I have learned a lot about my parenting blogs. Anyone one on any social media platform knows that if you have a great looking picture, you will captivate your audience. Your "likes" will go up and your comments will too. However, if you have a mediocre picture that is old, too dark, too dull etc. your audience will keep right on scrolling even if the content is relevant.  If you post a quote that makes the reader feel good about themselves your "likes" and comments will be gr

Many women on my mothering journey deposited gems of wisdom that were more cherished than a 3 carat engagement ring!  I mean that with every fiber of by being. The lady in the picture was our oldest sons basketball coach.  I adore this picture for many reasons.  I can tell you about four stories from this one snap shot. For now, I will share just one. I sat with my friend in her living room one day braiding her daughters hair.  We always had great conversations in the comfort

This picture was taken in Lakenheath, England in the fall of 2000.  I am standing next to my friend Jill in my third trimester of pregnancy with our third child. This lady absolutely transformed my entire mind in regards to child training.  I would see her in church with her children and I was drawn to her.  Jill, her husband and all of their children sat on the pew, well mannered and attentive. I observed intently. I liked what I saw.  I loved the way she interacted with her

I am not sure how many people will read this blog, but I am going to tell this story because I think it is time.  I am a birth worker.  I am a certified birth doula with DONA and a certified childbirth educator with Lamaze. I teach pregnant women how to dance as a certified Dancing for Birth Instructor so that when labor comes a woman is comfortable moving her body in such a way that helps her in labor and birth. I have ALWAYS been attracted to birth.  I have always loved pre

I have never been a "flashy" person and I have always enjoyed being simple. I know how to dress up but I don't enjoy it. I prefer jeans and a t-shirt, flip flops or sneakers. I can wear heels but I prefer to be barefoot. I can wear make-up too, the entire shebang; concealer, foundation, lashes, penciled in brows, lips, cheeks etc. But guess what?  Yep, I prefer less.  I am fine with  black eyeliner and a little gloss.  Hair?  Well, I have locs and I never get anything more th

My mom had the most beautiful garden when we lived in Spangdahlem, Germany in the late 70's. When I was a little girl I remember watching her pull weeds and plant seeds. The rows were perfectly straight.  She planted fresh peas, beans, rhubarb, strawberries, collard greens, carrots and more.  Everything she planted grew! She would always tell us that she had a green thumb and she was right!  My mom was faithful at going into the garden daily.  I remember her walking up and do

I would have never ever reconciled in my mind that I would ever have a child that would be a part of the special needs population. After all it was something that happened to other people.  You know, the people that you would see in the store, quickly shifting your eyes to avoid staring and thanking God in your heart that your child is not like that. I was that mom! My mother taught my siblings and I not to stare at people for any reason.  She taught us to smile and quickly l

The picture you see is my family on vacation eating out. The family dinner table was one of the most sacred places in our home. Family style dining was crucial to my soul when our children were young. I used to work in early childhood development before my husband Gary and I had children. While working I learned the principles of family style dining and it was at that time that I knew I had to create that space in my home - and I did. At first it was just Gary and I. We at

Intentional. Done on purpose. Deliberate. Anytime a person has success it is because they made a choice to accomplish a specific goal. If you've met a specific goal it was because your actions and your words were purposeful. Being purposeful means you value a meaningful and fulfilling life. Dear sister, be intentional about interacting and engaging with your life. If you are working in your garden and producing fruit, we celebrate that. I have a question though...what area

On June 7, 2019 I will close Strozier Christian Academy. My last student will be graduating and after 19 years of homeschooling, it is finished. I am filled with gratitude because I accomplished one of the hardest goals in mothering. I educated my children from birth until their senior year of high school. My first student graduated high school in June 2013 and college in December 2017. My second student graduated high school in June 2016 and will graduate from college in 2

After 19 years of homeschooling I am retiring this summer. I can't believe it is almost finished. I can't believe the Lord called me to educate my children. I did what was asked of me and now, I am almost finished. One of the best times I had with our children was reading to them. We read novels together, we read about missionaries, we read about spiritual warfare, we read books of the Bible, Bible stories, and more. I loved to read to them. I made up different character v

About 8 years ago the Holy Spirit told me to start a mentorship group.  He told me to start a sister circle and to use the rooms of the house as the floor plan to build this mentorship program. I was afraid.  I asked questions like, "Will women who do not know each other  come and open up their private lives?  Will they be vulnerable?  Would anyone come?"  I asked other ladies their opinion about the program and they told  me that they felt women would not open up.  From thos

This is Basmah Karriem. I met her when I spent the day in Chesterfield, Virginia. I took fourteen women with me and we all had a fabulous time. Basmah has been doing birth work for decades in her community. She sat down at the table to tell us about the work of a birth doula, postpartum doula and much more. She told us about how she meets the needs of men and women in the family. She is not just a doula. She is a listener, she gives relationship advice, she knows when a

Once a woman gets to that 40 week mark in her pregnancy, she is typically ready to see her baby. I know I sure was, just look at that big smile on the picture attached to this blog. I was 41 weeks pregnant and really, really ready to mother this new baby girl that the world was waiting to embrace. I had never had pitocin (A synthetic form of oxytocin, used to induce labor). I was on the pitocin for a few hours and then my body took over so I was able to come off of the indu

Unfortunately, many mothers die during or after childbirth. The Centers for Disease Control report that out of 100,000 live births, 13 white women die, 14 women of other raced die and 44 black women die. WOW! That can be one of us, or a daughter, or a daughter in law or friend. Rachel Weigel from the University of Minnesota Medical School wrote an article entitled Maternal Mortality in the United States: A Brief History on March 29, 2019.  She reported that, “Non ­Hispanic Bl

I think this picture was taken during my senior year of high school. I still chew and pop my gum and show all of my teeth when I laugh. (LOL)  I was living in Alconbury, England as an Air Force Brat when this picture was taken. I was at the same school from 7th grade until I graduated. Friend groups changed over the years. Some friendships were closer than others. Some people I spoke to because we were in the same biology class together.  Many people were acquaintances just b

I knew! I knew that something was not right with her the second I laid my eyes on her.  I was inundated with fear, horror, alarm, panic, and grief. Every negative thought flooded my mind like a tsunami within seconds of her birth.  I was supposed to be rejoicing, the euphoria that I typically felt after laboring for hours and releasing a baby from my body was not there. I knew that she was developmentally delayed.  I spoke my concerns boldly to the nurse as they whisked  her

It is never too late to start praying for the future of your children.  Whether your children are grown, growing or have not made it into the secret most sacred spot in your womb, I suggest you pray for their future. In the late 90's, I had some very wise women speak some powerful nuggets of wisdom deep into my soul. One woman told me about the importance of praying for my children's future jobs, especially my boys.  She said to pray that my boys would be able to sustain thei

I read a book a few years ago by R. Loren Sandford.  The book is called, Understanding Prophetic People. Sanford taught me so much and answered so many questions. A few weeks ago my friend and I were texting and the conversation leaned towards spiritual gifts.  I ended up pulling my book off of the shelf and gleaning from the highlights from my first read.  In chapter 1, Sanford writes about the loneliness and isolation of the prophetic person. Take a moment and read the high

Be comfortable with being uncomfortable is what I was told at one of my fitness certification classes. It is the same thing I tell myself every time I walk into the physical therapy (PT) room to work on my range of motion.  I have come to the point where I do not want to go to PT. When I enter into that room and I am greeted by my physical therapist - Marvin - he always asks me how I am doing.  After we greet one another he follows up with something like, "I'm gonna beat you