Tales From the Trenches

It is mid-November, and even though here in North Texas this month ushers in some of our finest weather, it always looms as something dreary in my imagination. Perhaps I’ve read those opening lines of Moby-Dick one too many times: “Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly …READ MORE

It happens every year about the time I should be brimming with a deep well of gratitude and nurturing an abiding, holy contentment—the William-Sonoma and Pottery Barn catalogs pour into my mailbox. I am caught on my stoop momentarily fixated. I confess, I have a deep feminine desire for beauty, and those ads can make …READ MORE

It had been quite the busy morning. All of us had awakened slightly later than usual and then proceeded to run around the house trying to make up lost time. Between twisting the girls’ hair into ponytails, tying the uniform ties, throwing items into backpacks, and hopping between one school drop off point to the …READ MORE

Tonight will be the biggest celebration of the year. I know we are all going to pass the wine glass and toast you individually, but I wanted to write you a love letter. Happy twentieth birthday, Andre! Birthdays are about gift giving and celebrations of life. Here’s the thing, Dre: you are the gift. You …READ MORE

Am I the only one who has trouble embracing their strengths as well as their weaknesses? It sounds weird to say, because why wouldn’t you want to embrace the things that you are good at? Perhaps if your strength is something that is seen as odd to be good at, you might hesitate to embrace …READ MORE

Two of our grandchildren stayed over with us last weekend; our daughter and son-in-law needed to work. There was already a note of apology in my daughter’s voice when she called to ask. We aren’t retired yet, and she knows our weekends are precious.  So yes, of course they could stay! They happily burst through …READ MORE