…to the phrase “ball and chain”

The kids are growing up.  There’s no question about that.  But some things…Chad and I are just not ready for.  Like this conversation at dinner last night. Me:  Why don’t you tell Daddy what you told me in the car today after school. Aiden:  No. Chad:  It’s ok.  You can tell me anything.  What is […]

dear annslee james, the promise of you started long before you were born.  i remember, clearly, writing your name when your brothers were just a toddler and a baby.  we were all at the beach in charleston with friends.  one night, we were playing with the magnadoodle.  randomly, i wrote… colton chase aiden annslee that […]

joshua “chase” clarkson… when you were born, i felt your quiet and gentle spirit whisper to my soul.  i said, “he is going to be special.  i can feel his gentleness.”  people didn’t think i could know you this way when you were only a day old.  but i knew. when you were 20 minutes old, […]

chase has a servant’s heart. he is always the one who quietly serves without expecting anything in return…surely a rare find in grown men these days, much less little ones. the other day, we were at an adult friend’s birthday party. everyone had gone through the food line inside and had found various seating on […]

good grief. i just had to have a “session” with myself. you know when you leave a certain situation and think “why couldn’t i have just sat in the background and kept my big, fat mouth shut?” you re-live the whole scenario and go over what you said and how others responded to you over […]

this morning, chad had to leave early for work. the kids are used to him being around for breakfast. so when he wasn’t milling around the kitchen, drinking his orange juice this morning, chase asked: chase: “where’s daddy?” me: “he has already left.” chase: “oh. he already left to go play poker?” it was 7:40 […]

what do you do when you can’t decide which picture you like better? i usually post both. for instance…in the top picture, i love being able to see chase’s beautiful eyes and colt looks somewhat “happy” in spite of my insisting on getting a “hat” picture on our way to the baordwalk. however, i like […]

“when i grow up, i want to be a frog…and live outside in the backyard. and when you come outside, i’ll say, “pssssst. down here. don’t step on me.”” ~chase (7 yrs.) “EWWWWW…undies! i’m not gonna fold anything boyish…because they have had BUTT in them. BOY BUTT!!” ~aiden; while helping me fold laundry (5 yrs.) […]