Parenting
And Then There Were Two
After years of writing (here, in my journal, and in my millions of half-finished notebooks around the house) about life with kids and navigating their baby years, tween years and teenage years, it's finally here: the dreaded "empty nest." We dropped Number 3, Catie,...
read moreSuper E
This morning I heard my second-born's alarm going off so I stepped into his room and sat down on the side of his bed. He burrowed further into the covers and turned his head away when I clicked the lamp on. "What, mom? I'm up!"His deep scratchy voice matched the...
read moreAnd So it Goes…
Dear Kindergartner: You've got this! I promise, it will be way more amazing than you can imagine. Your mom has made you a very special lunch (probably with a special little note) and your teacher will help you open your milk if you need it. I know it is a little new...
read moreThe Stupid Water Bottle
This. This water bottle. This bulky water bottle that my kid has been caring around with him to school, to sports, to work…for long as I can remember. I hate finding it all muddy sitting in the sink with the assumption that I’m going to clean it (which I do of course...
read moreFinal Countdown
We've filled our days, focused on making memories, tried tons of new things, repeated traditions, eaten dozens of family meals, had movie nights, traveled lots of places, taken hundreds of pictures, enjoyed friends, cherished family, holed up in our rooms when we were...
read moreTurn the Page….
With graduation just around the corner combined with the fact that all three of us (authors of this blog) have seniors....well, there have been some pretty sweet~bitter~sweet~bitter moments around here. I happen to know that one of us, I'll let you guess who, had a...
read moreA Little Unsteady
You know the expression, Everything comes around again?" Well, in case you were wondering, I'm here to tell you that it's true. Everything does. Everything. For example: Those super high-waisted jeans that I wore in the first few years of college? Back. Body suits...
read more‘Twas the Night Before School Starts….
'Twas the night before school starts and all through the home, The children were sleeping because I took their phones. My kids and my spouse were all tucked into bed, And I knew I should join them, but thoughts filled my head... Had I signed all the forms and taught...
read moreGive Him to Me
A lifetime ago…or maybe just a childhood ago….I stood over an isolate in the NICU staring at a wrinkly smushed little creature with a purplish bruised head. He was hooked up to wires and tubes as the machines around him hummed and beeped and I put my carefully washed...
read moreFriday Night Lights in Joplin from the 80’s to Now
I love Joplin. I just do. We went to the high school football game this evening, and the stadium was sprinkled with people that will put a smile on your face. The weather was gorgeous and the aroma of the concession stand was nostalgic. I looked down into the...
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