If you're a mom of teens (and they don't need to be girls, by the way) READ ON, because I need your help in surviving the next two weeks, and if you don't help me I'm gonna crack. "What's in it for me?" you may well demand. Prayers. Devotion. A large Campfire Mocha at the local Caribou. First, a preemptive paragraph about my insane … [Read more...]
“I can do ALL things”: Advice (and Commiseration) for the Parents of High School Seniors
The little gal in the photo above? She will be graduating in one short month... ...and suddenly we've entered the season of "lasts." The last choir concert, the last high school play, the last time Mom sneaks into her room to steal I mean, borrow a cute pair of earrings... How did she get here? How did I? Grace, more grace … [Read more...]
What do Dentists and Doughnuts have in Common?
NOTHING! They have nothing in common apart from a delightful D-themed alliteration. Oh, and teeth. Let's not forget that sugar and dental work go hand-in-hand--hand-in-hand...drills and fillings--but it's not like my six-year-old cared a whit when it came to losing that top front tooth. It had been hanging from a thread, that tooth, and oh … [Read more...]
An Irish Blessing from a Little French Mom
Many, many years ago, as I was passing through the kitchen on the way to the coffee pot, an orange Nerf gun bullet whizzed past my head. Spinning around, I spied my then 9-year-old crouched behind the counter. "Shoot!" he grinned. "I missed the little French woman." That boy is now a 21-year-old man and--would you believe?--that story was one … [Read more...]
Some Thoughts on Spring and Mindful Living
Long story short: Gather ye rosebuds petals while ye may! That’s the super-abridged version of what it means to practice mindful living. But since when have I ever kept things brief? Come, Holy Spirit, come! Help me to say what I long to say about these stunningly beautiful trees. First, the bad news: The springtime … [Read more...]
An Unparalleled Ascent to an Amazing Mother’s Day
Okay, so whose idea was it to schedule Mother’s Day in May, when calendars are packed and tensions run high?! How can our families possibly meet our expectations when they’re running off to soccer games and/or coming down off their spring concert highs? It’s not fair. I say we switch dates with dear old Dad, who gets a nice chill time slot in … [Read more...]
When Being Hyper-Controlling went Poorly for Me
Or: The Mom I was vs. the Mom I am, 20 years and 7 kids later. Warning: This story comes with a moral attached and gets a little bit…raw at times. If you do not wish to profit from my hard-earned wisdom, (ha), or feel uncomfortable dealing with difficult themes, here’s a cute kitty meme: Now scoot, ‘cause some shit's about to … [Read more...]
Boots in the House! A Brief Debriefing with More to Come
He’s home. My newly-minted Marine is home, and what I want is to talk your ear off! You’ve got two ears, assumedly—it’s okay if I have one of them, right? Because I have at least five different blog posts that have been waiting less than patiently for this Marine mom to get home from the USMC graduation, which was last Friday (the 100th … [Read more...]
Gearing up to Say Goodbye
He leaves for the hotel tomorrow and then... There's the swearing-in & departure for Boot Camp on Monday. This Marine Mom's being super strong and hasn't shed a single tear! (Do you believe me? I've got a bridge to sell you.) … [Read more...]
The Face of Four
Last night, three friends and I went out for a drink. Amidst the happy chatter, the chips, & the margaritas, I felt compelled—nay, inspired—to tell one (or two) cute kid stories. "I hope you're writing these down," my friend Karen remarked, which was all the prompt needed to get my butt back on the blog. This kid? The one standing on the … [Read more...]
