Things were simple the day my daughter was born, at least at first. As soon as she entered the world, I did my own assessment of her: ten fingers, ten toes, two eyes, a nose, and a weak cry. Everything seemed fine. My husband and I were thrilled to be first time parents. We remarked on how “beautiful” and “perfect” she was. We joyfully called people to announce her arrival. We smiled in … [Read more...]
Looking for the Bright Side
It can always be worse. There’s always something to be thankful for. Look on the bright side. Whenever my child is sick or in the hospital, people try to encourage me to keep a healthy perspective with familiar sayings. I know these people are right, but it’s hard to do at times. My medically complex child has thrown many curveballs over the past 11 years. We’ve had planned surgeries and … [Read more...]
Please Excuse My Poor Church Attendance
I grew up in a little church in a small town. It was one of those churches where everyone had “their” seat. If you were missing from church, there was a genuine concern, because you just didn’t skip church. Church attendance was highly valued during my childhood. My father had the opinion that if you were a member of a church, then you should support it with your presence. Attending church … [Read more...]