Are you familiar with the story of Ricochet the Dog? She began “school” as a young pup so that when she grew up she would be a Service dog for an individual with disabilities. There are parallels between what happened during her training and what can transpire as you raise your children. You have […]
Through grateful eyes: a fresh perspective
September 10, 2012 By 20 Comments
As a parent, you have probably experienced close calls and feelings of helplessness with your children. Your toddler disappears from the backyard. The police call to say that your teens have been in a car accident. Your daughter phones from across the ocean, sobbing about how a sadistic old woman—her host mother for her junior […]
Curiosity did not kill the cat;
it gave her room to breathe
August 27, 2012 By 30 Comments
You’ve probably had one of those days recently. If you haven’t, you figure you’re due. The tension in your body takes its toll, as does the constant slight holding of your breath, because you just know that other shoe is going to drop. It always does. And it’s going to hurt. “Mom! I told you I […]
Let go and allow them to grow
August 6, 2012 By 23 Comments
Your eyes glisten with tears as you grab for yet another tissue. You promised yourself and your family you wouldn’t cry, that you’d maintain your composure. After all, this is that moment when the baby you have cared for with such tenderness spreads their wings and begin to move forward into the wild, blue […]
Hearts and homes made new
July 23, 2012 By 29 Comments
You just had the MOST. AMAZING. EXPERIENCE. EVER. And you just can’t wait to tell your friends and family about it, because you know they will want to join you next time, once they hear how AWESOME it was. As you enthusiastically explain, they look at you as though you are crazy, that there can’t […]
What if I lose my identity?
May 11, 2012 By 19 Comments
Who am I? What is my identity? I can hear the legions of women asking themselves that question as they ponder Lisa-Jo’s weekly prompt over at The Gypsy Mama. I’ll bet that “Mom” tops the list. After all, when you have children, you become a parent. You might still have a job outside the home, […]
Four Insights for Moms from
Lucille Ball and The Chocolate Factory
April 30, 2012 By 15 Comments
Whether you’ve previously seen the clip of Lucy and Ethel working in a chocolate factory or not, you need to watch it below before you go any further. Go ahead and enjoy a bit of humor for this morning. I’ll wait. Their frantic behavior and makeshift solutions hit home every time and make […]
Is your Supermom cape taking you to the breaking point?
April 12, 2012 By 15 Comments
As moms, we often work so hard living up to unrealistic images of perfection from society, our families, our mothers and our own personal DNA. We buy into the culture of being a supermom, even if it just about kills us in the process. Lisa-Jo of the Gypsy Mama wrote an uplifting post about it […]
A family only a mother can love
April 2, 2012 By 11 Comments
When we get together with our families for holiday dinners, we may wish for a gathering worthy of a Norman Rockwell portrait. The reality is, however, that we are all blemished and broken, sometimes thorny and troublesome people, and yet still, somehow, generally speaking, are eminently and uniquely lovable. That being said, we often spend […]
Big gift in a tiny package
March 30, 2012 By 6 Comments
I look back over the rocky chasms and green fields of the past almost 30 years, and zoom in on those beginning months that were shaping me to be a parent. Yes, we were excited to be having our first, don’t get me wrong. It’s just, well, I didn’t like being pregnant. It wasn’t magical […]
