Bereaved Parents, Family, flowers, garden, garden photos, gardens, Photography

Easter Thoughts on Corrie, Gardens, and Family

Bright Easter theme colors show around Corrie's Butterfly Garden with the Phlox and Dianthus in blossom. Holidays are never straight forward. They mean something different to everyone. In my gut, I know it's the fourth Easter without Corrie. This is a marker, which never goes away. Holidays, for some, are wearing bright colored, checkered shirts… Continue reading Easter Thoughts on Corrie, Gardens, and Family

autism, Bereaved Parents, Family, flowers, garden, inspiration, Loss, Photography, Uncategorized, Writing

Our House, Our Story

he land itself tells stories of love and loss and of survival. There is a love deeper than the roots of the trees torn up by the tornado. Lives continue past the human experience. The family of John, Hayes, and I continues with Corrie inside us and on the land.

bereavement, children, Communication, Education, Family, inspiration, Life, Writing

Not Just Education, But A Love Story

This is a post I wrote about Corrie and our relationship with education on my teaching blog, also named for her. The journey in education was never a choice, but a love story. Find out what I mean ...

children, Family, inspiration, parenting, Poetry, Writing

A Corrie Poem: When We Finally Understand Hurricanes

The beach on New Year's Day. I wrote this poem on New Year's Day. While my family and I were happy to see an end to 2020, it brought a bittersweet and sad moment where I realized that it would be our first full year without Corrie. When We Finally Understand HurricanesA cliche goes:when you… Continue reading A Corrie Poem: When We Finally Understand Hurricanes

Advocacy, children, Family, flowers, inspiration, parenthood, Photography, Photos

Happy Birthday Corrie

Today is Corrie's sixth birthday, and her first in heaven.

Family, Life, Poetry, Writing

Of Backpacks and Hymn Books

Gold, despite what some say, doesn't just come from mines.

Family, parenthood, parenting, Writing

The Corrie Effect with Dad

Dads come in all ways. They come in the form of the man who raised us biologically or stepfather. They come in the form of uncles and grandfathers. Some men in communities are molded like a Michael Angelo masterpiece for kids. On A Word or More, I've discussed writing with a purpose.  My entire purpose in… Continue reading The Corrie Effect with Dad

Family, Life, Loss, parenthood, Photography, Photos, Writing

The Middle School Season

Corrie on the night of my school's eighth grade dance this past winter. Some seasons we long to keep going. It is like that swim you want to take in September before the climate changes.  Some seasons we want to end quickly. For five years and five months, I faced some serious tests from graduating… Continue reading The Middle School Season

Family, Life, parenthood, Poetry, Writing

Rumors about Eddie

You know there's rumors going 'round about Eddie. Some say he left his now adult daughters and never returned. Others say he planned to pick them up, but went skiing instead. Didn't you hear the rumors going 'round about Eddie? They, maybe a daughter or two, say he left them on the front porch, and… Continue reading Rumors about Eddie

Education, Family, Life, Poetry, PTSD, Writing

A Better Place, a poem

"Get up and smile," someone says. "You're going to a better place." They say it like "All dogs go to heaven." Your best pet went to live on a farm upstate. The battles are over, The fires put out, Some think I'm crazy to compare a house of learning to the place where militia hide… Continue reading A Better Place, a poem