Nearly every year since our 25th wedding anniversary, Chris and I have flown back to his homeland, Scotland. He’s a pilot and loves to travel, but I’m a homebody who traveled too much as a child. When away from home, I feel a bit lost and rudderless. I just want to stay put. So this week, I’m grounding myself in Scotland by calling or messaging friends back home in California. I’m trying to comprehend that I’m here in the north…
Today is our daughter’s 32nd birthday. Please don’t tell her she’s eight years old–she’ll only roll her eyes at you. Back in 1992, Heather’s due date was February 26. Throughout my pregnancy, Chris kept saying, “I hope the baby’s born on Leap Year Day.” I didn’t, because I knew it would be a lot of drama and commotion. Sure enough, my due date came and went. Heather waited until 10:30 pm on February 29 and finally made her appearance–with a…
Stepping off our sidewalk curb, I check both ways for traffic on our busy street. I quickly cross to the makeshift lemonade stand in our neighbor’s driveway. Two young boys stand behind a table on which sit large paper cups, two pitchers of lemonade, and a big bowl of popcorn. “Hi, Oscar! Hi, Samuel! What are you selling on this warm, sunny day?” “Lemonade and popcorn. D’you want some?” In all my years while attending boarding school in Nigeria where…
“Christmas will be here soon,” my first-grade teacher said. “In a couple of weeks, you kids will fly back to your parents on their mission stations for the holidays. Today you’ll make a Christmas craft to take home.” Twenty happy faces beamed around the sunlit classroom at the boarding school for missionary children in Nigeria, and cheery voices called out. “Yay! It’s almost Christmas!” “Crafts are my favorite subject.” “I can’t wait ‘til we go home.” During the next half…
Drops of sweat covered my brow, and I set a basket of folded laundry on my bed. “Mom, I’m all sweaty.” I wiped my face with the bottom of my shirt. Mom walked past me, carrying another load of clean clothes to her bedroom. “Thank you for taking the clothes off the line and bringing them in for me, Honey.” Pushing a plastic basket ahead of him along the smooth, cement floor, six-year-old Grant followed Mom. “Can we do something…
Do you have a heart for orphans? Have you ever wanted to travel to Kenya? Today I’m delighted to share the ministry that my sister, Cindy, and her husband, Kyon Yi, have taken on. Come with me to Kenya–a beautiful country I haven’t actually seen–but through this blog post, we’re both visiting virtually! Twenty-two years ago, Kyon’s mom, Elaine Yi, witnessed the plight of street orphans in Kenya when she visited there with World Vision. Previously, Elaine had partnered with…
Today our daughter, Heather, contributes to this blog post for you as this month we celebrated Chris’s 65th birthday with his dream golf vacation in Scotland. All of our adult kids, including Andrew, his wife, Sarah, Heather, her boyfriend, Aaron, and Robby, joined us. We took in the sights, visited friends and relatives, golfed, shopped … and enjoyed much excitement around a surprise proposal, which Heather shares here: STORY TIME! Aaron proposed on Princes Street with Edinburgh Castle in the…
Jutting out from the green-painted walls, three shower heads loom dark and shadowy under the single lightbulb that lights the bathroom. I’m scared to take my first dormitory shower in this open room with a dozen other first-grade girls…. I’ve rewritten this story using the present tense, and I would value your honest feedback. Does this tense flow well and bring you more deeply into the story? Or does it sound awkward? What other thoughts do you have? Shower Troubles…
Back in March, I shared with you that I had a story published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, but I wasn’t able to post it here. I’ve since found out that I retained all rights to it, so I’m able to print it on my blog after all. Thank you to those who purchased the book, The Advice that Changed My Life. If you’re interested in buying a copy, here’s the link. Otherwise, I’m glad I can share my…
Come with me on a photo journey as we meet up with Chris’s family and friends in his home country of Scotland. In March 2023, we had a fabulous time in the land where Chris was born and in which he hopes to retire. (Chris and I are still in negotiations about that, haha.) As I consider spending more time in my husband’s home country, it is a special gift that I have found friends in Scotland–connections from my childhood…