My little sparrow

Today was supposed to be a day of happy rejoicing. We should be welcoming Joshua Zion into our arms. Instead, our bassinet and blankets are empty and cold, not likely to be filled for quite some time. He probably would have been true to the form of his brother and sisters and not arrived on […]

A minyan of years, a vanguard for us

We’ve made it ten whole years. It’s nothing but double digits from here on out! I can hardly believe it, not because I ever assumed we couldn’t make it, but because of how far we truly have come in so many ways that are immeasurable compared to the simple passing of years. Our ten years […]

A memorial frozen in time

Photography by Yelena

Now faith is the substance

Laying our son to rest is undoubtedly the hardest thing I have had to face thus far in my life. We had two weeks for me to heal physically, and during this time we had plenty of quiet moments to contemplate what we wanted Joshua’s memorial to be before we buried him. I found myself […]

Mourning a Life Not Lived, Celebrating a Life In Christ – Pete

“The baby is dead.” The words permeated my heart like black ink poured into clear water. If ever there were two words that should never be joined together. But here they were side by side, suddenly and unexpectedly creating a harsh reality for me whether or not I would or could face it. The wound […]

“The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the LORD”

“I’m so sorry, but I cannot find a heartbeat.” No mother can ever prepare herself for those hideous words. The ultrasound tech gripped my hand as she gave me the news. I had gone in for a routine prenatal check-up. My pregnant belly has been big enough to require maternity clothes for several weeks now. […]

The unscrupulous milkman

Sometimes life throws us in strange situations that turn out to be the perfect opportunity for learning an important lesson. Homeschooling seems to afford me quite a bit of these timely occasions. Ketziah is almost one year old and we usually transition to whole milk right around this time. Finding a source of healthy, natural, […]

A short yet significant haggadah

This year’s Pesach seder was probably the most abbreviated one we’ve ever done. This was not without purpose. Many years past, it seems that the seders we’ve attended and hosted have been well over two hours long even with regular snacks and arranging the separate parts around the festive meal. This can be trying for […]

Goodbye, little white house

Moving can bring such upheaval in life, no matter how prepared you are for the transition. We’ve been anticipating a move each year for a few years now. And each year, my husband and I have decided to try and make it one more year in our tiny little white house. We’ve happily found that […]

A sweet end to a tasty year…

Pete and I did something new for our school year-end celebration this year. The 2014 school year starts tomorrow, so we made up some official-looking 2013 diplomas, educational goals and achievements lists, and some personal academic achievement awards from the Headmaster of Hebron Heights Academy to present to the girls. Over a rare treat of […]