betsy

Last week, I had one of those days.  I was easily irritated and touchy, and my husband could sense it in the way I was interacting with the family.  I knew he noticed my mood, although he chose not to say anything in that moment. Looking back, I felt ashamed at my behavior, and even

I got my first paycheck when I turned 21.  Since my parents would not allow me to work before I finished college, it was after years of sweat and tears that I finally got to feel that check in my hands.  It felt great. All of my young adult life, my father had taught me

A few days ago as I passed by my kids’ playroom, I was amazed at how chaotic and disorganized it appeared.  Puzzle pieces, cars, balls, and paper littered the floor…it was past time for a major clean-up.  Every toy needed to be in its proper home, and I could have easily had that room tidied

My father always reminded me to use my time and money wisely when I was growing up. He wanted me to learn the value of the dollar, so when it came time for me to make my biggest purchase- a brand new car -he simply watched me sign the papers and hand over the down

My husband and I were newlyweds when we traveled overseas to the Dominican Republic.   The beaches there are beautiful.  We rode on horses, took a bike ride through the outskirts of the resort we were staying at, and had dinner on the beach. But, we also some more memorable moments, like getting seasick on a

I was looking down at my cell phone as my daughter was trying to get my attention.  “Mommy!  Look at what I made!” She was trying to get my approval on her drawing. I didn’t look up and murmured, “Hmm..that’s nice.” “No, Mommy, look!” She insisted.  I had no choice but to draw my eyes

I was in college when two of my classmates died in a boating accident.  We were part of an intimate group of friends, and upon hearing of their death, we were utterly devastated.  While I had been to several funerals up until that time, I felt the death of those young men stung me so

My husband and I lived in an apartment for 7 years before we bought our first home.  There were several reasons for waiting, but the most important one was timing. At first, it was just the two of us, but when our first child was born, we realized that there was not much room for

When I was in fifth grade, my parents picked me up early from school because we had received some bad news.  My grandmother passed away in India, so we would be traveling there for her funeral. Once there, I remember standing with my cousins under an outdoor tent with waves of heat hitting our face,

This past week, the lights went out in my daughter’s room, and it has not been an easy fix.  She has no problem with that, though, because it means she doesn’t have to sleep in her own room, which she is absolutely thrilled about. While her brothers are carted off to their rooms at bedtime,