We had this portrait made this summer. We had to cancel our travel plans because of major changes in the kids’ surgery schedules, so we enjoyed a week of local fun instead of a road trip. Looking back, I’m so thankful that we deliberately choose simple and family activities this summer, rather than filling up…

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A prayer for a new year, from “The Valley of Vision” O Lord,Length of days does not profit meexcept the days are passed in Thy presence,in Thy service, to Thy glory.Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides,sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,that I may not be one moment apart from Thee,but may rely on Thy…

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We always celebrate Christmas in stages, one with my husband’s family, one with mine, one with just us, and usually a few others thrown in for good measure. This year, we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my husband’s family (arriving at their house just as an ice storm hit). (Yes, technically, these are…

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It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m sitting in my in-law’s wood-heated house, cozy in my pajamas, apple pie baking in the oven, Christmas music playing in the background, cousins playing happily (or not so happily, depending on the moment). We will not have a white Christmas this year. Last night we had an ice storm, but…

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Being busy has been a perpetual state in my life for … well, a lifetime. Elli’s lifetime. I certainly had episodes of resentment towards that, but most of the time I just tried to roll with it. I can not stand futility, and raging at circumstances is classic futility. All sound and fury with nothing…

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My little girl has been thinking and talking about Elli a lot. Despite the age difference (5 years) and how young Little Girl is, they were pretty close sisters. I love this photo of the two of them from last Christmas. Little Girl loved her sister and really misses having another girl in our family.…

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