“Don’t forget to bring the bikes!” “I won’t, Dad.” “I have an adventure planned!” “I know,” I laughed. “We’re excited. See you tomorrow.” I put the phone down and finished packing. Every August since my kids were young, I’ve packed… Continue Reading
How’s your summer going? Good? Good! Us? Well, what can I say? I love summer. It’s the best … at least that’s what I said in May. We’re busy. Everyone’s good. It’s kinda overwhelming, actually. Maybe a little crazy? (Maybe I’m… Continue Reading
“But how does it make you feel?” It’s out before I realize what I’ve said. He pauses. “How does it make me feel?” It’s not that he hasn’t heard me or doesn’t understand my words. We’ve already talked about the need. The money.… Continue Reading
I lift the bags of groceries into the trunk of the van while my son plays in the back seat. He turns to me and flops his toothpick arms over the last row. He looks at me with eyelashes implausibly… Continue Reading
Yesterday we drove into the Virginia countryside, all six of us buckled into the car within multiple layers of cotton and fleece. A friend from our old neighborhood has family in the country, and every year extends an invitation for… Continue Reading
“I know it’s a short season, but I feel invisible. Lost. Like no one sees or knows who I really am.” (Variations of this entry can be found periodically in journals I’ve kept through the years after I became a… Continue Reading
For six warp-speed hours every week, my youngest son is in preschool. Since he’s been my constant companion of the last four years, I’m overtly protective of this sacred time alone. I try to maximize my productivity while allowing an… Continue Reading
One year ago this month, we formally began our adoption process. Coincidentally, a year ago this month, I quit my job. It’s hard to explain why I needed to leave a job that paid me well and only required a… Continue Reading
It’s the fifth hour of the road trip, just me and my three-year-old. The big kids stayed at home with their dad, while I drive through four states to Ohio, the place I grew up, to attend a funeral. The… Continue Reading
Guess what I did yesterday? After starting my day with a steaming hot cup of coffee and a legit Quiet Time, I exercised, cleaned two bathrooms, responded to five emails, made an appointment (on the phone!), worked in the yard,… Continue Reading