He was a small town boy, a member of the honor society in medical school, a lover of routines, and extremely neat. I was a city girl, thankful just to graduate with a decent GPA, adventurous, and didn't mind a mess. God brought us together and love grew. We got married and life began. Two opposite people headed in the same direction. If you give my husband and I a personality test we will score completely opposite from one another. He is an introvert and I am an extrovert. I love surprises and he hates them. He wants to know every detail before making a decision. I am a learn as I go type of person. He is a night owl and I am an early bird. The list of differences could go on. If ... read more
He Didn’t Need A Room Full
Snow had hit our area, and our family had been homebound for a few days. Temperatures were finally above freezing, but another snowstorm was coming. I along with the rest of our town, headed to the grocery store to stock up for the next few days. It was 2:00 by the time I arrived back home with more firewood and groceries to get us through the next few days. No one had eaten lunch and we were starving. Just a few minutes from our house is a fantastic Mexican restaurant we all love, and since it was my husband’s birthday, I asked him “Do you want to go out to eat for your birthday?” My husband questioned if we should go since it would be a lot of money for all 8 of us to eat there. ... read more
When Christmas Was A Mess – Or At Least I Thought it Was!
Earlier this month our family, along with my parents, boarded a plane on vacation. A few hours after returning home from the wonderful week long trip, I received a text message from my father. “Kim, I just want you to know how much I thoroughly enjoyed spending the week with you, Trent, and the kids.” These words were more than just words in a text message. They were words that God used to speak to my heart in a very real way. Why would the fact that my father “enjoyed” spending all of his time with our family touch my heart so much? Perhaps it is because life with six children, ages twelve and under, can be a little “messy”. In our family, you can guarantee that someone is going to ... read more
The Stain That Pointed To Christmas
I moved the bin from under my child’s bed and saw it. The bright red stain on the carpet glared at me in all its glory. “You’ve got to be kidding me” I thought to myself. When we moved into the rental house, I had several rules to help us keep the light colored carpet clean. “No food or drink outside the kitchen” was one of those rules. However, now I could clearly see that one of my children had disobeyed that rule. Even worse, I had no idea how long the red liquid had been sitting and soaking into the carpet. The chances of it coming out were slim to none. As I got the carpet cleaner out and sat down to begin the battle, I thought to myself, “I bet this is going to cost me.” I ... read more
Who Are You Listening To?
“Have you been listening to a good recording of this song?” asked my daughter’s piano teacher during her lesson this week. My daughter looked up at her with a sheepish grin. “I haven’t, ” she replied. “Well you need to find a good recording of the song and listen to it, and watch videos of professional piano players so see how they play,” her teacher instructed her. As I sat there listening to their conversation, I had one of those moments where I just shook my head and thought, “Why do I keep forgetting to do this?” This is not the first time I have heard this advice from one of my children’s teachers. It makes perfect sense. Whether it is the piano, cello, violin, or harp, you must know ... read more
When You Feel Helpless
I will never forget the morning I woke up screaming to my husband, “Trent he’s gone!” I was 34.5 weeks pregnant and my usually rambunctious little boy would not kick, roll, or move inside me. Quickly I did all the things you are supposed to do to encourage movement in utero. Still, I felt no movement. I felt helpless. My husband grabbed his stethoscope and began trying to locate his heart rate. Thankfully he was able to locate his rapidly beating heart, a sign of life amidst our nightmare. An ultrasound verified our suspicions. My little boy was still alive, but something had affected his movement. The OB physician looked at me with a deep look of concern and said “It doesn’t look ... read more
The Bike Ride of Fear – Overcome Fear One Peddle at a Time
"You have to peddle, I can't push you all the way around the track," I said. Her little feet would slowly push, propelling her bike an inch at a time. She would then overcome fear, regain her confidence, and begin to push the peddles a little harder. Suddenly she would remember what happened a few weeks ago and yell out, "Momma I am scared!" I can't blame her. Two weeks ago she had an accident that made my heart stop! It looked like someone had tossed her little body up into the air, only to slam it back down on the hard concrete below. I just knew she had broken something. She got up laughing! At first, I thought it was nervous laughter to cover up the pain. However, she had no ... read more
All Because I Opened an Email
As I pulled up in the parking lot, I thought to myself, “What am I doing here?” I contemplated turning around and going back home. The whole reason I was in this situation was I had opened an email from someone I didn’t know. Why I opened that email will remain a mystery to me except I felt compelled to do so. I checked my reflection in the mirror, grabbed my purse, opened the door and forced my feet to walk in the direction I wanted to go. Loud music and talking erupted from the room I was entering. My feet felt like bricks as I walked up to the check-in table. The lady found my name, handed me my lanyard, and gave me my manual. There in front of me was a large room full of round ... read more
The Road, My Reputation, and Freedom
The words of Robert Frost rang in my head as I tried to go to sleep. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth … As a high school student, it was mandatory that everyone memorize "The Road Not Taken" as part of their English studies. I remember loving the imagery the poem evokes. Perhaps it was the cadence and the way the words seemed to dance on my tongue, or the thought of having two roads to choose from. The past few months I have been reading the story of the Israelites in the book of Exodus. At one point Moses is stuck between the Red Sea and ... read more
The Sky, the Sea, and Everything in Between
Let’s keep going! We put our snorkel mask on and forced our way into the waves to see what was ahead. Beautiful blue and yellow fish swam past us while a school of big black fish went the other way. Sea grass waved as if it was welcoming us into its beautiful home. Sea urchins peeked out from under the heavy pieces of coral planted on the bottom of the ocean. The water was full of fascinating details. Intricate lace like designs graced the underwater plants. Fish were dressed in the finest of colors. Warm water mixed with a blast of cold water reminded us that deeper places had yet to be explored. Slowly I tried to take in every detail. I found myself filled with overwhelming awe of ... read more