It is six years ago and I have the onesie with the elephant on it in my purse with “Mommy and Me” stitched on it. I have cut holes in the feet so the little probe that measures my son’s heart rate and oxygen levels stays visible and secure at all times. So, no footie pajamas. I thought he’d be home by Mother’s Day. It has been eight weeks since he was born and entered the …

1 CORINTIANS 16:14 “Let all that you do be done in love.” LUKE 6:35 “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great…” It’s Mother’s Day weekend. Maybe you are off to brunch or there will be a slideshow at church for all the new babies or you need to put an alert on your phone to remember to CALL …

I have a brand new author website! This has been in the works for a while and I am just so very excited to announce that www.jamie-sumner.com is live and kicking! Things you need to know… Mom-gene.com isn’t going anywhere. It will simply be the “blog” portion of www.jamie-sumner.com The new site will have author events, book information and… A brand new newsletter! #readlaughlisten is pure fun. It’s a weekly letter filled with news, favorite …

ROMANS 7:17-18 (the Message) “But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it.” So the kids had superhero day at school last week. Charlie wore his “Batman in a wheelchair” t-shirt which is …

Mother’s Day is almost upon us. The flower shops and the “forever jewelry” ads are out. The brunch reservations are filling up and all around the world, schools are turning your children’s handprints into caterpillars and flowers and birds. It’s an occasion for hoopla. And we moms have earned it. We have birthed and raised tiny people that are slowly, but surely, turning into bigger people. We feed and clothe and love and discipline in …

NEHEMIAH 8:9-10 9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to …

So this story is nuts. I took Charlie to Target the other night and it changed our lives and not just a little. I posted it on Instagram and then wrote a piece for Her View From Home and then Inspire More picked it up and then Scary Mommy and then Pop Sugar and all I can say is that I hope Target knows how much this has meant to our whole family and all …

JAMES 1:12 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When my childhood church built a new sanctuary, all the kiddos got to go in and write verses on the concrete foundation. I was twelve at the time. James 1:12 is what I scribbled in permanent marker in a corner of the would-be “bridal …

Imagine your least favorite teacher, the English teacher who thought everything you wrote was lame, the foreign language teacher who never let you say one word in English during class, or the chemistry teacher who wished the students weren’t there to get in the way of the science. Chances are, they ruled their classroom like a ship at sea. They were the captains and, if you wanted to get home alive, you did as they …

Nails on a chalkboard is a cliché for a reason. Everyone can imagine the drawn out screeeeeeeek that triggers the involuntary shiver. Here’s another: close your eyes and imagine a knife scraping across a dinner plate. Think of that mind-crunching sound. For my son, the world is his dinner plate. We spend most of our time dodging noise. But noise isn’t the only sensitivity for kids with sensory processing disorders. For some, it’s the feel …