How Do We Help Our Children Thrive During Covid?
On the eve of my thirty-fourth birthday, I lay on my daughter’s twin mattress in the living room, surrounded by my three daughters, my best friend, and the little girl she is fostering, and marveled at this world that is
When Dreams Don’t Make Sense
A white-haired man walked into the coffee shop carrying a guitar case. A pretty woman in leather mule heels came in behind him. I couldn’t tell if she was his daughter or his wife. Unzipping the case, the musician exchanged
Finding Treasure in the Depths of Parenting
My husband took a picture of me and our girls last night as we ate S’mores on a bench down by the creek. Afterward, I looked at it, then I looked at it again. Their long hair and legs, their
$1.99 Flash Sale For My Bestselling Novel, How the Light Gets In!
Happy June, friends! I'm having a little downtime after folding laundry and before the baby (who just turned two!) wakes up from her nap to tell you that my newest novel, How the Light Gets In, is currently having a major
The Day I Lost My Daughter
Two months ago, I lost my toddler-age daughter. Even now, sitting outside and staring out over the field where she disappeared, it’s difficult for me to process. It’s like I know if I begin peeling back layers, the emotion of that
“That’s My Daughter” – Knowing Our Identity Lies In Love
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13 It takes a lot to offend me, but it doesn’t take a lot to make me defensive of the ones I
How Many Petersheims Does it Take to Launch a Novel?
Five, to be exact. I became an author soon after I became a mother, and one of my goals was to make my writing part of my family’s life. This is why I write at the kitchen table instead of in
How the Light Gets In
Two weeks have passed, so I can neither remember what my eldest daughter had been fussing about, nor why my response had been to stomp back the hallway and slam the washer door. When her behavior did not change, I told
We’re Ready to Begin
This week, for the first time since we moved back to Tennessee, our family sat down and watched videos from our time in Wisconsin. What struck me the most was how little our girls were back then. I am not
Official Trailer for How the Light Gets In!
Hello, friends! I know you're all bustling around, buying last minute gifts and wrapping presents, but I thought I'd pop in a moment to share a gift with you! The book trailer for How the Light Gets In is here, and it's