August 16, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on I wanted a baby. God gave me a grad student.
I have six kids and the oldest is twelve. Our family has been in the habit of adding a baby to the mix every couple years either through adoption, birth or foster care. But a few years ago, we found … Continue reading
August 12, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on To the Moms Doing Something New for School This Year
You know who gets all my love and respect today? YOU. You– the mom who had to decide to do something new this year for school. Maybe you’ve had a kid in public school and something just isn’t working. Maybe … Continue reading
June 28, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on I’m not Woman Enough for My Daughter
I signed my daughter up for a felt crafting class offered by our local public school. I was excited for her to do it not only because I know how much she loves that kind of creative crafting, but because … Continue reading
June 19, 2019
by Maralee
1 Comment
I partly paid my way through college by working a job on the grounds crew. In the Georgia heat I learned about the pain of fire ant bites, the strength of kudzu that can only be hacked back with a … Continue reading
June 3, 2019
by Maralee
1 Comment
A Prayer for My Children as They Make Their Own Choices Lord, let me catch my children. May I always listen to that still small voice that tells me to walk into the room without warning. Let me not avoid … Continue reading
May 6, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on I’m Done Apologizing for My Apologies
I was late to a meeting this morning. It was absolutely unavoidable because I had to drop my kids off at school (which starts at 9 a.m.) before I could head over to the meeting across town (which also started … Continue reading
April 29, 2019
by Maralee
2 Comments
My mom played piano and organ for our church when I was a kid. This meant some Saturdays she’d bring my sister and me to the dark, empty church building where we would entertain ourselves for hours while she practiced. … Continue reading
March 25, 2019
by Maralee
2 Comments
The other night we were having dinner with my parents, my sister, brother-in-law and their children. My 9-year-old volunteered to pray and she ended it with a heartfelt plea on behalf of her little cousin. She said, “And please let … Continue reading
March 7, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on Mom Moment: Offering our Kids Empathy
The other day my youngest daughter asked me a question I’d been dreading. She looked up at me with her pleading brown eyes and said, “Mommy, can I do your hair?” I decided to risk it and let her take … Continue reading
January 29, 2019
by Maralee
2 Comments
My husband and I watched the “Minimalism” documentary on Netflix recently and it definitely made an impact. I immediately started looking around my house for things I could get rid of and briefly considered setting fire to the small piles … Continue reading