Stephanie

A refreshing breeze blows through the living room windows. The air soothes as it sings a hushed melody into the quietness. Tranquility. My young adult son is napping on the couch while I tap away on my laptop a few feet away. No one speaks. But that doesn’t mean connection isn’t at works. My mind […]

I listen as my young adult child expresses grief over a life moment transition. A friend is getting married and moving out of state. A mixture of emotions elicits a flood of tears. This person is the last one from a group of friends who is moving on to new territory. These friendships often form […]

Over 25 years ago, we moved into a small home. We felt all the excitement of first time ownership. After a long search, praying for where we should plant family roots, and being thankful that all the neccessary protocols aligned with our short time frame, we moved in to our “starter house.” At the time, […]

My husband and I just celebrated a milestone wedding anniversary. So much unfolded differently than expected. Job losses, illnesses, car accidents, and other unforseen circumstances felt like potholes as we navigated life’s moments. But hope appears in unexpected ways. One of our shower gifts came from my husband’s mother. It wasn’t a fancy crystal bowl […]

I spotted her at the bimonthly Food Truck night in our village’s small downtown. I wasn’t sure how to approach this student who I had come to know within the walls of the classrooms where I substitute teach. It’s a funny thing when we see people outside of our expected landscapes. We are reminded that […]

Long ago, my then young children were fascinated by the experience of watching a caterpillar transform into a butterfly. We bought the kit and watched the beauty of creation unfold. Initiatially, the “tent” holding the caterpillar hung in the corner of our kitchen. As we followed the instructions for nurturing this transition, time seemed to […]