Dianna Buchwalter

The picture above is a present-day photo of my son,  Jeremy, who captured my heart 14 years ago. The picture below is who I still see.  A toddler - my baby. A cute, orange haired bundle of joy who first gave me the name “Mom.” In two weeks, he will be a freshman in high school. Deep breath. Gulp!  I remember swaddling him. His first steps.  The look of amazement at his first trip to the movie theater.  It’s hard to be prepared for your first child. We can read all the books, buy the best baby products and have the nursery decorated to a tee. But, when that child enters the world, everything changes. We’re scared and excited all at once.  And, somehow, with a little help from those who’ve already been there, prayer and guidance from our Heavenly Father, we eventually figure some of this parenting thing out. Yesterday, after getting advice from a friend, I bought my son an alarm clock. I realize I’m probably behind...

The phrase “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” was coined by Muhammad Ali. He is thought of as one of the greatest boxers of all time. Now I’m not much of a sports fan, but, boxing intrigues me. I’ve watched many matches through the cracks of my fingers as my hand covers my eyes. It’s strange how something so gruesome can be so appealing. One punch seems hard to take and yet these fighters endure blow after blow. The bell dings and each person proceeds to separate corners. They both get a short reprieve as their trainer imparts wisdom, offers encouragement and cleans up wounds. The bell dings again and they are back at it. One of the most thrilling parts is watching someone who we think is completely done, rise up from the ground they once lay on, look at their opponent, and say with their eyes “oh, it’s on.” Life can be so much like a boxing ring. A few months ago, our family faced one battle after another. After our faces met the fist a few times, instead of sa...