Six Wonderful Ways to Foster Silence

Daphne and Me. July 2015. Our grandgirl Daphne looks so much like her mommy that it makes my heart ache. She is just about the age now that her mommy was when she uttered one of the most potent phrases of her childhood. On that day, back in 1985, my daughter looked at me and announced: […]


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What My Tomato Taught Me

My Black Cherry tomato and my black labrador retriever, JD. My tomato plant looks big and busy if you take a quick glance–the vines keep getting longer and the blooms keep coming. But but but, if you look closely at the plant, you notice that the central vines don’t look so good. They’re pale, yellowed, dried […]


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Grandfamilies: You Go First

Sawyer And Cadence. December 2011. When you’re five years old and your 13-month old brother barges right smack through the middle of your epic army man battle, you’re likely to be mad. It’s also likely that in short order your mom or some other adult on the scene will encourage you to forgive and move on. […]


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I’m In The Recovery Room

It is Well With My Soul. Laity Lodge, Leaky, Texas. It’s been quiet around here for the past month as we walked through the valley of the shadow with Rich’s Aunt Jan. She’s gone home now, and we’re slowly resuming our normal routines. I’m honored and humbled to check into Seth Haine’s Recovery Room today, talking about […]


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Grandfamilies: Build Something Together

  Rich and Ayden, Visiting Annie the Miniature Horse. Spring, 2007. Building Traditions Maybe we have already discussed this topic. If we have, then please understand that I am repeating myself because I feel so strongly about it. While you’re rolling along, being a parent or a grandparent or some other significant flavor of adult in […]


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