Sharing is Daring

You know how every adult with a social media platform bids farewell to a previous year and looks forward to the year ahead? It typically reads, "I'm not going to miss this last year; here's to 20XX being the best year yet!" Or "Year 34 was a rough one, here hoping year 35 brings all the best!"  We are always searching for positive transformations and personal growth. Well, I can confidently say year 35 has been just that! With 36 closely knocking on the door, I've taken some time to reflect on why this year has been such a memorable one.  Adulthood feels like it began when I was 20. The year I got married to Chad. This means we are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary on May 16th. CRAZY. We have been through so much together. Chad has walked hand in hand through my best and my worst seasons. He has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. He has seen me succeed with flying colors and fail miserably. He has quietly watched me make good and not-so-good de...

Having a 12-year-old daughter, I'm in the thick of sports tryouts, musical auditions, and school invitationals. We are getting the whole experience of working hard and dealing with disappointment. I firmly believe in growing through life experiences such as not making the team, bombing a test, or forgetting your line in an audition. These experiences build character and prepare our kiddos for a lifetime of extreme excitement and extreme disappointment. All of which we, as adults, have experienced.  But something that doesn't sit well with me as a parent is the lack of space in sports, music, art programs, and school activities for the "average kid." This would include my daughter, the kid down the street, the boy sitting in the pew in front of us at church, and probably your kid.  What does an average kid look like?  It's a kid who... Drags their feet getting to school in the morning, but when there, are focused, trying their best, and respectful to staff. Partici...