DREAM BIG

Months ago, I started thinking about what I would post on Martin Luther King Jr Day. I just knew something poignant and profound would come spilling out of my heart. It's a remarkable day of reflection for our nation, and hopefully for the nations beyond our borders. But his day came and went, and as …

IT’S NOT JUST BLACK AND WHITE

My last few years of high school and first few years of college were seamed with a global explosion of technology that boldly brought the elusive computer into homes and classrooms. The desktop. It was a clumsy combo of a monochrome display TV, with a typewriter that didn't have paper, and a great big hot …

FAMILY, FRIENDS, FAITH

(Our peanut allergy research journey. December 2nd) Today was a big day...BIG. I looked forward to this day for months. Our last updose. The target was 300mg of peanut powder; the equivalent of one peanut. With no reaction to today's dose, we would officially be in "maintenance". We would continue to dose 300mg indefinitely to …

PASSIONATELY THANKFUL

This year I decided to document my days in a passion planner. It's a calendar, planner, listmaker, reflection journal. I got it because of the clinical trial for Coleman's peanut allergy. Things were happening FAST and BIG, and sometimes slow and small. Years from now, when this research is reality, I want a place to …

CONTAMINATED CRUD

"Where do you want me to put this this lemon crud?" I turned around to see Coleman taking groceries out of the sack and saw him holding the jar of lemon CURD. I chose rolling my eyes over correcting him and told him to put it in the cabinet.  I don't particularly like lemon. But …

FREE REFILLS

My mother often describes her childhood as "growing up in a restaurant." The Midway Cafe  divided the East from the West on the main street of Coleraine, Minnesota. It was sandwiched between narrow family businesses that had apartments at the top of very steep staircases. The shoe store had three aisles of shoe boxes stacked …

MEMORIES

I love to travel and I hate cheesy souvenirs and t shirts. My number one collection that grows from every single adventure, trip, or event is memories. Yep - I collect memories. They do get dusty and I realize that with age, my collection will likely deteriorate. But I'm not the only keeper of my …

GENTLE CYCLE

There are moments that define the "I have arrived" stages of life. One of them is when you start buying your own clothes. It's the introduction of your "style"; purchased with pride and, for many, a side dish of rebellion. You gaze into the full length mirror that hangs by thick adhesive on the inside …

PICK ME UP PIE

Yesterday I had a pretty good meltdown that wasn’t pretty at all. It was an ugly cry in the teacher’s lounge. Does anyone else’s face turn purple when they ugly cry? The only people at work that can tell when I’m upset are my friends. Students are used to me looking scary. It’s a substitute …

LEGACY LANDMARK

I might need a little Razorback Redemption today. I might be guilty of fair weather fandom. It's not like me at all and I have no excuse… but somehow I lost control and commented on a pre-game post that I hope LSU wins the boot this year. LSU is my backup team to cheer on …