Krispy Kreme was a whim. I was ready to cocoon in my hotel room with a piece of writing that’s eluding me. Maybe, with no distractions, I could finally coax it out. I was really too full for a donut. I’d just eaten dinner, which featured thick steak fries, with a light brown crisp around... Continue Reading →
Heart Squeeze
Lined up there, those clay pots weren’t but a breath from each other. Each one its own miniature riot of color: white, pink, red. Practically vibrating with exuberance, in that late afternoon summer light caught somewhere between the ripest lemon and the tartest lime that squeezes my heart leaving just the echo of an ache.... Continue Reading →
Dance, I Said
If I were to run smack into my sixth grade self right now, my first thought would be, "Oh, honey." And then I'd get straight to work helping me be slightly less of a dork. The problem was that I just had no clue. Other kids were a little like aliens to me. I didn't... Continue Reading →
Anxiety & Parenting (What a Fun Mix!)
I get real quippy about my anxiety sometimes. Because it's easier to be glib and light-hearted about anxiety than to admit that sometimes it threatens to suck all the air (and joy) out of my world. And, also... I'm fortunate that, over the years, people (qualified, professional people) have given me tools to cope with... Continue Reading →
Eight is GR8!
Elizabeth Jane (Lizard, Lizzie Jane, Janiepants, Bug, Bear, EJ, Chicken, Monkeybutt Jr, etc...) is 8 years old today!
Resilience
“We are going to move away from the only home you’ve ever really known,” we said. “Okay,” she said. “We know that you’re leaving behind friends and family. It’s okay to miss them, and it's okay to cry.” “But I will get to live in the same place as my best friends. And their moms.... Continue Reading →
You Don’t Like the Buzzer?
When I signed Jane up to play basketball this winter, I had no idea how much I'd learn. And my learning had little to do with the game itself and much more to do with resilience and joy and kicking perfectionism in the ass. Our family belongs to the YMCA. Consequently, at the tender age... Continue Reading →
Expect … Nothing
We stood, shuffling about in line, waiting for our first ride on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. I’d been anticipating this ride the entire trip. The wait time had never been under 80 minutes. But, since it rained that morning, the park was emptier than usual. Which meant only a 40-minute wait time. 40 minutes... Continue Reading →
I Am The Luckiest
When my partner & I set about to have a child, I assumed the process would take about 9 months—in total. We knew from the start that there would be other people involved in the process; I had a pretty good understanding of biology, enough at least to know that two girls couldn’t have a... Continue Reading →