Big smiles. That’s what Dr. Paula Livingston and Dr. Beth Gehring want to see in the Independence elementary schools. And they’re working on it, one school – one student – at a time.

Livingston and Gehring are practicing dentists in a program that partners Truman Medical Center-Lakewood and the Independence School District to bring dental care directly to students.

Chris Adams had just returned from a very successful National Forensic League National Speech and Debate Tournament last summer and was ready to cross a few things off of her to-do list.

The darkness of the early morning is leaving and daylight is appearing. We are being greeted by a world of white. It has been snowing all night and several inches are covering the ground.  Snowflakes are still coming down very thick. I love to watch it snow. So many snowflakes and our wonderful God created each one. We are also having wind along with the snow.

As Heather Abbott talks about her desire to have a big family, her teenage daughter laughs in the background.

“Why would you want a big family?” asks 14-year-old Cierra on a recent Friday afternoon at the family’s Blue Springs home.

“Because family makes you rich,” replied Aaron Abbott, Heather’s husband and Cierra’s stepfather.

Asia Cole has had a pretty miraculous two years already at Fort Osage High School.

A three-sport athlete, she is a state champion in both the shot put and discus, with dreams of one day making it to the Olympics. But there is more to the Fort Osage junior, who credits one person for her remarkable ascension in both athletics and academics.

Today, October 18, is daughter Elizabeth's friend Timothy’s birthday. So birthday greetings go out to him.

For this week’s column I am going to do a daily diary of yesterday:

With one of my daughters just three weeks from her due date, I’m on high alert. To make sure I don’t miss the event, I’ve even started sleeping with the cell phone next to my head.

How, dear reader, do you handle frustration?

I’m positively awful at it, and I would be interested to hear your brilliant assertions.

Even though Dad doesn’t know it, he’s a lucky man to be so healthy at 87, physically anyway. If dementia hadn’t robbed him, I’m sure he’d still be as ornery as ever.

After finding her first example a decorative piece made from human hair, of Leila Cohoon fell in love with works of art – the wreaths, the jewelry, the elaborate arrangements. She now has an entire museum devoted to her collection.