Counting Our Blessings by Anita DiGregory In celebration of the last day before an extended holiday break, my daughter’s lovely and very talented tutor had created a “Grammar Bingo” game for the class. Each child chose their own card from her stack of handmade bingo cards.  My daughter chose hers and then proceeded to win…

For kids and parents alike The Ripple Effect by Anita DiGregory At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending…

The Parenting Puzzle by Anita DiGregory The 15 puzzle. You may not be familiar with the name, but you have probably played the game before. It is a small plastic frame, holding even smaller square pegs numbered 1 to 15 and one empty space. The object of the game is to purposely get all the…

by Anita DiGregory The Power of Parenting “A seed neither fears light nor darkness, but uses both to grow.”  (Matshona Dhliwayo, Zimbabwean-born author of 50 Lessons Every Wise Mother Teaches Her Son) I have a tree in front of my home.  It is a beautiful tree.  It was planted there just before we moved into…

How to Make Children Feel Safe When the World Doesn’t Feel Very Safe by Anita DiGregory “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of…

by Anita DiGregory Tomorrow’s Heroes What is a hero? The Webster Dictionary defines a hero as someone “of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger or fortitude in suffering; a prominent or central personage in any remarkable action or event; hence, a great or illustrious person.” A hero is someone who sacrifices, and often suffers, for…

What Christmas Is All About by Anita DiGregory Does the time between Thanksgiving and January 2 seem like a blur? Are your holidays unforgettably beautiful but undeniably stressful? If so, you aren’t alone. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 38 percent said they experienced greater levels of stress during the holidays.…

Carry On, Brave Mother by Anita DiGregory Over the last few months, I have been blessed to have the opportunities to meet and talk with many moms from all across the country—new moms, seasoned (notice I didn’t say “old”) moms, working moms, stay-at-home moms. I have talked with moms who teared up as they shared…

The Heart of the Matter by Anita DiGregory The human heart is truly a miracle. It is one of the most complex organs in the body.  Beating nonstop, the heart is the hardest working muscle in the body.  Pumping continuously, it resides at the very center of the chest and the circulatory system. The entire…

“Making a Memory, Creating a Legacy, Changing the World” by Anita DiGregory I was sick. Sick, sick…not playing hooky sick. Home from school sick. Probably another bout of strep throat; I can’t remember.  What I do remember was sitting in my little room, in my little chair,  at my little table, not happy I was…

by Anita DiGregory “Building Cathedrals” On April 15, 2019, a massive fire destroyed much of the Notre Dame Cathedral. The devastating fire took nearly 15 hours to extinguish. Within that time, the roof and exquisite spire were destroyed, collapsing into the cathedral’s interior ceiling. When sections of this stone vaulting collapsed, the marble floor below…

“Spring Cleaning” by Anita DiGregory Well, it’s that time of the year again! We made it through another winter. Spring has sprung. It is staying lighter later. The temperatures are slowing climbing, and the kids are just begging to get outside and break free from the cabin fever that set in over the winter. But…

How to Be Kind in an Unkind World by Anita DiGregory Last week, after a particularly bad day, I settled in on the couch with my little ones for a much-needed movie night. After scrolling through our choices, we finally decided on an older movie (and one of my favorite family flicks), Evan Almighty, the…

by Anita DiGregory “The Mommy Survival Guide for the Month of February” Okay, so it is no secret that February is definitely not my favorite month of the year. It’s dark and cold; generally the pretty white snowfalls of December and January have accumulated into giant muddy, slushy heaps. The cars, roadways, and walkways are…

“Home for the Holidays” by Anita DiGregory Snow, twinkling lights, Christmas music playing on the radio. Just like that, the holidays are upon us. I love this time of year! But it can also be a very stressful season, especially for moms and dads. The struggle to meet regular schedules and family needs doesn’t take…

“Importance of An Attitude of Gratitude” by Anita DiGregory  “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” ~William Arthur Ward With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the spirit of gratitude is typically celebrated in the month of November. However, increasing scientific studies are verifying the…

by Anita DiGregory “Lessons Learned from the Chicken Guy” It was one of those horrible, awful, no good, really bad days. I was rushed, not Mary Poppins “spit spot” rushed, more like Dirty Harry “make my day” rushed! The day was a recipe for disaster…start with a frazzled, working mom of six…add in hosting a…

“A Resting Place” by Anita DiGregory We all have our heroes, our role models, those who inspire us, and those who we aspire to imitate. Ever since I was a little girl, I had a special love for Mary. As the Blessed Mother, she was my heavenly mother; I confided in her, telling her my…

“There Goes My Life”…Because Kenny Chesney Just Gets It by Anita DiGregory Can someone please answer this question for me? Why? Why? WHY do the months of January and February seem to drag on for what feels like an eternity, while the months of June and July speed by in the blink of an eye?…

Making July a True Blast by Anita DiGregory Mmmm…July! What a wonderful month. Typically, the pace of life slows just a bit. As we begin to relax and exhale into summer, we, as a country, come together to celebrate the birth of our nation. This year, we observe our 242nd birthday—that’s a lot of candles! …