Practicing Gratitude 4.19.14
- Walking downstairs on a Sunday morning to find her like this- A cold, rainy April Sunday. As in, rained all day. Everything cancelled except one indoor practice, and the coach was kind enough to taxi Hud back and forth. Other than church in the morning, we didn\'t...
Wednesday Wonder ~ Paul Batura and “Good Day! The Paul Harvey Story”
Corbin and I got to meet author Paul Batura last fall while attending a Focus on the Family Couples' Retreat with our friends Steve and Lisa. As we landed in Colorado Springs and headed to lunch, Steve announced that he had already made an appointment for us to go...
Practicing Gratitude 4.04.14
- Men of my life- Getting to host YL adult committee dinner and meeting ~ grateful for lovely weather, lovely people. Sweet Basden helping me peel and slice 24 apples for apple crisp for dessert ~ Pioneer Woman\'s recipe phenomenal- Crazy blessed by Bridgett\'s...
Wednesday Wonder ~ Dar’s Beautiful Life
"Because when Clyde died, there wasn't much of me left." Written by Dar, my sweet friend Jessica's grandmother, in the letter I received just two weeks ago. I thought of Dar's love and appreciation for her late husband, her connection to him, and how lonely she must...
Practicing Gratitude 3.28.14
- A very happy 14th to Bran...- Essie\'s non-stop love for playing school. Usually by herself, as she\'s got the entire sun room organized as her classroom. She is, of course, \"teacher\" to Daboo and Basden here. - Making the most of a rainy day. Love that they...
Bon Voyage ~ Spring Break ’14
I spent a few hours (yes - hours) last week trying to put our Spring Break trip into words, but Corbin summed it up nicely in this email to my brother - Trey - Don’t know if you had talked to your mom/dad about our trip, but we planned a Spring Break cruise out of New...
More than the Win
I watched intently from the stands as that blonde head went up for rebound after rebound, arms extended, jumping high under the net to grab the basketball and pass to a sprinting teammate. As the players swarmed in and out under the net, Bran spent most of the game...
Our James – Gang Christmas
James Gang - 24 (really 25!) and counting... All of my brothers and their families gathered from their far-flung homes in Tulsa, Alpharetta and Bozeman for a Fort Worth family Christmas. So far our little group weighs in with 24 members, and it'll be 25 this summer...
Marshall’s Advent Baptism
My brother Trey's name appeared on caller ID a couple of months ago, but when I put the phone to my ear it was six-year-old Marshall's sweet voice on the other end. And he got right to the point. "Aunt Tonya, Jesus is in my heart." "Whoa, whaaat? Marshall ~ I'm...
Decking the Halls ~ Korean Style
"You will never believe my afternoon," I told Corbin one evening a couple of weeks ago. He raised an eyebrow and continued making lunches as I cleaned the dinner dishes and ushered kids upstairs for bed. It had been a looonnnng day, and even with the bizarre proposal...
Wednesday Wonder ~ Mama’s Miracle
Yesterday I witnessed a miracle. A real, live, medical miracle. I wrote about my mother-in-love's bravery a month ago as she endured Biometric neurostimulator brain implant surgery for a familial tremor. For the past month as Jamie has been resting and healing from...
My Little Joy ~ Double Digits
"Basden Joy, would you rather do gymnastics or horse lessons this fall? Or volleyball?" She looked thoughtful as she helped me pull her duvet cover and sheets to the top of her bed, aligning the pillows as we straightened her bed that morning. "Well, do they have...
Remembering Brett
A cascade of red roses flowed across his casket, deer antlers and pheasant feathers framing the bouquet. As the octogenarian Baptist minister described Brett, “He was all man. He was 12 inches of a foot, 36 inches of a yard, and 16 ounces of a pound.” Mom, dad and I...
Wednesday Wonder ~ Katherine Sasser and Hurley House
It started with the Tanglewood Carnival cakewalk. Esther assured me she would win. Only one winner, with about twenty-five kids marching in a circle to the music. And she won. "I told you so," she smirked at me, exiting the room with a white, scalloped-edged,...
Wednesday Wonders ~ Coach McCutchen and Coach Bostick
Coach Tim Bostick and Coach Marty McCutchen The 6th grade Panther football team concluded our four-year run last Tuesday night. The team celebrated Sunday evening with the Paschal High School alumni field presentation, then moved the party to Pop's Garage for...
Practicing Gratitude 10.25.13
- That our pastor teaches this - firmly - from the pulpit.- Taking (making) the time to write. And how it feeds my soul. - Praying each week alongside school moms. - The pool house - clean and cozy - such a gift.- Her new habit. How do kids intuitively know how to do...
Wednesday Wonder ~ Brave Mama
Mama - You are Brave. It's a little unsettling when the one who takes care of everyone becomes the one who needs to be cared for. For the past two decades, my mother-in-love has helped us move homes, clean out garages, paint rooms, and play-play-PLAY with our kiddos....
Wednesday Wonders ~ Jenna and Yvette
On what turned out to be a windy, chilly, rainy, and evidently very busy evening, we celebrated Fort Worth Young Life with our Fund Raising Banquet last night. I've had the privilege of working alongside the Young Life committee with banquets off and on over the...
The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser ~ a Review
During my senior year at Baylor, I found myself at a crossroads of what to pursue after college graduation: searching for a job in marketing and writing, or pursuing a Masters (and potentially a Doctorate) in English literature. I loved to write, and I could happily...
Focus on the Family Couples Retreat ~ a Magical Weekend
Our friends Steve and Lisa asked us last Spring if we’d consider attending a Focus on the Family Couples Retreat in Colorado Springs. Knowing that it would 1) take place in the fall, during both boys’ football seasons, and 2) be fairly expensive for just a...