✦ A FAMILY STORY IN MOTION
Darts on a Map
Hey there. Welcome. I’m Heather. Catholic, Army wife, homeschool mom of six, just like every other mom blogger. I shop at Costco, drive a b*tchin’ mini van, and wear Birkenstocks. Just like every other mom blogger. Sometimes I tell stories on my Facebook page and my mom’s very charitable friends will say things like, “you should write a blog!” So, you know. Here we are. Even though I already used all my material on my Facebook. Don’t be shy, say hello.
CHAPTERS OF LOVE & STRENGTH
Birth Stories
HOME BIRTH · 2024
Home Birth of August
Welcoming our only son after five daughters — the hardest and most beautiful labor yet, with faith, family, and a broken tailbone.
HOME BIRTH · 2 PARTS · 2020
Home Birth of Lucia Louise
A pregnancy full of mother’s intuition, and a tiny 4lb 12oz warrior born at home — fierce, perfect, and aptly named.
HOME BIRTH · GERMANY · 2014
Beatrice’s Home Birth
Our first home birth, in Germany — a humbling, dramatic delivery with a surprise shoulder dystocia and a brave little arm that healed good as new.
HOME BIRTH · 2017
Margaret’s Birth
“My longest, shortest, easiest, and hardest labor all rolled into one” — born on our wedding anniversary, ten days early.
Sophia, Lucy, and more sisters’ stories still to come.
THROWING DARTS ACROSS AMERICA
Travel Adventures
ROAD TRIP SERIES
West Coast Road Trip
One month, five girls, three pets, and a popup camper named Bill — from Oklahoma to the Pacific.
SOLO TRAVEL
Cairo, Egypt
Pyramids at sunrise and the kindness of strangers, on a solo birthday trip while Daniel was deployed.
ROAD TRIP
Arizona & the Grand Canyon
A wheel flew off the camper. We fixed it in 24 hours and still made the North Rim by sunset.
FAMILY FUN
Las Vegas with Kids
Sherbet cones, giant pizza, and the lights — magical for the kids, slightly horrifying for me.
WORDS FROM THE HEART
Letters & Milestones
Love letters and the chapters worth marking — written to the people who shape us.
A LETTER · FOR FATHER’S DAY
A Letter to My Dad
The letter I wrote the night I thought I’d lose my father — a love letter to the man who taught me to read, write, and love.
A LETTER · MILESTONE
For Isabella, on Her 13th Birthday
“Thirteen years feels like thirteen months.” My letter to my firstborn, written when Isabella turned 13.
HOME, FAITH & THE ARMY LIFE
Military Life & Faith
The rhythms of an Army family — deployments, homecomings, faith, and the seasons of life on the move.
ARMY LIFE · GERMANY · 2013
Deployments & Homecomings
Nine months apart, a chaotic homecoming, and the messy, joyful relief of having our family whole again.
WELCOME · START HERE
Trying This Again
Where the blog name came from, and my wide-eyed plan to throw some darts on the map while Daniel is abroad.
THE HEART BEHIND THE STORIES
Meet the Qualks
We’re a Catholic military family who believes life is meant to be lived intentionally — even when the Army throws darts at the map and sends us somewhere new.
I write the long, honest posts. Daniel serves, and will one day add his own perspective. And our six children — Isabella (17), Sophia (15), Beatrice (12), Margaret (9), Lucy (6), and August (3) — are already living the stories we’ll someday read back to them.
“In the end, I guess you could say everything went according to plan.”
— Heather, on August’s birth
A SHARED FAMILY SPACE
The Family Corner
This space is first and foremost mine — but it’s growing into a true family blog. Here’s where the rest of us are setting up shop.
DANIEL · DAD
Daniel’s Corner
Reflections from the other side of deployment, and a soldier-dad’s view of this wandering family life.
ISABELLA · AGE 17
Isabella’s Book Reviews
Our oldest is a reader through and through. Her honest book reviews are coming soon — meanwhile, read the letter I wrote when she turned 13.
SOPHIA · AGE 15 · ARTIST
Sophia’s Art Gallery
A growing gallery of drawings and paintings from our second-oldest, who has been making art since she could hold a crayon.