Dear Son, When I found out I was expecting you, I secretly hoped you would be a boy. Your daddy loves your sisters — his two little princesses. (He liked what a customer had told him: “Having girls always made my husband feel like a king!”) But I had a feeling a son would make…
It feels like we’re jumping into the busy season with both feet. All except for Mom–she’s not doing anything with both feet at the moment. My mother-in-law broke her ankle on Tuesday. And her fall threw us all into a bit of confusion, as we rearrange schedules and plan for a summer without the help…
My husband’s grandparents were one of the first to build on the hill. But like the little house in the storybook, the city grew up around them. Their ocean view has diminished to just a slice outlined by two palm trees out the dining room window. But every evening, Grandpa would hobble through the kitchen…
I lay back in my chair, willing myself not to sigh audibly as I put my feet up. She might be numbing my mouth in preparation for dental work, but it feels like a mini vacation for the moment. I open my copy of Bittersweet, wondering if the dentist or assistant will comment on a…
“B’oken. ‘Actor. B’oken.” It’s not even this almost-two-year-old’s real birthday yet, and one of the presents from his party is broken. All it takes is a quick look and I reassure him, “Daddy can fix it, buddy. We’ll put it right here on the counter to wait until he gets home, and then he can…
When the beating of your heart Echoes the beating of the drums There is a life about to start When tomorrow comes! (lyrics to “Do You Hear the People Sing”) It was over ten years ago that I was first introduced to Les Miserables. I knew it was a classic book, of course, but that…
I eat chocolate chips when I have a cold. I know sugar is the last thing I need when I am sick, but the chocolate chips feel so creamy and smooth on my sore throat — until they make me cough later. I am the same way with rest. I scan Facebook when I am…
Dear Panda Express, We just got back from a three week vacation with three kids. And you were the only place we ate more than once. And, in fact, visited three times. After a full day at the zoo that included watching the most adorable Panda ever eat a stick of bamboo, there seemed nowhere…
We knew they were ready to head towards home when they started talking about their “bonk” beds. We were two weeks and about 1600 miles into our vacation and about ready to start retracing our steps home. We were still enjoying our trip (especially since everyone was finally healthy!) but we were ready to sleep…
After three weeks of vacation, it’s hard to settle back into the ordinary. Dinner doesn’t make itself, and the dishes pile up. Despite all the laundry we did on the road, there were half a dozen loads to do when we arrived home. There are bags and boxes to unpack and routines to re-establish. And…
My mom took pictures. We rolled our eyes and we thought it was annoying. We hammed it up with the most ridiculous expressions and posed in ways only we thought were beautiful. And with the click of a shutter, Mom captured the moment for all time. My mom became a Creative Memories consultant when I…
It’s what I feel when he reaches behind the driver’s seat to hold my hand, sitting there behind him. It’s what I know I am when he’s tired and working late and we’re taking care of kids more than each other. It’s what I feel when I walk out of doors and feel the breeze…
The End.
The End.
