I was really tempted to write this as a “Thrift Shop” parody, because a rap about it would be less likely to make me cry.  My son, who is careening toward the not-so-tender age of 13, is now officially taller than me.  When I say it’s official, I mean it’s on the books.  The record.   … Continue reading Middle Schooler

I know this woman, who recently went through a nasty child custody battle.  She was blindsided by her children’s father, who filed for full custody of the children and subsequently painted her a very bad mother.  I watched her deteriorate during those long days and months – and struggle to smile through her tears and … Continue reading Once Upon A Time

Mom.  Seriously.  Like, before Facebook, I was a thoroughly, unapologetically, underachieving mom.  Like when my kids were in preschool and these other moms would send in holiday-themed goody bags with candy and pencils and erasers and plastic whistles and other mini, made-in-China, destined-for-the-landfill tinker toys – and I didn’t bother.  Not that I didn’t want to, I … Continue reading How Facebook Made Me A Better

Get your fire back. It’s not over until God says it’s over. Start believing again. Start dreaming again. Start pursuing what God put in your heart. ~ Joel OsteenI’ll admit I have fallen into a bit of a slump lately… the cold weather – and earlier the ceaseless flow of ailments – paralyzing my meager … Continue reading Find Gratitude and LIVE

Does your kid have a “junk drawer”?   I took a break from transcribing this morning to have a look at what my 7-year-old has been hoarding in the top drawer of her bedside table. A journal my mom gave her, which she has filled with hundreds of words (which I have not read….. what kind of … Continue reading Junior Junk Drawer

Today is the day!A tournament of balls.All men and 1 womanCome to throw in these halls.It is loud, very loud - Like the rolling of thunder,Though not earth and clouds,But 10 pins falling under.Old men, young menAnd those in between.Tall ones, short onesFat ones and lean.Not a spectator sport,Or athletes on tv.This isn't a sportGroupies group … Continue reading A Seussical Ode to Bowling

(Important background information:  For fun, I submitted my Facebook profile page and it later appeared on my local news station’s Facebook Flash segment and “B,”  with whom I went to high school, saw it as it aired and sent me a message about it.  Todd, who does ad work for my mom, used one of … Continue reading Conversations with Todd – Episode 1

I saw this video yesterday, from Upworthy on Facebook.  It was about how kids grow up, the secrets they keep, the beatings they take – both mental or physical, both self-inflicted and perpetrated by others, the bullying, the self-doubt, and the inability to see the beauty in themselves.  As most things seem to do these … Continue reading Just One More Thing To Worry About

So,  we are renting a house (and an old one at that) – it had a dinosaur in the basement, that we believed to be burning up half the state of Pennsylvania’s electricity  usage.  So, our landlord decided to replace the dinosaur with propane heat – apparently more efficient and cheaper.   A few weeks later, … Continue reading Gas For the Soul