Motherhood
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The Great Exchange
“Hurry up, we don’t have much time!” my husband rushed into the kitchen. We grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to the kitchen table. The race track was set. On the left: boxes and wrapping paper. On the right: scissors and tape. Pine scented candles and holiday music served as happy spectators. The oven timer served as the referee that would blow his whistle in the two hours, right before the kids came home from school. “On your mark, get set, go!” he laughed. “And remember to save the receipts in case we have to return anything.” As the race against time began, I admired the gifts. We carefully…
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From Mom, With love
My daughter is getting married today, so in her honor I’m sharing a letter I wrote to her when she got engaged. My Baby Girl, Getting married is a time full of joy, excitement, and tons of planning. A bride (and her mom), want to make sure everything is beautiful and perfect. You and I are about to embark on this wedding planning journey, so I probably won’t have much time to sit down and share with you what’s in my heart. That is the reason for this letter. I believe marriage is like a house that is built by two people, and both must pick the materials to put…
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The Little Red Rocking Chair
“Mommy, help! This is too heavy!” My parents and I were visiting our favorite children’s store. Not only did it carry high quality clothing, but it arranged a corner in the back with toys, a TV and tiny red rocking chairs for the children to enjoy while their parents shopped. I turned around to find my toddler dragging the chair she had been sitting in. “Honey, that belongs to the store. You can’t take it with you.” I tugged on it, but she held on tight. Chuckles erupted all around. “This is my chair!” she stated as she struggled to carry it out the door. The other shoppers stopped browsing,…
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The Coronavirus Blessing
“Mom, I’m coming home” my son said. My heart cringed from the unexpected disappointment in his voice. It sounded colder than the icy March temperatures outside. College athletes juggle their tight schedules between training, playing and school, so home visits are few and far between. I wait for those phone calls that also include lists of meals and activities he wants to squeeze in during the weekend. Even though my work multiplies compared to my regular empty nester schedule, I embrace it and wait for it like a child waits for Christmas. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “The school decided to go fully online because of the Coronavirus,” he responded. “But…
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Relationships: Are yours Healthy or Unhealthy?
She slammed the front door and sprinted up the stairs. “She’s mad at me…again!” my teenage daughter cried as she plopped on my bed. “I don’t know what to do mom. I feel anxious every morning wondering if she’ll be happy or get mad at me for no reason. She always gossips about other girls and is negative all the time!” “Honey, it’s time to talk about healthy and unhealthy relationships” I said. “How do we know the difference?” she asked. “Well, let’s find out!” I picked up the book I had been reading, The Search for Significance, by Robert McGee. “These are signs of an unhealthy relationship.” When either…
