Family portrait

Here's a recent masterpiece by our budding resident artist: a picture of our family, including Will and Fiona. I'm the one in the middle with the big hair. It's always a revelation to see myself through someone else's eyes, especially those of my child.

Probably more than anything else, I am grateful for my family. Since becoming a wife and mother, I have laughed and cried more than I ever did before, and my life is the richer for it—I am richer. I owe much of being happy, confident and comfortable in my own skin to Jim, Jimmy and Audrey because I've had to stretch myself on so many levels to fulfill my responsibilities to them, to learn and grow in ways that a job or church assignments or education never required.

I love my husband and children so dearly, for who they are, but also who I am because of them.