Archived Columns

Several years ago, I tossed a generic package of Christmas cards onto the table in front of my husband and remarked, “I could make a better card than this!” To my surprise, he looked at me and said, “Then do it.” Never one to back down from a challenge, I enlisted the help of our […]

I grew up with an attitude of gratitude. Not that I knew it at the time. Nor did I know that my family would have been considered poor by most people’s standards. However, in our little farming community, people were judged by their integrity and character, not by the kind of house they lived in […]

When I was a child my greatest desire in life was to become a mother. Not a nurse or flight attendant like my peers. Just “Mommy.” After my kids grew up I longed for another title—Grandmother. My oldest son, however, did not see “grand-motherhood” as a worthy goal. But when Aaron married a sweet, Catholic […]

July and August bring the celebration of many birthdays to our family, namely that of our middle son, Travis, who was born on a beautiful summer morning, filling my heart and life with sunshine. Except for his full head of strawberry blond hair and his sky blue eyes, he looked remarkably like his four-year-old brother, […]

June is here and “weddings” are in the air! I often wonder why so many couples choose June to exchange their vows. I need only look back at my own wedding to answer that. Trust me, March is not the best month of the year to be married, especially in a cold climate. My husband […]

The month of May has always been busy for me. Not only are there three family birthdays, but it is also the month for State Special Olympics, Mother’s Day and—drum roll, please—spring-cleaning! Yep, you read that right. Years ago, I would round up my kids, map out all the dirty chores (they didn’t know about […]

When I was 30 years old I gave birth to my youngest child, James Ryan Jones. “Jay” was quickly diagnosed with Down syndrome and soon after with congenital heart disease. My little bundle of joy was a very sick baby. His immune system just didn’t kick in and he struggled to take even a two-ounce […]

A new month and a new holiday—one of my favorites—St. Patrick’s Day. Why do I like it? Well, there is my Irish heritage, the “wearin’ of the green,” and did I mention it is my first-born’s birthday? Certainly, it wasn’t planned that way. In fact, my little bundle came a week early. His name, Aaron, […]

My husband never sends me flowers. Not even on Valentine’s Day. The reason? I’m allergic! But it hasn’t always been that way. There was a time when I could enjoy a bouquet of fragrant roses sitting on my dining room table. But the good news is that I can still enjoy those beautiful heart-shaped boxes […]

New Year’s Resolutions seldom work for me—I never keep to the diet, stay off chocolate (okay, that wasn’t really a resolution) or stick with the exercise. So this year, instead of making resolutions, I am counting my blessings, many of which are “girlfriends.” Not just one or two best friends, but a “passel” of friends. […]