by Nicole269 | Apr 10, 2015 | #RestoringFaith
I was raised a Detroit Tiger Fan. Opening Day was a legitimate holiday. We went to Opening Day at Tiger Stadium once, thrilled to snag a cheap seat. Mostly, we played hooky and watch the game on TV. Just like there are twice-a-year churchgoers, there are once-a-year...
by Nicole269 | Mar 13, 2015 | #RestoringFaith
It was a week of bad news and tough breaks. One of those weeks where I kept repeating to myself through gritted teeth, “At least I have my health, at least I have my health, at least I have my health.” It steadies me, but it doesn’t comfort me. Yesterday, I grabbed...
by Nicole269 | Mar 6, 2015 | #RestoringFaith
I’m done with winter. Stuck indoors, stuck in my coat, stuck in my head. Then, winter gets beautiful, forcing me to pull over and snap a picture. Awesome thoughts arise – nothing is as pure as winter sunlight. Snarky thoughts follow – another day on the...
by Nicole269 | Feb 27, 2015 | #RestoringFaith, Writing
This week’s #RestoringFaith is a little different. I had the pleasure of writing a freelance story on Robert Learner. He is the former director of the Kingman Museum of Natural History. Throughout his career, he collected and set to music poems about dinosaurs,...
by Nicole269 | Feb 20, 2015 | #RestoringFaith
Help. Most stores have a “special club”. If you don’t belong to their special club, you can’t have the sale price. My wallet is full of special membership cards, yet half the time I can’t find the card when I need it. Sometimes it’s not enough to have the special...
by Nicole269 | Feb 13, 2015 | #RestoringFaith
Snow. Winter after Christmas is a little tough to love. It’s cold. It’s dark too soon and cloudy too often. Ice is everywhere, making travel treacherous. Then, I see a snowman. Not only do I admire the soul that journeyed out in multiple layers to create such a...
by Nicole269 | Feb 6, 2015 | #RestoringFaith
Full circle. Real love between a parent and child lasts long after memory fades. This column broke my heart in a good way. It made me remember not to forget. Thanks, John! Memories. John’s column had me staring at the Mommy Crayon Portraits in my office....
by Nicole269 | Feb 6, 2015 | Column Throwback
I remember the first time my oldest drew a shaky circle with stick arms, no mouth, giant pupil-less eyes, and declared, “Mommy, this is you!” Instant tears. I hung it over my desk and for months went mushy at the sight of it. Over the last decade, my three Picassos...
by Nicole269 | Jan 30, 2015 | #RestoringFaith
Bottle Caps. This porcelain figure was a gift from my niece. It had a plant for hair, which has since died of neglect. Its bald self has been sitting on my kitchen windowsill for a few months now. Recently, my husband gave it a bottle cap hairdo. I didn’t notice until...
by Nicole269 | Jan 23, 2015 | #RestoringFaith
1. People who rescue pets. Jo Summitt from Coldwater, Michigan shared this photo and story with me. “This is how I start every morning, sharing the paper with my rescue kitty, Casey. She has to sit on the chair – NEVER on the table. And she pretty much does...
