Living Big – A Grain of Salt

Man Overboard

Published March 2, 2026

There are times in your life when you don’t want any attention. You want to keep your head down, your nose clean, and your name out of the public eye. Plebe Summer at the United States Naval Academy was one of those times. Attention meant correction. Correction meant public scrutiny. Public scrutiny meant some calibrated blend of humiliation and demerits. The safest strategy was invisibility. If I could have faded into the granite and brick…

Open Doors

Published February 23, 2026

One woman’s lived history in the second wave at the Naval Academy One of the strangest reflections for me now, as a mother and after decades of working with teens and college students, is remembering that, in those early years at the Naval Academy, plebe doors had to remain open at all times.All times.Even at night.Some of my women classmates remember being issued nightgowns. I only remember sleeping in a T-shirt and gym shorts, knowing…

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A Seed Grows

Published September 8, 2025

I am currently a student at the Renovaré Institute, a two-year online and in-person school dedicated to learning how to live in deeper intimacy with God. The program blends academic study with practical exercises aimed to shape us to become more like Christ. In August, our practice was to pray the “Jesus Prayer”, an early Christian prayer dating back to the 6th century. The invocation of Jesus’ name began even earlier, and the “Jesus Prayer” has…

A GRAND Week at GRANDcamp

Published July 20, 2025

The dictionary might define “grand” as very good or enjoyable, excellent. But when I was invited to host our two granddaughters for an entire Monday through Friday, I discovered that grand is so much more than a definition; it’s a way of being present in the world. Planning for Excellence I knew from the moment I said yes that I was shooting for something special. This time wouldn’t be just a week of babysitting; this…

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“Does Size Matter?” and Other Questions I Don’t Really Want to Answer

Published May 19, 2025

This past week, with Mother’s Day, I was asked (again):“What’s it like having nine kids?” Now, let’s be clear. Size does not matter. But it can sure feel like it does. Large families tend to invite wide-eyed questions, whispered comments in the grocery line, or nods of awe, as if I climbed Everest with a baby carrier. I get it. Nine is not subtle. But I never chased a number. I wasn’t collecting children like…

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A Seat at the Table

Published April 29, 2025

Earlier this month, I found myself back in Louisiana, drawn by the familiar sights—and the even more familiar faces. What began as a simple trip became something deeper, rich with the strength of friendship and the depth of shared history. One afternoon over lunch, I gathered with four women, each of whom I had the honor of working alongside for over a decade through the leadership development work of ICC. These are the kinds of…

Category: Living Big