Beauty in Stained Glass
Artist LaDeana Rawlings Creates One-of-a-Kind Art Many people would not consider working with stained glass a stress reliever, but that is what drew LaDeana Rawlings to the art form. She first tried a stained glass class for fun, thinking it might be a good hobby. But an illness interrupted her life and put her hobby…
Read More >Fire Chief Harryman
Ask any little boy what he wants to be when he grows up and chances are you will hear, “fire chief.” Though Gil Harryman did not grow up wanting to be a fireman, he was definitely familiar with the profession, having several relatives who were firefighters. He was also exposed to firefighters at his parents’…
Read More >Friends and Resolutions
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….
Read More >Love for a Lifetime
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…
Read More >Parenting: 101
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,…
Read More >Wishes & Dreams
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…
Read More >7 Minutes of Terror
What part of your daily routine takes only seven minutes? Is it your morning shower? Breakfast at home? A quick stop at Starbucks? Seven minutes sounds short-quick-fast, but sometimes it can feel like an eternity. On April 20, 1999, sixteen-year-old Crystal Woodman Miller spent seven minutes of terror, crouched under a library table at Columbine…
Read More >Healthy Disorganization
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…
Read More >Love and Commitment
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…
Read More >A Christmas Promise
Just thinking about Christmas was difficult in 1972, not to mention shopping, decorating, baking and pretending to enjoy the holiday. Our three-months-old son, Travis, had died earlier that year and I felt like a part of me had died with him. What kept me going that Christmas was our four-year-old son, Aaron, who had been…
Read More >Heavenly Valentine
I have always had a special affection for valentines—not those five-dollar cards that require extra postage or the commercial packages of kid’s cards with their tiny envelopes. Not even the beautifully decorated heart-shaped boxes of candy, though I wouldn’t turn any of them down. No, my love of valentines goes way back to a…
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