Faith's Mom's Blog

We got married on Rosh Hashanah (which is the Jewish New Year). So, because our day wasn't going so well on the 7th of September, which is the day we got married, we decided to celebrate today, which is the date of this year's Rosh Hoshanah. For this anniversary blog post, I was going to write something elaborate and in-depth about some things I have learned in being married for 15 years (and all that I am continuing to learn). However, every time I tried to construct it in my head, it just wouldn't come together. I wanted to share some of our highs and lows, some of the great memories and not-so-great ones. I wanted to be an encouragement to other married couples who might be struggling. Instead, I wrote my husband a letter thanking him for his constant support, encouragement, and patience. I'll spare you all the details, but I also told him that I'm glad in the midst of the many challenges we have faced these past 15 years, we have simply refused to give up...

I’m not usually one to want summer to linger. And yes, I get that as a North Dakotan, this does make me a little strange. Usually, I cannot wait for fall and the cooler weather, the changing of the leaves, the pumpkin spice lattes, and all that comes with autumn. This year is different and even though it has been one of the hottest summers we’ve had in a long time, I wouldn’t mind holding on to summer for just a couple more weeks. Or maybe even another month. I’m finding it truly odd that I feel this way. But I think I’m beginning to understand why. My little family doesn’t normally do a lot during the summer months. We might head to the park or down to the river, or go for walks, but that’s about it. And that used to bother me. I would look on Facebook and see everyone’s vacation photos and all the summer activities they’ve been involved in, and I would feel like I was missing out or something. This year though, I became content with not doing much. That’s not really like ...

Despite the fact summer officially began only a few days ago, for us, it feels like it actually began in May. Since we've begun to have such wonderful weather, Faith has been wanting to get out and about, which has been fun for the whole family. In early May, the three of us ventured to the river where the boats, dandelions, and motorcyclists were out in full force. Enjoying the great outdoors! The banks of the Missouri River - one of Faith's favorite places! Besides going to the river, the library, and elsewhere, Faith has also enjoyed spending some quality family time at her Grandma and Grandpa's. On Mother's Day we enjoyed our first official barbecue of the year. Faith enjoyed getting to know my sister's dog, Snickerdoodle, aka Snickers, a little better. He is such a good dog and quiet too, which is why Faith likes him! Happy Mother's Day to me! My sister Dawn and I along with our mom! Faith's new favorite dog is Snickers! Towa...

At the end of March, I found myself heading east on I-94 with my parents, leaving my husband and daughter behind. An hour into our trip, my husband called because Faith wanted to talk to me. In near tears, she asked if I was going to be home soon. Oh my breaking heart. The last time I had been away from her for more than a day was probably about 9 years ago. The reason for my departure had started back in January when I began fasting along with our church. In my journal on that first day, I had written that I wanted God to reveal any internal problems or heart issues I needed to deal with. I was speaking of spiritual issues, but in His goodness, He also revealed some physical problems that needed taken care of. During the fast I became extremely fatigued and didn't feel well at all. I began having chills and my husband encouraged me to start eating solid foods. I began eating soup, oatmeal, and other easy-to-digest foods, but none of it made me feel any better. Eventua...

In my immediate family, my birthday in early February used to kick off the birthday season which would last through May. That's seven birthdays we celebrated in just a four-month time span! By the time we got to my mom's birthday, she was so tired of eating cake that she often opted not to have one.  Now that we have a larger family with in-laws, nieces, nephews, and significant others, there are many more birthdays to celebrate, all throughout the year. For those of us who live here in Bismarck, we have a great time getting together (usually at Mom and Dad's) to celebrate.  It's kind of funny because after we get done celebrating a birthday, Faith will ask, "Who's birthday is next, Mom?" Unfortunately, this year on my birthday, I wasn't feeling the best, but it was still fun to get together with family. One of the reasons I still wanted to go ahead with the party was because Faith had been looking so forward to it. I'll be the first to admit...