5K Per Day

Katrina After Finishing Her Marathon

Last November, I ran my first marathon. The Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, to be exact. It was a life-altering experience — from first training run to the finish line. While I was training (and about 6 months prior to beginning my runs), I lost nearly 60 pounds. And although it didn’t make me much faster, it […]

Merry Overload

Fireplace with Stockings Hung

All this merriment is wearing me down. Don’t get me wrong — I love Christmas. LOVE IT. That’s probably why I make it so difficult. You see, I’m fairly certain none of my kids believes in Santa Claus anymore. The 9-year-old might be holding on by a thread, but he’d never admit it in public. […]

Frogs of Happiness

George

Good old Frederick Douglass said, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” I will never argue the wisdom of those words. Adversity strengthens us, shapes us, prepares us for the future. We see what we are truly made of in our most humbling moments. But to watch your 9-year-old go through it isn’t […]

400 Words

The Kids

Chris. Sam. Gus. Mary Claire. George. Coffee and a Mac and words tumbling through my brain. Mint chocolate. Pajamas, preferably cozy PJ pants and an old t-shirt. My beautiful forever friends. Loud laughter. Quiet nights by the fire. Books. Books. More books. Great fiction. Vacations. Kindness. St. George Island. A cabin in the woods. An […]

Smarty Smart Pants

We’ve been waiting patiently — and then not-so-patiently — for George to be tested for the gifted and talented program at his Mississippi school. He’s never been a kid who loves school, but in Starkville, he’s been doubly miserable. “Everyone talks too much.” “We’re always in trouble because the whole class acts up.” “We lost […]

The Spaces In Between

Sunset at the Beach

The lovely, spiritual, intuitive Amy Oscar is hosting a December Writing Circle. Every day (give or take a few), she is presenting participants with writing prompts to do with as we please. We can use them, ignore them, choose to eat Oreos instead. I love that kind of freedom. Today’s prompt, however spoke volumes to […]

I Write Because

Books

It’s the kind of prompt I loathe the most. But as part of a contest entry, I had to do it. I had to write about why I write (in 500 words or less) with the oh-so-ordinary “I write because…” opener. So, without further ado — or complaining — here she is… I write because […]