I cried on my way to work this morning. Mostly at the end as I sat in the parking garage. Because there’s a little boy, only 3 years old, having surgery today to remove his eye. CancerA few months ago Reid was diagnosed with a rare cancer that the chemo has since not killed off sufficiently. And because of the cancer’s unique nature and placement, his only hope for continued health and life is to lose his eye. Reid’s mom,... Read more
This weekend became a hodge-podge of family, friends, and work. Saturday morning we watched our 3rd grader’s football team scrimmage the 4th graders (and school them!) for about 3 hours. Thanks to an unseasonably cool and overcast day, the sunburn I received didn’t hurt a bit. We spent the afternoon tootling around McKinney, buying books and exchanging sandals and feasting on Chipotle. We finished the day off at a birthday party for 7yo twin friends. One kid came home with a slightly... Read more
When I turned 30, I discovered that “milestone” birthdays are just culturally imposed hogwash. I was happy to turn 30…it was almost like I was truly an adult, finally. Wife, mom, author, seminary graduate…with lots more like it to come. And it always helped that my BFF shared my exact birthday, so if it did get tough there was always someone there to join the misery. So now it’s my 40th birthday. And I’m still convinced that the whole milestone... Read more
OK, so I don’t know the actual number of weddings my husband, John, has performed since his ordination as a chaplain in early 2010. It’s somewhere around seven, maybe a few more? But today he performed his first funeral. I have never been more proud to call him my husband. Not only was this his first time around the funeral block, but the deceased was the father of a childhood friend. The man and his sons, John’s buddies, were regular... Read more
I grew up in a family of boys—Mom and I were the sole estrogen-producers in the house. That sort of dynamic was great for developing my sense of competition, a love for sports, and a strong throwing arm (seriously, I can still throw a football better than some guys). But not having a sister became a stumbling block for my relationships with other girls. What was this sister thing all about? During my college years, one friend in particular helped... Read more
I recently read a book in which a young woman takes in her 10-year-old brother, Simon, who was abandoned by their mother. She loves Simon fiercely. This young woman also has a son, and they all live with her grandmother, so their family is rather unorthodox. When circumstances threaten to take her away from their hometown, Simon becomes emotionally withdrawn, brooding, sad. The young mom realizes eventually that he thinks she will leave him with their grandmother because, of course,... Read more
Last fall, my husband and I were asked to lead the newly-formed Young Marrieds class at our church. Wait! What? When did we become old married folks? We are just a few short…uh, 14 years and 4 kids…past that time of life. OK, I guess we qualify. And it has been a fun adventure thus far. Our core group is starting to gel, we still have visitors–some of whom return!–and social events have helped build relationships. Recently I’ve also stepped... Read more
Kelley Mathews
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