"Daddy will be here in thirty minutes! Almost time to go," I reminded my kids. I put the final items into our suitcases before our vacation plans got underway when I received the news. It was a phone call that changed my life: a young and dearly loved cousin of mine in Tennessee passed away suddenly at only 40 years of age. He was the brother of my cousin in Virginia who we were heading to visit. Immediately plans were cancelled. The next day my parents, two siblings and I traveled to be with my aunt, uncle and cousins there, and attend the funeral. It has been exactly one month today since his passing and the grieving process has taken its toll on all of us as a family. It…

It’s winter in Buffalo; the snow has arrived and is sticking! We stayed home for the holidays and got a chance to go ice skating, experience bumper cars on ice, and enjoy some sledding to kick off the winter season! On the other hand, some people are still limiting their outings and social interactions. As much as we are trying to capitalize on winter fun, we can’t help but miss the days when hopping on a plane was so “easy.” It’s a feeling of hopelessness at times when thinking about if or when things will ever return to how they were. Front yard snow forts! Trapped. The last time I started to feel trapped was interestingly when I was IN Ecuador. We had visited in March of 2020 with no…

The song, “Let it Go” from the movie Frozen is a simple way to say, “Get rid of _____ and be free.” Well, I have a confession to make: I recently realized I wasn’t free. Upon evaluation of my life the past few months in particular I found one area that I needed to “let go”: social media. Having said that, this post is NOT a dig at anyone who is on it, as I know most people are! I only hope to inspire you to eliminate your extra habits, things or relationships in life that may be subtly yet directly causing undesired stress or anxiety. A few weeks after posting this blog, a friend of mine named Courtney Campbell shared that SHE TOO made this decision AND blogged about…

The race was on and it was a fight to the finish. Each athlete had trained for this momentous occasion in the water. The male S-1 category 500m backstroke swimmers had given it their all at the Tokyo 2020 (21) Olympics! Nevertheless, someone had to come in last place. As the cameras focused on the top-three medalists who were celebrating their individual victories, the last swimmer eventually touched the wall with half an arm. In the Paralympics, the S-1 category has the severest disabilities. These swimmers didn't have legs, and some lacked an arm. Miraculously and courageously, the most disadvantaged swimmer of them all finished dead last with no legs, no arm on one side and only half of an arm on the other side to propel himself. Not a…

HAPPY SUMMER, dear friends! I had written this post almost in its entirety a few months ago and am finally giving time to conclude my thoughts to share with you. I decided since my birthday is TODAY, July 30, I would publish it as a gift for all those who read this blog! These reflections come from my pre-marital days but have been ongoing in my heart and life the past few months; I pray they speak to each of you in a special way. I remember being a young girl so caught up in the passion to travel. I longed to see something exotic and unfamiliar. Every place I visited including Bolivia, Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica, Morocco, Argentina and Ecuador seemed appealing. The people were warm and friendly and…

Those of you reading this have made it to 2021, surviving a pandemic and alive to tell the story! Happy New Year and praise God we are here! TREES OF HOPE 2021! Last year I wrote a blog entitled Your Unwritten Goals preceding the 2020 pandemic. I had no idea what we would face, but I urged us to be open and flexible to what unexpected goals we would encounter; I guess it was somewhat prophetic! Who expected the entire country or world for that matter, to begin some form of homeschooling?! I think most parents didn’t have that on their agendas, nor did we realize how much our daily routines and livelihoods would transform. Some people and businesses may have accomplished more than they dreamed while others have lost…

The holidays are upon us! Christmas and ringing in the new year with family and friends is a magical season. Make no mistake, this year is starkly different. The traditional gatherings have been almost non-existent between family and friends due to this Covid Christmas. Our house, which is usually a revolving door of Christmas visitors, has been shut tightly for now. Even so, I find myself once again desperate for more PEACE and JOY. How can this be, even in the midst of Covid simplicity? Nevertheless, internal panic erupts while I simultaneously try to press on in my own strength. Every day: STOP (what you are doing). SEE (His creation). BE (still): STOP. SEE. BE. "How can I be such a failure?" runs through my mind. "I should have had…