This family prepares for bat mitzvah

We are still about two years away from Jaelah’s bat mitzvah and yet it is finally time for preparations to begin! This has been a much-anticipated time in our household. The children look at this process of being released into “grown-up-hood” as a treasured time. Though there are some fun privileges in our family that […]

Braces and a cradle swing

There’s a cradle swing laying at the foot of the cross. Next to it is an itty-bitty pair of leopard sandals with pink flowers on them, brand-new and only worn once. There’s a tiny pink baby blow-up pool. There’s a Bumbo seat and a play mat with well-loved teething toys. There’s a bassinet that won’t […]

The view from the top of this mountain

We have made it. We have completed Math U See’s elementary curriculum. Next stop: pre-algebra. For me, that statement represents a tremendous success in my homeschooling journey. There have been moments over the past several years when I truly wondered if we would live to see this day. It seems like an eternity ago but […]

When both my feet left the ground

It was getting to be late in the evening one day last year when my husband and I both looked at each other with tears in our eyes, having just had a very painful conversation with some people we’ve loved for a very long time. We both had the same thought and spoke it out […]

Beating sibling rivalry with selflessness

Sometimes without even broadcasting its presence, sibling rivalry sneaks up on our household and sucks the life and peace out of our home and family. There have been seasons where it has gotten so out of control that I have seriously wondered if I would ever see the fruit of Messiah in my children. The […]

A letter to a mama who just miscarried

Piecing it together #5

Sixth year of homeschooling, here we go! I cannot believe I’ve made it this far and that my kids and I are all in one piece. It says something for all the blogs and reviews I’ve read over the years that have helped me meld together a school program that works for our family’s goals, […]

Tirzah’s Simchat Bat

Simchat bat means the joy of a daughter! Oh, what sublime joy! Her fair, creamy skin, soft and delicious in its perfection like one of those disgustingly sweet frosting-filled cannolis from Cinzettis – this is the 12 lb rolls of baby delight named Tirzah Love. Each time we bring a daughter to her introduction to […]

F.L.E.X.I.B.L.E.

Between having a baby, starting college, celebrating the fall festivals, and a plethora of little mishaps like a clogged kitchen sink, a leaking water heater, and an emergency trip to the dentist after Noah had a close call with the deck and lost three front teeth, the past several weeks have been a flurry of […]

Completion and a new beginning

My five year old son defines wealth as the cuteness of his baby sister. “Mommy, we’re SO rich.” His earnest little face looks with adoration on Tirzah, and he constantly tells me how adorable she is and how he feels like he is as rich as a king because he gets to be her brother. […]