I texted him at 9pm “This time 17 years ago you were 45 minutes old Love you so much!” How does seventeen years go by in the blink of an eye? How do you put the brakes on this growing up and becoming a man thing that is happening before your eyes? How do you look up… Continue Reading
Category Archives: family
Worth the Wait
Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 Have you ever prayed for something for such a long time that you started to wonder if God was listening? The longer the wait, the shorter my faith. Shame on me. It was 17 years ago… Continue Reading
About that extra 21st chromosome
Today is World Down Syndrome Day. Just typing that makes me smile. My life has been blessed by knowing several people with an extra 21st chromosome. Each one has brought joy to my life, especially Shawn. Shawn has taught me A LOT in the three years I’ve known him. Like the joy of turning up… Continue Reading
Loosening My Grip
Sometimes, when I am quiet in this space, it becomes increasingly intimidating to return. Is anyone reading here still? And the haunting question always lurking in this writers mind– do I have anything important to say? But God, sweet friends! He just doesn’t give up on this pen to paper call He has placed in… Continue Reading
Homecoming
We don’t always realize how beautiful the tapestry of our life is turning out to be. We get caught up in the busy of everyday life and fail to take note of the extraordinary way He weaves things together. Friends, even when life doesn’t make sense or you are left wondering why God lays something… Continue Reading
25 Ways to Keep Your Love Alive
The hubby and I have been married for 15 years, together for 17. He still makes my heart race. He is my best friend, my fiercest advocate and my rock, soft enough to lay my head on, tough enough to stay with me for all these years. Our marriage has been full of ups and… Continue Reading
2012 in Review
Wow! 2012 was one for the record books for the Smallwood family. In terms of milestones, this year was chock full of ‘em. Shayla graduated with her certified nursing assistant license in March and started her nursing career. Attended her first college classes. Got married. Moved into their first place {and out of ours} and turned… Continue Reading
What We Can Learn from Tragedy
I have been quiet in this space. A week ago Friday, the landscape of our country changed. Good versus evil collided in a way that none could have imagined and it has left us shaken, sad and questioning. It did not feel right to write anything that wasn’t related to what is on everyone’s mind… Continue Reading
Why I’m Not Sending Out Christmas Cards this Year
By now, the cards have usually been ordered, signed, addressed, stamped and mailed. The Christmas cards, that is. For fifteen straight Christmases I haven’t missed a year. This year, I just can’t bring myself to do it. There’s a lot of reasons but mostly, I want to see, touch and love my people–my family and… Continue Reading
Parenting boys…not for the faint of heart
Parenting boys is not for the faint of heart. I have weathered many ER trips, wrestling matches gone wrong, bloody noses, scraped knees and broken bones. {I have three rough and tumble boys, excluding my husband}. And, as I sat in the ER with my boy, I am ashamed to admit that my thoughts were… Continue Reading