I seriously thought about entitling this essay “Why I Suck at Slowing Down in Advent”, but that seemed slightly irreverent. I really do love Christmastime, since there is so much fun to be had under our roof and in our community. With four small girls hustling and bustling through each and every day, I can’t … [Read more…]
New data comes out, almost daily, supporting the need for parents and caregivers to invest in self-care. My social media feeds are saturated with images of healthy eating, athletic triumphs, and weekend retreats to recharge. While opportunities to invest in myself abound, my daily struggle is still one that precludes me from participating in activities … [Read more…]
This piece originally appeared on The Today Show Parenting Team Blog in October 2018. Each day with my girls, I find myself repeating the same words in my head, over and over again. These words have been collected from good friends and wise mentors throughout my years of parenting. I finally took a moment and … [Read more…]
Every time a daughter scratches her head, I have a fight or flight response. Epinephrine raises my heart rate through the roof as I lunge for a flashlight to inspect their scalp. Though it has only infected our house twice in a decade, head lice has left it’s imprint on my mind, which I couldn’t … [Read more…]
This post originally appeared as a contribution to The Today Show Parenting Team in September 2018. Her blonde curls bounced on her back as she made her way, with trepidation, up those cement stairs. The administrator had prepped all the parents at the open house the week prior: “Be prepared to say goodbye to your … [Read more…]
This post originally appeared on the MOPS blog in August 2018. In our increasingly digital age, many parents are given the opportunity to work a more flexible schedule. Occupations that previously required a steady presence in an office, distant from home, are now presenting options for working remotely. We can, at least on the surface, … [Read more…]
This piece originally appeared on Her View From Home in July 2018. The memories of my mother-in-law spilled to the forefront of my mind, just as the contents of his jacket pocket fell onto our dresser. It was Proverbs 31, written on hotel stationary, in my neatest block print. Holding the small papers in … [Read more…]
When my third born was in her first year of preschool, her teacher mentioned to me that she had a hard time understanding her speech. When it came time for the parent-teacher conferences, there was a formal, written recommendation that we have our little lady screened for a speech delay. I can still feel my … [Read more…]
As the steam rose off the asphalt in the summer heat, so did our tempers. Entitlement runs deep this time of year, both in my heart and in theirs. The downtime that is inherent in the summer allows our minds to wander toward all the things we don’t have, but wish we did. As the … [Read more…]
If I have learned anything over the past nine years, it’s that every woman’s experience with pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood is uniquely her own. It is the same with every father’s experience. No two birth stories are the same. We thought we would share ours… Disbelief: Our First Birth Story I woke up particularly early … [Read more…]