MaeLyn's Musings

Someone once told me that when I'm frustrated, stressed out, overwhelmed, or worried, I should think of things to be grateful for. So today, I'm writing a gratitude check. 1. I'm grateful for my children. I am grateful for their strong spirits that will help them stay true to what they believe some day and help them to keep from being swayed by every wind of change. I am grateful that they have creative imaginations, that help them to add excitement to their lives. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to be at home with them, to watch them grow older. I am grateful that the stages they pass through do pass. I am grateful that my children spend time together. I'm grateful that my children have voices that can be raised to great volume because I'm sure that will come in handy some day when they are coaches or teachers or parents. I am grateful that my older children are learning responsibility; that I don't usually have to worry about them completing their...

She turns twelve today, that beautiful girl who changed my life forever. A dozen years ago I was young and relatively care free. A dozen years ago I quit my job at Kinkos and looked forward to caring for my precious baby in our home. We had gathered a bassinet, a crib, and a changing table. We had acquired sleepers and onesies, diapers and burp cloths. We thought we were prepared. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Hannah was beautiful from the start and we loved her immediately. I remember how carefully Steven drove us home from the hospital, how gently he rounded every corner, how he eased over every bump to be sure that our precious cargo arrived home safely. I remember watching her, holding her over the months that followed, never wanting to put her down, not wanting to miss a single moment of her existence.  I remember walking home from church one day and hearing another young child tell us, "Your baby is sooooo cuuuute!" and smiling because I knew i...