Writing Archives

One night recently, my son Eli presented a familiar request. “Tell me a story about me when I was little, Mommy.” Since he’s not quite six, I fought the urge to say, “One time when you were not quite six, you asked me to tell you a story about you when you were little.” But I held it together ... Read More about The Importance of Storytelling

My family is comprised of “horse people,” so when we go on vacations, trail rides are often on the docket. I’m not big on riding in general, but I don’t mind it. I’m usually on the old pony, the one who hopefully knows its way back home. I’m okay with this. In fact, I usually enjoy it! I don’t ... Read More about How to Keep Climbing

Several years ago, my family sat around the dining room table reminiscing, and someone asked me what my worst vacation memory was. “Oh, boy,” I replied. “It’s a doozy.” And, indeed, it is. I was in elementary school, and the trip was to a cavern somewhere. I was excited to see it. We ... Read More about The Terrible Vacation that Never Was

I jumped off the boat into the Caribbean Sea, only to discover that despite my excitement to be snorkeling, the act of breathing normally while underwater immediately triggered an anxiety attack. I scrambled back onto the boat, pulling off my gear on the way. The boat captain, Ron, ... Read More about When You Don’t Feel Safe

My five-year-old son, Eli, loves both the ocean and all things dinosaur-related. When I learned about a beach near us on the Chesapeake Bay that was prime ground for fossil-hunting—specifically for shark teeth—I knew we had to go. It’s a beautiful place. The water, the sky, the sand–it’s all ... Read More about How to Find Shark Teeth and the Will of God