Part Two Painted women Ode to my mom I’m sure he remembers that night. Oh, he’d like to forget. But somehow the image lingers. One lazy summer evening about 22 years ago, Dad returned from work to find two women who looked familiar, almost like ridiculous versions of his wife and daughter, but he couldn’t […]
Category: Hope
Ode to joy: a celebration of motherhood in three parts (part one)
In honor of Mother’s Day, I want to do something a little different this year. I am going to share a celebration of motherhood in three parts. I will post each one separately, and then tie them all together at the end. So buckle up, and enjoy the ride! Part One The empty piñata Ode […]
At the mercy of chaos no longer
It began with one resounding gong. Then another. Which led to yet another. In the dreamy haze of 1 a.m. sleep, I tried to hold on. Another loud clang, a sound that seemed to go bone deep, and I felt sleep lifting from me. I tried to claw my way back to the blessed rest […]
The case of the displaced basket
For those of you who grew up in the 90s, you may recall the country decor that all of our mothers had in our homes – the wooden ducks with bows around their necks, those wooden heart cut outs nearly everywhere, the apple- or pineapple-themed kitchens and stencil borders. And the rag dolls – whether […]
Hope ever after
Always wearing her easily broken heart on her sleeve, Marianne Dashwood has had enough of her sensible sister, Elinor. And in common Marianne fashion, she lets Elinor have it. “Always resignation and acceptance. Always prudence and honor and duty. Elinor, where is your heart?” To which steadfast and long-suffering Elinor finally responds in kind: “What […]
Be kind when you rewind
It was our Friday night go-to, a remnant that lingered from when we were dating. After a long work week, both my husband Matt and I looked forward to a trip to Blockbuster. As soon as we entered the store, it was like Friday-night vibes descended upon us. We relaxed our shoulders. We took deep […]
What visits with Grandma taught me about the power of connection
School days were hectic for our family back then, with four kids all involved in sports, but our Wednesdays were sacred. We had to stay after school for practices or games every other day of the week, but on Wednesdays, no sports teams had practices or games. We looked forward to Wednesday every single week. […]
But the confetti remains
Once we’ve opened the presents, attended the parties, and eaten the extra desserts, and after the stations have stopped playing Christmas music and movies 24/7, it’s time to switch gears. Whereas I have been in elf mode – furiously making lists and checking them twice – soon after Christmas, I switch into cleaning mode. The […]
Lessons from an amusement park
It’s coming. If it hasn’t happened yet, it will soon. It happens every Christmas season. You’ve shopped and wrapped and decorated and baked. You’ve been holly jolly and rocked around the Christmas tree until your head is spinning. You’ve made every effort to capture the spirit of the season and be present for every sweet […]
A glorious exchange – what we can learn from the angels in the nativity story
It was solemn business. With Christmas around the corner, Mom and Dad brought us four kids into the living room and had us sit down on the sofa. “We are going to draw names,” Mom explained. “There are four names in here, all folded up, one for each of you. And the name you pick […]
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