I’m not supposed to be here. Hot. Sweating profusely, in fact. Ready to throw up or faint, but not sure which way it’s going to go. My head is spinning. Emotions going haywire. All I want to do is yell, “stop!” And then move back into the driver’s seat, where I am in control. Comfortable. […]
Ode to joy: a celebration of motherhood in three parts (part three)
Part Three DIY disaster Ode to my daughter My daughter’s room has been through nearly as many changes as she has over the years. From a darling ladybug/bee/butterfly nursery to a pink princess theme to a transitional stage where she began to despise pink and love mint green. It was then, when she was in […]
Ode to joy: a celebration of motherhood in three parts (part two)
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 […]
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 […]
A tale of two grocery carts
I always came prepared. I had my shopping list on my phone, organized by aisle and my usual pattern of strolling through Target. I dutifully checked each box as I dropped each item into the cart, and even when I veered off course to peek at home goods or other fun things, I always came […]
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 […]
What the world needs now is love, genuine love
The other day, I was jamming along to tunes from the 60s in my car, when I was swept away in an instant to childhood by the tune What the World Needs Now Is Love. Perhaps I should explain. My sisters and I loved to have shopping days with my mom. We lived out in […]
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 […]
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