After coffee, the first order of business every day is to open all of the blinds. Most of our apartment's windows face East and overlook a large pond, giving us a lovely view of the sunrise. At that time, the pond is still -- save the occasional small gator enjoying the peaceful water. By 7:35am, …
Day 31: Dust
The whirring of the sound machine beckons me into my girls’ room. Their beds have already been abandoned, in favor of climbing up next to my husband or I as we sip coffee and read or journal. “It’s bright, Momma,” is Irene’s way of announcing a new day has begun and she is ready to …
Day 30: Bud
I have sometimes wondered Why the pet name for little boys is so often bud or buddy While little girls get one of a thousand iterations of loveliness, sweetness, beauty or preciousness. We want our sons to be kind and We want our daughters to be friends And still, when I see my friends’ boys, …
Vapor and Ashes
It’s as if we were living in a house and it burned to the ground. I’m not sure I ever stopped to make a list of what was left in the house, of what we lost. We moved into a new house, fully furnished -- it was easier just to pretend everything was normal,” I …
Day 29: Dinner
“I don’t like that,” she said as her eyes graze over the food, then turned straight back around to march out of the room. “I don’t need a treat,” she adds from her bedroom. My husband and I exchange looks of unsurprised displeasure tinged with resignation. Despite meals being the way we keep time during …
Day 28: text
The sense of wonder and expectation has been slowly growing in my gut as the weeks have passed. Maybe we’ll all look back at this time and begin to describe stages of grief in a global pandemic: from disbelief to shock to anger to action. Or, at least that’s been my privileged path to walk …
Day 27: TV
:: an ambivalent haiku:: Oh, television My hero, my nemesis God’s gift to steward
5 Ways My Husband Supports My Mental Health, A Family Life Guest Post
“Today was not a good day,” I darkly greeted my husband as he entered our apartment and took in the scene. I laid on the couch while the kids had some screen time in our bedroom. My struggle with anxiety and maintaining my mental health had taken a more prominent role in our lives over …
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Day 26: Walk
I change out of pajamas and into “workout clothes,” grab my hat since the sun already sits high in the sky, and check with Aubrey to see if it’s alright if I go for a quick walk. I slip on my tennishoes, grab my phone and earbuds, and step quickly out the door. I select …
Day 25: Toys
There’s this strange phenomenon where my kids prefer food off of my plate more than their own. And a friend’s toys are usually much more fascinating than the ones overflowing from bins in their own room. How is it that we seem to be hardwired to be discontent with what we have? Or at …
