Tuesday morning was like most: I woke up around 5:00 am, had a cup of coffee, and glanced at the paper my husband left on the kitchen table. Yes it’s early, but I relish this time when all my chickens are present, accounted for, and sleeping soundly. I do my daily check of the backpacks, write notes for the kids’ teachers, and pack snacks for my second grader and … [Read more...]
25 Ways to Annoy Your Teenager
Writers should stick with writing about what they know, and as a mom to two teenagers and an adolescent, I’m an expert at annoying youngsters emerging from childhood and on the cusp of adulthood. My children believe I’m so talented at it I should share my wisdom. So here are twenty-five tips for driving a teenager stark, raving mad: Say Hello. Good Morning. Goodnight. … [Read more...]
My First Movie Date With My Son (Hopefully it Won’t Be My Last)
“Mom, this was the first time you and I ever saw a movie alone, just the two of us.” “No, that can’t be? Are you sure?” I was watching my 18-year-old son, coffee cup in his hand, looking up at me between bites of his doughnut. We decided to grab a snack before heading home after watching Hidden Figures. Wasn’t it just yesterday that I would walk him in his stroller to … [Read more...]
And Down Will Come Baby Cradle and All
Each time I go downstairs to our playroom I see it, the cradle my father made for me when my first child was born 18 years ago. Soon after my husband and I announced we were expecting a baby, my dad started planning to build it for his first grandchild. Joe and I were thrilled. But our happiness was short lived when at 10 weeks we saw our baby, but no heartbeat. I was … [Read more...]
It Took Becoming a Mom for Me to Find My Voice as a Woman
Words have always come easy to me. My parents told me I was speaking full sentences by the time I was 18 months old. At two, I corrected my grandmother’s pronunciation of Santa Claus. Words came easy. My voice was another matter. It wasn’t until I became a mother that I found it. I was a shy, insecure young woman. The dyslexia that made school and life so hard made me an … [Read more...]
