THE CALL

THE CALL

Author:  Vivian Cumins “Hey Babe, I’m okay – just don’t watch the news. I will call you when I can. I love you.” That was all my husband, Eddy, said before the old military field phone went dead. I didn’t hear his voice again for over a week. Eight days, to be...
NERVOUS REDEMPTION

NERVOUS REDEMPTION

Author: Vivian Cumins I asked to go last. There were two adults before me, a man, and a woman, both dressed in the same thin, light blue gown. I was only 10 years old, so my gown was a little big and went all the way to the floor. As I watched them take two steps down...
SLEEPY TINGLES

SLEEPY TINGLES

Author:  Vivian Cumins Have you ever fallen asleep listening to the sound of rain showering the roof? Do ocean waves crashing on a sandy shoreline trigger feelings of serenity? Has Bob Ross, with his tranquil voice and mesmerizing tutorials, ever lulled you to sleep...
MY RED SHOE DIARY

MY RED SHOE DIARY

Author:  Vivian Cumins Do you have a favorite pair of shoes you love? I do. Right now, they are a pair of red Mila boots from Allen’s Boots in Austin, Texas. I have always been drawn to the color red. I think I inherited that trait from my Grandma Schmidt. As...
LITTLE MISS PERFECT

LITTLE MISS PERFECT

Author:  Vivian Cumins Nobody’s perfect. Things happen. We make mistakes. So, what makes a five-year-old little girl strive so hard for perfection? One would think a five-year-old’s life would be full of imagination, baby dolls, and Barbies—not anxiety, worry, and the...
WHAT I LEARNED AS A MILITARY SPOUSE

WHAT I LEARNED AS A MILITARY SPOUSE

Author:  Vivian Cumins I became a military spouse when I was only 19 years old. I remember feeling both nervous and excited the day we gave our lives to Uncle Sam. I say “our” lives because a military lifestyle affects the entire family, which is something the Air...
GRANDMA SCHMIDT’S GREEN STUFF

GRANDMA SCHMIDT’S GREEN STUFF

Author:  Vivian Cumins My Grandma Schmidt was the best cook in the universe. I could go on for days telling you about all her yummy homemade creations, but today’s story is set aside for my favorite dessert—Green Stuff. Because my family lived in Oklahoma and Grandma...
BACKSEAT VACATIONS

BACKSEAT VACATIONS

Author: Vivian Cumins My family never took exotic summer vacations when I was growing up. There were no trips to the beach or weeklong voyages to Disneyland. We never boarded an airplane or stayed in a hotel. Instead, we road-tripped to Iowa, the land of endless...