At 7:38 Lollie and I left our seats, headed for the restroom. In the long line I got uneasy. My mind blanked in the pre-show frenzy: Does she come on at 8 or 8:30? I fretted and made mental bargains: if we’re not in the actual restroom at 7:47 we are abandoning the line. The … More Moments from Eras
We counted the hours until we’d see you on this side of the veil. T-minus 36 hours. Your mama is crying thinking about how much your pets’ lives are going to change; it’s just been her, your daddy, Kitty White Paw, Slee and Bentley for 6 years. Bentley just ran by, and your mom hugged … More Dear Elliott
Two years ago, my friend Emily Pieralisi felt called by God to serve her community in some way. She considered starting a community garden at the YMCA; she began offering swim lessons there, too, for those with disabilities, but the tug on her heart was still there. She felt pulled to serve foster children and … More It began with a party
When I first met Wesley’s dad, I understood every third word he said. His Southern drawl was so thick I could not make out what he was saying, so I nodded dumbly during our talks. I offered occasional noises of agreement and hoped no one noticed that this Missouri-born girl was not following the heavily-accented … More Our knight
The smallest member of our little family has a birthday this week. Mary Finley will turn 5 on Tuesday, and we celebrated Saturday with a tea party with her birthday “sister,” Evelyn, who will turn 5 on the same day. The two girls have been friends since they were in daycare and their teachers called … More This little light of ours
My visits to Southeast Missouri usually last less than 48 hours, so I rarely have time to do the only thing my dad really wants me to do when I’m home: ride down to the farm with him. My dad has been wondering at the ground there and its wildlife, crops and sunsets for all … More Worth it
“Oh. He’s beautiful,” the workers cooed as I carried the huge stray cat in the vet’s office one spring day in 2009. The orange Maine Coon cat wondered onto our back porch one June evening a few days prior as I prepped for a dinner we were hosting for friends. Wesley fed him bologna, and … More Bump
There’s a photo of me taken on a Thanksgiving morning when I was in high school. I’m standing in the kitchen of the house from my childhood, wearing pajamas and a sweatshirt and tasting the cake batter I am mixing. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade was on the TV in the sitting area of our … More Thanksgivings
When our oldest child was 3 and I was very pregnant with our second, Wesley had another baby: Bridging the Blues. That’s the name of the two weeks in the fall when blues clubs, universities and other venues from Memphis to Vicksburg host blues musicians, lectures, symposiums and other events to entertain locals and tourists … More Mighty, the King and everything in between
One week from today, we’ll be all dressed up, and this time when we leave for the church in our high heels, I will be the one following her. She’ll have something old of mom’s and something borrowed from me. I’ve had this image in mind for weeks: beautiful gown; straight, blonde hair; green eyes; … More Holding On
laura hough smith 