We were on vacation with our kids and our grandchildren when it hit me. Boys will always give you something to fear. A red flag whipped

You probably didn’t marry a grown-up husband. Neither did I. Somewhere along our marriage timeline, though, he became one. A while back at church we served

Parenting, like marriage, starts out all theory. Which is why new parents, like new husbands and wives, can seem teachable. We read books, we

Here’s what your kids’ memories do with the times you thought you were a good mom, but you weren’t: They turn them into funny

I’m a happiness addict. Rejoicing with those who rejoice? I’m a pro at that. But weeping with those who weep? Nigh unto impossible. Heck,

Have you ever wondered if your boy loves you? They do, despite what meets the eye. Boys simply express love in their own, unique

It happened again this morning. I was noodling around on Instagram as the coffee sputtered into the pot and my eyes adjusted to daylight.

I’ve almost forgotten this fact: Raising children can be discouraging. This stands to reason because children are, by definition, not yet what they will

There’s this one thing I still expect my husband to fix. Years ago, as the practical outcome of an epic fight, I wrote my husband

I am watching my son dance his first dance with his wife. Foreheads touching, lips moving in a conversation no one else can hear,

Our granddaughter, Charleston, flings her right hand in the air these days like Queen Elizabeth at a polo match and pronounces: “I hate Pop-Tarts.

One of our sons came home from school one afternoon and announced that Suzy Q (you guessed it, not her real name) had broken

I’ve written a book several editors like but won’t publish about how dying is essential to the emotional, spiritual, and even sexual health of

I have a new hobby in my middle age. I am an alarmist. I wonder if this is something new or if I’m just now

I now know that the greater part of love is knowledge and insight. Knowledge of the person loved. My self-disclosure to him or her

I think like a human. Like an earth-bound, time-constrained, self-absorbed human. And I parented like that most of the time, too. Humanity bears the

What is it about teenage boys? I’ve been in love with them since I was about twelve. They are, in general, insensitive, inarticulate, clunky,

There is something that happens to me during the flurry of activity that accompanies anything I’m in charge of. Like hosting people in our home. Bill

Little boys are know-it-alls. At first I loved that about them. Tell a little boy he is handsome or strong or smart and, likely, he’ll say,

The origin of this post is a mystery. Does this list come from my observation of our granddaughters and my recent speculation about what

We used to have a chalkboard in our kitchen. From time to time I’d scrawl a phone number or date on it, but usually

I'm going to tell you about one thing that will improve a lot after your first year of marriage