From my earliest memory, I have had a deep passion for all things pink, sparkly, and shiny. But I was born to parents who never fully appreciated nor indulged my girlish ways, which is my proof that God has a great sense of humor. My mother and father had the insane idea that my sisters and I should grow up feeling that we were more than just pretty objects to be taken … [Read more...]
Dear New Mom: How to Ignore the Inevitable Judgment From People Who Are Trying to Be ‘Helpful’
Dear New Mom, If you are anything like me, you walked out of the hospital with your newborn child and wondered why trained medical professionals were letting you leave with a tiny human being whose very survival depended on you. I’m guessing you’ve already been given a ton of advice on how to feed your baby, how long is too long to let junior cry, and the wisdom of using … [Read more...]
Please Don’t Call Me a Saint Because My Daughter has Special Needs
“Kathy you’re a saint.” My head snapped up to find my sister’s friend Amy giving me a look that was mixed with awe, pity, and kindness. I was in the middle of helping my then seven-year-old daughter, who has significant special needs, butter her roll while we ate lunch at my nephew’s christening. Lizzy looked adorable in her new pink dress from the American Girl … [Read more...]
What They Never Tell You About Enjoying Every Moment of Your Children’s Childhood
“Kathy, your son just drove away with my car,” said my husband, laughing, as he came in the front door after mowing the lawn. We looked at each other in disbelief that the same child who spurred us to purchase the black Camry is now driving it. Even if it’s just to my parents house six blocks away. Neither one of us would be comfortable with him driving it much … [Read more...]
At the Hospital With Dad: the Harder Realities of Getting Older
Thursday found me and my 18-year-old son wandering the halls of the hospital’s cardiac care unit. My father had arrived via ambulance six hours earlier. We both must have had that lost puppy look because a nurse asked us who we were looking for and then told me my dad had just arrived and gave me his room number. We walked into my dad’s room to find my mother, sister, … [Read more...]
