My trunk is full of groceries as I pull up to the corner and turn on my blinker. Out of the corner of my eye I see a man standing near me, leaning on a cane, wearing a black coat and a hat to ward off the cold wind. He’s selling newspapers for $1. I […]
My Interview with “Red”- a Corner Newspaper Salesman Read More »
“Don’t worry, I’ll walk you to your class,” I reassure my almost-kindergartener. But he shakes his head. “Nah, I got this, Mom. I know where my class is.” Really? Now, I realize he has the same teacher his 3 older brothers had and he’s been to her class a hundred times. But still, I “fake
What Every Mom Needs to Hear on the First Day of Kindergarten Read More »
(to hear me read this post, click on the audio bar above) It’s 7:15 am. Too early for a drama rehearsal. But this isn’t drama. This is life. “Let me hear you say ‘No,’” I direct my kids at the breakfast table. One says a sheepish, ”No,” while looking down at his cereal. Another
4 Steps to Teach Your Kids to Say “No” to Protect Themselves from Harm Read More »
“Mom, I’m going to stop saying, ‘Um,’ starting now,” my 11-year old declares one night as I tuck him into bed. He then begins to tell me about his day. “So, mom, um…oh come on!” I smile, “Try it again.” “I really had fun today at the game when, um…oh rats!” “It’s hard, isn’t it?” He
3 Steps to Cure Your Ums Read More »
My table is perfect. The tablecloth with the turkeys on the edges. Candles. Our finest dishes. And then- I carefully place my favorite little plaster “Give Thanks” pumpkin with the painted green ivy leaves in the center of the table. Five minutes till our guests arrive- and counting. My dad stands at the counter slicing
Some things are downright embarrassing. Like when you are carrying around a large item at Bed, Bath and Beyond and a clerk offers to get you a cart. It just happens to be the squeakiest cart in the world. Or when you tell a sports fan you remember when your high school marching band performed
Downright Embarrassing Read More »
When my 10-year old son and I set out for a fall break road trip, headed to Michigan where I had to attend a board meeting, it wasn’t quite what I expected. I expected him to be frustrated when, 15 minutes into our trip, I realized I forgot my driver’s license. But he shrugged and
Through the Eyes of a 10-year Old Read More »
It was going to be a tough phone call. I dialed, put the phone up to my ear to wait for the other line to pick up and said, “God, please help me.” I heard a gasp. My son’s eyes were as wide as paper plates. “You know God’s phone number?” I laughed. And then
How to Pray Without Ceasing Read More »
Today marks the first day of National Hereditary Breast & Ovarian Cancer Week. It also marks the three-year anniversary of a monumental event in my life- the day I opted to undergo a preventative mastectomy because of my own hereditary risk of cancer. Three days before my surgery I wrote an essay entitled, “Goodbye.” After
Our two oldest boys, 9 and 10, dive into our comfy, brown chair in the living room and hug a blanket around their knees. Brian opens to the first chapter. “Tonight we’re going to read a chapter together from What’s the Big Deal? Why God Cares About Sex,” Brian explains. Our oldest son squirms and pulls
The Birds and the Bees and the Boys Read More »