My dad was probably drunk the night he said the worst things anyone has ever said to me. I can still hear the guttural growl as he spewed horrible accusations on a girl who had made a foolish, new mom mistake. Truth is, I hadn't known any better, Challice was fine (thanks to the Lord's mercy), and Continue Reading
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Why Do I Think Home Vacations Are the BEST Vacations?
"Where are you going on vacation this year?" The question is a common one. Let's face it. We all need "neutral" conversational topics that are unlikely to cause conflict. Vacation seems a perfect topic. Until you ask me that question. There were years when just whispering the word "vacation" Continue Reading
Some Say Opposites Attract, but Do They Really?
The question threw me for a loop. "Do you have a friend who is your opposite but you just love them?" I didn't (and still don't) know how to answer her. My friend Teresa is crazy outgoing and gregarious. I'm naturally shy. So... sure. We're opposites. But we have most things in common. The same is Continue Reading
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Wonderful Memories Wouldn’t You Say?
I can count on one hand the number of times I recall my mother "submitting" to the torture of having her picture taken. There's maybe another half dozen photos that people got when I wasn't around as well. When I went through my photography phase (I was abysmal with a film camera), my dad (who also Continue Reading
Take a Guess: Did We Skip Our Wedding to Avoid Complete Disaster?
What major part of your wedding could have been a disaster if the Lord hadn't intervened? That was the question given to the Independence Islands Authors (by me, no less). Guess that means I have to answer it, too. And well, really, I'd answer... the whole thing. Picture it. I was eighteen Continue Reading
Curious Minds Want to Know: What Is Your Absolute Favorite Book? Why?
"You're my favorite." My daughter grins first at me and then over at her siblings. They pretend to be upset, but mostly they just roll their eyes. After all, next week, or perhaps tomorrow, maybe even five minutes from now... Yep. It'll be their turn. My "favorite child" changes faster than a Continue Reading
Now, Did You Hear about That Time I Ended up in High Water?
Picture it. The summer of 1984. Clear Creek Lake, Oklahoma. I was fourteen and becoming red just thinking about going out on the water. Did that stop me? Nope. I was born a duck without protective feathers. Or something. My aunt and uncle had bought a motorboat--perfect for pulling water Continue Reading
If I Were Looking for Great, Exciting, and Unconventional Date Ideas…
A friend recently asked my best idea for an unconventional date. Now while Rachel didn't ask for my actual unconventional dates, that's where my brain went, and I'll be honest. I had no idea how to answer the question. You see, my husband and I never dated. Not only that, but I never went on Continue Reading
Isn’t It Cool When What Seemed So Awful Turns Out Great?
When Mom moved in with us back in 2019, we had one problem. Our house is a three-bedroom, one-bath, house with 1100-1250 sq. ft. Years ago, we converted part of the garage into the "annex" for our older girls, but we still had girls and the remaining boy in the middle room. Where to put the madre, Continue Reading
Why I Did Not Want a Wedding Dress That I Actually Loved
While other girls dreamed of their wedding dresses, I schemed to find a way to get Nancy Drew's wardrobe. So when the time for me to come up with a wedding dress, I had no idea. I knew what I didn't want but not what I did. The funny thing is, I ended up with a dress that I LOVED but didn't want. Continue Reading
Yeah, I’m Guilty! Wouldn’t You Be Crazy Excited, Too?
I'd been told the drive from Paris to Lyon would take about five hours. I made it in just over four. Driving in the middle of the night didn't hurt. There was such a delicate balance between whizzing through the country as fast as I could get away from the Louvre and being so reckless that I Continue Reading
How a Beautiful, Heartbreaking Old Song Inspired My Newest Romance
This will probably shock many of you, but I'm here to confess that I was a weird kid. I'll give you a second to let that sink in. Done laughing? Yeah. Didn't think so. I'll wait... Look, while my friends were listening to Bon Jovi, U2, Cindy Lauper, and who knows who else (I remember those Continue Reading
