Beyond a Doubt/Marlys’ Story

“From as far back as I can remember, I knew I would end up in Africa, but I didn’t like the idea at all, because I don’t like bugs and dirt, and I didn’t even think about the snakes.” This was the introductory response to my recent interview with Marlys Kingsriter—the...

I Didn’t Mean to Hear It

I didn’t mean to hear it. I sat down in an empty “comfy” spot at the coffee shop, and only a purse occupied any of the seats around me. It looked like a safe enough location for my ten-minute reprieve between morning meetings. And then they returned. A woman (thus the...

Rally the Troops

Ping. “Oh, I’ve got a new text message,” I think to myself. And then, Ping, Ping, Ping. And I know, almost without looking, it’s “the girls.” Something is up and “the troops” are being called into action. These three women are some of my closest friends. If I’m having...

The Real Back to School List

Here we are, mamas, at the beginning of another school year. Backpacks and new shoes have been crossed off our lists. Headphones and what-in-the-world-are-My-First-Pencils — check. Haircuts and awkward photos on the front step the kids will cringe at in 10 years...