January 2016

Though I’ve given birth to ten children, it is the delivery of my seventh baby that still haunts my memory. No novice to labor and delivery, I had learned that my body knew what to do in order to bring a baby into the world. Five had been induced, after…

“Your closet is so neat. I’ve seriously never seen a closet this tidy before.” This is my sister talking. I pause. Dumbfounded. “Neat” and “tidy” are not words normally associated with me or with anything in my home. I hadn’t even attempted to clean my closet recently. But then I…

The white-framed motivational messages Kelly Connors displays in the lobby of her barre studio are reflective of the young wife and mom’s life. Be Brave, one proclaims. Start Today, Begin Anew, says another. The largest – She is clothed with strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future…

As far as my husband, Scott, is concerned, one of the most desirable qualities about his life partner is that she’s frugal. Romantic, I know. “You’re not cheap,” he’ll insist. “You do a wonderful job managing our family spending.” Talk like this might have you thinking we’re crazy in love…

As a young person, your first adult relocation is typically moving out of your parents’ home into a dorm, apartment, or even a house. I recall it being an exciting time when I moved into my very own apartment, a place I’d chosen based solely on my preferences and my…

You like to do your homework here, and sometimes I come in and sit and pretend to work on something of my own. I don’t have much help to give – pre-algebra and the periodic table are too far gone now – but I like to watch you tap your…

Can you even believe the madness of the holiday season is behind us? What a whirlwind combination of faith, fun, decorations, gifts, thanks, and entertainment it was. And now, a new year greets us, full of possibilities. After a year of NOT exercising and eating better, I’m not even going…

Did you know the human body is approximately 60 percent water? Water is such an important part of how the human body functions that every system in your body requires water to function. In the wintertime, there may be parts of your body that feel more dry than others. People…

Q: My 15-year-old son is built exactly like me, thin and wiry, while my 13-year-old daughter is the picture of her dad – not overweight, but stronger and heavier with very broad shoulders. Unfortunately, she’s getting unwanted attention about this from family members and so-called friends. Where do I start…

  What do you picture when you think of litter? Crumpled cups, plastic shopping bags, a candy bar wrapper maybe? While many people don’t consider cigarette butts a big deal or a significant part of litter, according to Mike Baum, executive director of Keep Virginia Beautiful, they comprise 38 percent…

Did you know just two-and-a-half hours per week of aerobic physical activity, like swimming, biking, or running can decrease the risk of chronic illness, leading to improved health for individuals with diabetes and heart disease? People report enjoying water-based exercise more than exercising on land while also being able to tolerate…

What is Heart Healthy Anyway? In order for a main entrée to earn the American Heart Association “heart healthy” designation, a serving must be close to Mayo Clinic guidelines, which are as follows: less than 400 calories; less than 15 grams of fat; less than 400 milligrams of sodium; and…

It’s a new year, so let’s look at some financial resolutions, specifically, the basics of a solid estate plan. Not having these basics in place can cost a person’s family thousands of dollars in legal, medical, and/or probate fees. When most people think of estate planning, they think of wills…

Think of all the people in your life that are on the wrong track. They’re in the wrong career, relationship, or friendship. They’re focusing on the wrong things, behaving poorly towards others, or just generally messing up their lives or the lives of those around them. If only they would…

In 1844, evangelicals in England founded an organization meant to attract young, often wayward men into Christianity through social events and Bible study groups. A decade later, in 1854, a branch of the Young Men’s Christian Association, or YMCA, was established in Richmond. Within a year, the new branch organized a…

There are easy, cost-effective things we can do to help the environment. Switching off lights when we leave a room, using smart-strips for our appliances and electronics, and washing clothes in cold water instead of hot are three simple ways to conserve energy. But do you realize the significance of…

There’s no such thing as other people’s kids. That is a viewpoint expressed by one of my favorite mom bloggers, Glennon Doyle Melton, explaining why she and her thousands of followers raise money to help families in need. It’s also an apt description of the motivation behind child advocacy –…