Both/And…keeping it real

We can do hard things. Acknowledging both the good and hard in everyday life.

  • One last time: the sparkle, white marble and more endless saturation from The Smithsonian, Arlington and Alexandria.

    (Washington, part 6) After our day at the National Cathedral…Nana and Papa went back to the condo and we went back to the Dr. King Memorial. E needed to visit during the day. (To be true, so did I.) How many times have I said, “I’ll never forget,” while writing about Washington DC? (Either too…

  • “Keep calm, classy and respectful….”

    It is our oldest daughter’s senior year of high school. We are in the first of “lasts,” feeling both excitement and grief…the now and not yet. SO MANY both/ands, the ones I have walked through many times with clients and this year, am experiencing myself. It is with profound excitement and tremendous reflection and sorrow…

  • So much light, holiness, color and wonder….

    Washington Highlights (part 5) I did not intend to write this much detail about our trip; honestly, I feel a bit self-indulgent. To write and share at least 5 parts, I wonder if people really want to hear about the details or if this is just another authentic part of the blog, vacation memories for…

  • The White House and Ford’s Theater: both saturated in history, color and dedication.

    The White House and Ford’s Theater: both saturated in history, color and dedication.

    Washington DC highlights, (Part 4). If you’ve been to DC, you know what I’m talking about when I say the city itself could be a study in saturation. From the people, sounds, colors and everything in and outside – Washington for us was a week full of blessing, rich pictures of God’s delight, sovereignty and…

  • October 16 or “someday.”

    Have you ever had a someday? What I mean is, have you ever said to yourself, “someday, I will be ready for that role. Someday, I will pursue that dream or be prepared enough to take on that challenge. Someday, my _______ will be right, and then I will be happy. Someday, when I meet______…

  • Washington in the the moonlight…and still more ways God saturates.

    Washington trip highlights (Part 3) It is pure joy to remember our trip and put the many thoughts and connections from my heart into this format. It is one of my favorite ways of making meaning. Have you heard that phrase before, making meaning? (Meaning making” designates the process by which people interpret situations, events, objects,…

  • Saturated (part 2)

    After we left Pittsburgh, our travels took us through the rest Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and finally into Washington DC. Our youngest daughter, who has always struggled with motion sickness, forgot about her worried tummy as we took in the scenery. This was not a trip we’d ever taken as a family, so the colors, the…

  • Startle reflex, PSA’s and awareness.

    “Jeez, Stacy, you are uptight!” “Nervous much?” Laughter ensued from my friends. I was thankful that the movie theater we sat in was dark and they could not see my quickly heated, tomato red cheeks. Even though I knew in THEIR minds, this was “just teasing,” I HATED how my body was “tense and jumpy”…

  • Saturated…(part 1)

    Though we had been planning for well over a year, our recent vacation to Washington DC snuck up on us because, well, September is September. Maybe it’s just me, but September seems to be right up there with May and December, the two busiest months of the year, at least in our house: purchasing school…

  • A quick, post-vacation note…

    Hey there! It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? I had intentions to post while on vacation with my family last week, but we were so busy seeing and being together that I just decided to let it wait until we got home. But, I have so many things to tell you about, so many ideas…