Captivated by the music video, I watched as Jennifer Nettles, lead vocalist for the band Sugarland, and Bon Jovi sang their hearts out. Surrounded by a house being built by Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia, their voices resonated, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home?” From that moment on, I knew that Jennifer and I had [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 10 Comments »

At only 10 years old, my parents gave me my first Ideals poetry book. Written inside the front cover are the sweet memories, “To JoAnne because she loves beautiful things. Mama and Daddy, Mumps Day.” I still enjoy reading poetry and I have written a few poems over the years. As a young girl, I [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 21 Comments »

Before barely allowing me to get the words out in a sweet, cheerful voice, “Would you like to buy some Camp Fire mints?” the woman grumbled while slamming the door in my face. Hurrying back to the car, as a very young girl, I explained to my father that she must have just been having [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 11 Comments »

A 38-year-old mother of three children sat in the passenger’s seat of the car. She exhaled against the pain of each contraction while massaging her protruding belly. As she made the long trip to the hospital, who was in the driver’s seat? Her fall from grace supposedly had been a well-hidden secret. However, someone helped [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 20 Comments »

As a young child, I would sneak out to the garage when my adoptive parents weren’t home and find the “hidden pictures.” It was as if there were a sign on the door stating, “PRIVATE – KEEP OUT,” but the temptation was just too great. I remember staring in awe at each black and white [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 45 Comments »

Recently, I got the courage to reread two letters that my dad had written me back when I was in my thirties. The hurtful words from a father figure that had meant the world to me didn’t seem to have nearly the same devastating sting as it did back then. His correspondence was in response [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 26 Comments »

I was a child born out of unfaithfulness. Both of my biological parents were married. Sadly, while cheating on their spouses, each had children at home too. There is no doubt in my mind—my biological father knew my mother was married; he worked in the same open pit mine with her husband at the time [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 26 Comments »

Last week was my youngest daughter Chelsea’s 22nd birthday. At the same time, sadly unfolding on the national news was the desperate search for the missing 17-year-old, Chelsea King that had disappeared in Southern California while jogging. Our two Chelsea’s both had such promising futures ahead of them. My vivacious daughter will be graduating soon [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 12 Comments »

“Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.” — Corrie Ten Boom (The Hiding Place) My birth mother raised my two older sisters and one brother, but placed me up for adoption at birth. From the first time my [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 23 Comments »

I was only 10 years old when my big brother enlisted in the Marines. My memories from back then are not about him being placed in harm’s reach to fight a war in Viet Nam. I was excited that he trusted me to take care of his prized possession while he was gone. Always in [...]

Posted in Uncategorized 35 Comments »