I have three sisters, so I've had plenty of practice over the years buying gifts for sisters! Today I thought it would be fun to share are few picks for sister gifts (or for your best friend who's like a sister!). Gifts are one of my love languages, so for me, buying presents for people isn't stressful--it's fun!I've tried to keep these gift suggestions on the frugal side; most of them are under $30.00. And if you want to skip holiday crowds, you can purchase many of these online.Be sure to check out the other gift guides that I've linked to at the end of this post!20 Gift Ideas for Sisters 1. A magazine subscription - She ... Continue Reading

I’m just entering the stage of life I always looked forward to the most: motherhood. I’ve dreamed about these days for a long time, and in April of this year our son was born.Life is so very different now, but it’s beautiful and full of simple abundance. I’ve had to learn how to hold my plans loosely, because I never know what Little Dude and the day will bring. Unpredictability is good for me, though, as I’ve held to my own agenda for a very long time!I picked a random Tuesday to record my “day in the life.” And a deliciously rainy day it was. Nothing very exciting happened, and nothing very awful. It was the sort of quietly ... Continue Reading

Motherhood. It's just the beginning for me, and I know that in these early days I can set the tone for many years to come.That excites me, but I also feel the press of responsibility. What kind of mama do I want my children to know me as, from their earliest memories into adulthood?Yes, they will know me for the way I treat them and the way I actively train and parent them. But how will they see me, as an individual?As I've thought about it, here are 5 main things I want my children to know me for...1. My relationship with Jesus Christ I want my children to know Jesus personally. Because I'll spend so much time with them ... Continue Reading

I wasn't prepared for how difficult those first few postpartum weeks would be. While we enjoyed many special moments after bringing home our new Little Dude, we also experienced the torture of prolonged sleep deprivation, a barrage of new emotions, breastfeeding issues, and the conundrum of how to make our tiny house feel like a home again, now that it was bursting at the seams with baby stuff. And that was just the baby stuff! There were other difficult things going on at the time, because life doesn't stop when it changes.It was the best of times and the worst all rolled into one indelible spring, and we emerged into summer battered but ... Continue Reading

I cried when I learned that my baby boy would come into the world the very next day.They weren't just tears of joy.I was nervous, stressed, a little scared.But yes, also excited.Eric was on spring break from teaching, so he had taken me to my 39 week appointment. My doctor had us get another ultrasound to check the baby's size. She looked at the results, compared them with previous measurements she'd taken, and gave us the news: baby boy's abdomen was measuring weeks behind, which was a sign to her that my placenta wasn't providing the necessary nourishment any more. She wanted to deliver him the next day, and we would need to ... Continue Reading

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link.Some families are skipping Christmas gift-giving this year. Tired of "rampant consumerism," "materialistic gain," and "unnecessary stress" they decide it would be best to veto presents rather than take part in this dark part of our culture.It sounds like they're on the right track, right? No one likes those nasty buzz phrases I put in quotation marks. Many of us could talk heatedly about the greedy turn our culture is taking, about how kids these days are too entitled, about how all of the STUFF has made us lose track of the true meaning of the holiday.Every year brings new ... Continue Reading

Dear readers, this is not the kind of post I normally write. But God gave me a passion for writing since I was little, and today I want to use my words to share something that my heart is full of--love for my baby, who's not yet born! I didn't know that even before you're born I would love you so much.How every chance at wishing I get is all about you now.I blew out candles twice the week of my 26th birthday. And all I wanted was for you to be safe, so I prayed that both times.As often as I pray for you, I remind myself that while I've loved you with this new, deep love for a few short months, God knows you outside of time and ... Continue Reading

I enjoy reading about my blogging friends' Christmas activities, but I feel like I don't have many good ideas to offer in return.You see, a lot of times holiday preparations center around kids, and we don't have any. Granted, we've felt a bit like new parents with the marbled kitty we've been fostering this week...but when it comes down to it, you can't really cut out Advent ornaments with a cat.We are going to spend the actual Christmas day with my family, but the weeks cushioning it on either side are up to us.On the one hand I don't really mind having a quieter holiday season. There's less "stuff" to deal with. Less bustle. ... Continue Reading