in my kitchen. Now, if I was a professional baker or chef that wouldn’t seem like a lot but I’m not. And right now, I don’t have anything in my kitchen. Anything at all.
Read MoreWhat a celebration! We gather this week with food, fireworks, friends, and family to honor the very beginning of our country.
Read MoreWe like to talk about stories. In fact everywhere I look, there seems to be someone talking about stories. “Let your clothing tell a story.” “Have you heard that song? It has an amazing story.” “Did you see my Instagram Story?”
Read MoreWe all experience transition. Sometimes, we don’t choose the change, it just happens. But at other times, it is self-imposed. That’s what happened to us at the farmhouse.
We love living on the family farm in Grandma Great’s farmhouse, but when we came to live with Grandma, we experienced change and transition that impacted every part of our lives.
Read MoreMost tasks require you to follow strict instructions to finish well. That’s not how my life works. I was working on a house project and I just couldn’t get anything to work. Have you ever had that happen? I just wanted to have the process be smooth and easy. It wasn’t! I gave up trying to do it the right way and decided, just like a two year old, I’ll do it MYSELF. Exasperated, I looked at my husband, Bryce and said, “I am not doing this the way it is to be done, but you know, I will make it work. I always do. Where there’s a will there’s a way.” Without missing a beat, he responded, “No, where there’s a Wilt there’s a way.” This was funny. Very funny. Because I’m a Wilt through and through.
Read MoreWhere are your memories? Our sense of recall and remembrance is sparked by our senses. When you smell your mom’s cookies, is it the same smell from your childhood as you licked the batter off the wooden spoon? Eating raw eggs wasn’t an issue when we were young. Do you give advice that sounds just like your Dad? You hated that he was always right, but now you appreciate that he was and miss him more now. Do you look around your house and remember all the good things that happened there and the hard times too?
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