Musings on life, parenting, Jesus, and more...

Last night was so much fun! Six of us ladies cleaned out our closets, bagged up the stuff we no longer wanted and got together for a fun night of free shopping in the comfort of my living room. I don’t know about you, but I personally am not a fan of shopping. I don’t like getting all sweaty in department store fitting rooms, and with inflation at record levels, spending money on clothes seems a little frivolous.  But it’s still fun to freshen up our wardrobes and have some fun new items to wear, especially as seasons change.  Cue the clothing exchange! We use to do these many years ago, and I think it’s time to bring back the tradition. Not only is it an excuse to clean out our closets and a way to get a little wardrobe refresh, but it is also a fun excuse to get a group of ladies together for a night of fellowship and laughter. My recommendation: stick to your size range so you’re not having to go through clothes that won’t fit you. Six seemed like the perfect amount of peop...

My kids are growing up. My oldest just turned 16 and got her drivers license. She’s in the process of getting her first official job, and this morning she had an early morning appointment to fill out new hire paperwork. We had an interesting interaction that I wanted to share because I think it really emphasizes this transition that is occurring in how I parent my older children.  This is crazy to think about, but when I was her age, I was living on my own, working and paying rent, and getting my GED. So I’m fully aware that she is capable of doing life on her own, however, I’m so thankful that she doesn’t have to. I didn’t realize it in the moment while I was living that out, having to be on my own independently so young had some very traumatic pieces and has definitely impacted my development and how I see the world. This stage of parenting I’m in, it’s not so much about telling her what to do anymore. It’s about advising her and guiding her and being there for her as a listening...