Thanksgiving tips

Five things you need to do when your husband is in prison on Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is a tough holiday to celebrate when your husband is locked up in prison. I recall my first thanksgiving. All I could think about is how much he is missing out on and how much I missed having him there…

November 23, 20170Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

How to Celebrate Thanksgiving

How to celebrate Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a great time of year to reflect on the things for which you are thankful. It's a time to re-center gratitude and focus on the good. All the while trying not to fill up on appetizers before the main course. Learning how to celebrate thanksgiving in prison was a…

November 21, 20170Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

Angel Tree Christmas

Angel Tree Christmas It doesn't seem possible that Christmas is only 5 weeks away. It feels like just yesterday that we were rushing around trying to get to as many family functions as we could. I can't believe that it's almost that time again! I want to share with you the joy of Angel Tree…

November 15, 20170Comments

ByBrandon.tijerina@theridgeproject.com

Family

Tips For Single Moms

I was so shocked that I had become a single mom! It wasn’t supposed to be this way; I was not supposed to be left alone to raise my boys as a single parent. This left me bewildered, scared, and overwhelmed. Not to mention completely unprepared for this job. I adored my sons and wanted…

November 3, 20170Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

Books For Prisoners

Books for prisoners Books are so important to someone in prison. Whether reading was part of their routine or not, once someone goes to prison they often begin to read, I mean read a lot! So, what are they reading and how do they get books? Well, the prison library and chapel offer a variety of…

October 23, 20170Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

Past Mistakes

Past mistakes As I was laying on my couch, with my two-month-old baby girl on my chest, flipping through channels, I saw that the movie, We Bought a Zoo, was on. I remember going to see it in theaters with my family - we cried like babies. :) So, I turned it on. Let me…

October 19, 20170Comments

ByBrandon.tijerina@theridgeproject.com

Family

Gift Ideas for Inmates

One of the simplest ways to let someone know you care about them is to get them a gift. Gifts are wonderful for holidays, birthdays, special occasions, or just to lift someone’s spirits during a difficult time. When someone is in prison, sending a gift becomes complicated and confusing. People often ask questions like, “What…

October 16, 20170Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

Friendships That Last

Friendships that last There is a saying about friendship, “If you want to find out who’s a true friend, screw up, then see who sticks around.” I don’t know who said this originally, but if I had to guess, I’d guess it was either someone who went to prison or a family member of a…

October 13, 20170Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

No More Goodbyes

When Daddy goes to prison, everything changes And nothing will ever be the same again. This is especially true for children who lived with their father before prison. Suddenly, every encounter they have with Daddy (prison visits, phone calls, or letters) includes an emotional goodbye. Goodbyes are hard. They remind us we are parting, each…

October 10, 20170Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

What Do I Do Now?

I sat staring at the small stain in the carpet where Ron had dropped a Sharpie just days before. It now seemed like a different world already. It was a world where Ron lived with us and we had “normal” problems - like dropped markers, spilled milk, bills to pay, and boys to raise. I…

October 6, 20170Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com