There's a whole, big, beautiful back story here, but I know you came to see the cover. So, let's just show it first, shall we?! 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... SURPRISE! Please tell me you love it as much as I do! Did Ave Maria nail it or did they #nailit? The back story goes something like this. I'm a freelance graphic designer so well-designed pieces are a big deal to me. I had this "vision" of what I hoped the cover would look like and I prayed hard that Ave would be able to see inside my brain. And, by "see inside my brain" what I really meant was I sent them three pages of notes, including font suggestions, colors, book covers I loved, backgrounds that screamed TEXAS! and a few … [Read more...]
Lent, and what it’s NOT
Ash Wednesday is um, Wednesday. As much as I'd like to give up winter for Lent (dang you Texas spring, where you at?!), I think God wants me to dig a little deeper. I've written a lot about Lent here on the blog over the last decade. I've chatted about how to make it meaningful for your kids, why we keep missing the point and why I want the world to know what it means (a la sassy Kathryn). At the end of the day, it comes down to one simple question: Are you willing to let yourself be transformed, or are you going to keep the death grip of control on your life? I know what you're thinking, that's easier said than done, Kathryn. And you know what? You're right. Lent isn't about all … [Read more...]
The Book! (and a title to boot)
I realized, after looking through all my 2018 posts, that I never "officially" shared on the blog that I'm writing a book. #badblogger So, yes, it's actually happening. I could not be more thrilled or more terrified. At first it sounded so cool to share the deepest recesses of my heart and then I panicked. What if people hate it? What if *I* hate it? What if, what if, what if. I knew, deep down, that it's what God wanted, so I did it anyway. <<deep breaths>> I have had an AMAZING team at Ave Maria Press, my publisher. Y'all, I know other authors gush about their publishers, but Ave is legit, legit. You'll hear more about that whole back story soon. In the meantime, … [Read more...]
Happy 15th aka “Almost Street Legal”
John Paul is 15 which means the insurance rates just went up, again. That's okay, he's cute so we'll let it pass. It's time for the first birthday letter of the year. Let's get to it, shall we? Dear John Paul (the Great), You're halfway through with your freshman year and already I'm thinking, 'where did the time go?' I wish it was possible for me to adequately convey what a bright spot you are in our home. You are the funniest person in the house. I love how you grab a sparkling water from the fridge, pop the top and wait for me to look up and make sure you aren't drinking one of my Dr Peppers. That never gets old, does it? It's totally awesome how you work ahead on … [Read more...]
2019 Word of the Year
Resolutions and words of the year are my spirit animals. But, truthfully, they don't mean much unless you actually take the time to implement them. Every year, about mid-January, we hear about folks falling off the wagon, so to speak, with all those good intentions. But you know, we never hear about those that get back on it, even though they fail. January gets a lot of press for being the "goal-making" month, but you can set a goal anytime. Achieve it anytime. Get serious about it anytime. So, what are you waiting for? Last year, my word was "possibility." I had no idea what God was going to do with it, so I just tried to be open to the Holy Spirit. It turned out to be a … [Read more...]
