While I didn't necessarily set new year's resolutions this year, I did set some personal goals for myself. Mostly things that would lower my stress levels which have been building like crazy over the last year or so.
One of the goals is to stay on top of dishes. And to straighten the house every now and then when I can't stand having to hop over legos and books anymore.
But another--one I'm honestly more serious about--is keeping my inbox from overflowing like it was doing last year. Do you know how stressful it is to come in and see you have over 100 unread emails?

His whole life, my son has had us pray with him right before bedtime. Sometimes, we do it all together as a family and sometimes it's either my husband or me with him one-on-one while the other prays with our daughter. In the last few months, my son has worked up the courage to say some prayers himself. And I am learning a lot from my eight-year-old, watching his faith grow.
First and foremost, that he listens when his daddy and I are praying. Because while we do keep it semi-formal, we also are very conversational in the way we talk to God. It is a conversation for us. So, as we do with any other conversation, we add side-notes or just state things the way they are. And my son does too.

I learned to crochet long ago, as a girl. My mom helped me pick up some basics, but my grandmother helped me perfect my technique. I even remember my grandfather commenting to my grandmother one time that I might be even faster than she was. And my grandmother was amazing.
While I don't have tons of time to work on crochet projects anymore, I pick up one here and there--a baby blanket or washcloths for teacher gifts or a hat. Things that don't take long, but still give me that release.

What does your spouse do during the holidays that speaks to your heart? My friend, fellow author Jenny Carlisle tells us about something special her husband did for her. See if you think it's romantic like I do. ;)

In the language of Love, most of us have learned what reaches our hearts. Some react best to receiving gifts. Others melt when someone performs a service for them. Simple physical touch renews the romance for many couples. Spending quality time with your partner may be your magic formula.
 After nearly a half a century with the same man, I can confidently state that words (and deeds) of affirmation keep our home fires burning brightly.

While 2024 may not have gone exactly as I expected, that doesn't mean there hasn't been a lot of good happen. And let's be honest, a lot of the unexpected things have been good too.
Two of my biggest blessings this year are the two books I released. For Better or For Granted and A Match Made at Christmas are out in the world and receiving great reviews. (You can snag the e-copies for only 99cents through Dec 3.) These were both works of love and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out. So, those are the first two things I'm listing to be thankful for this year.
Of course, my family is always on my list. My sweet husband and I celebrated 20 years of marriage back in June. And my children are growing and healthy and smart. Definite blessings, all of them.
​

This year, my eight-year-old decided he wanted to play soccer. (Because he'd read about a boy on a soccer team in a book--but that's another story.) 
Did I know anything about soccer? Mostly just that it was played with a ball on a field and you weren't supposed to use your hands. That was it. But we signed him up for a youth league and figured we'd all learn together.
So, while my son was running around the field, learning to kick better and maybe even a bit about teamwork, I learned a few things too. Soccer mom was never a title I expected to have, but it was a lot more fun than I expected.

What does a cold soda have to do with romance? Well, you might be surprised. Guest author Shirley Gould is chatting with us today, talking about the romantic moments that all added up to a romantic marriage. See what you think.

Marrying a hopeless romantic led to amazing moments occurring when I least expected them. He sent me flowers so many times while we were dating, the florist made one of the deliveries herself so she could meet me, the object of his affection.
While living in Kenya, East Africa as missionaries, J.R. had to get really creative. During a rainy season that merged with El Nino, we had lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Nairobi, and I’d forgotten my umbrella. After paying our bill, he slipped out the door. When I stepped out of the restaurant, he had pulled our Land Cruiser onto the sidewalk so I could get in without getting wet. He was my hero.

I'm not going to lie. The last few weeks have been insanely busy. Really, the last few years, but especially the last few weeks. And it's all been good things like birthdays and holidays and retreats. But that can still wear you out if you don't find some time to be still and have some quiet.
Well, this Tuesday, I was blessed to be able to head back to my alma mater and speak to the Creative Writing Class and then have a book signing. It was an amazing day.
​But it also gave me a chance for some time to pause.

Want to know the bad part about letting your kids be readers?

Wait, wait, wait. Don't freak out on me yet. I'm not going to quit letting my kids read because it's not really a bad thing. But I got your attention, didn't I?

So, for real, here's what my problem is. My eight-year-old lately out of nowhere asks me "What does this word mean?" And words I have known forever suddenly are undefinable. Their meaning slips out of my head just like that. *snap*

To say author Betty Woods celebrated her anniversary with a bit of a bang is an understatement. The good news is, even when a party feels more like a rom-com, it can still be sweet and romantic. See what you think.

​   We celebrated our fiftieth wedding anniversary this spring. Probably not the way someone would write it in a romance novel, unless it’s a romantic comedy. Our official date is March 23. The kids originally envisioned renting a nice room, simple but elegant decorations and tables with white cloths until they found out how much all that would cost. Plan B our large backyard. But since we wanted an outdoor celebration, we waited until early April in hopes of better weather. It’s an understatement to say Texas weather is unpredictable. The high was in the eighties that afternoon. As you can see in the cake picture, Craig is wearing shorts.