There are definitely benefits to having only older children, but sometimes I miss having little ones around. Once they all got past a certain age, Christmas changed. It lost some of its magic. Sure we continued with traditions, but it wasn’t quite the same. I don’t think there are many teenagers who believe that a man in a red suit […]
Yes, this is a beautiful image. It reminds me of our trip to Greece and looking at it, I think that maybe I’d rather be there. But this is so much more. I bought this puzzle a year ago, thinking that a puzzle would be a good distraction from all the disturbing and scary news outside our home. For a […]
Like other parents, I have always loved watching my kids perform. I know many of us have had those heart-leaping-out-of-the-body moments as they accomplish something that perhaps they couldn’t (or thought they couldn’t) do at an earlier time, or when they have accomplished things far beyond our own abilities. But it wasn’t until recently that I discovered the joy of […]
Last week my daughter and I went wedding dress shopping (socially distanced – by appointment only, fully masked, and for the most part, we were the only customers in the stores). Naturally, as I waited between dresses, my mind time-traveled to shopping for my own wedding dress. I lived more than an hour from my mom, so my first time […]
As our kids enter middle school a seriousness descends on them. Anything associated with small children is “childish” and must be forsaken. As a stay-at-home parent, I noted that this attitude really only came out when peers were present. At other times, they laughed at kids’ shows just as frequently as the younger ones and sometimes their laughter was even […]
It’s time to celebrate this boy. When I walked across the stage 30 years ago to receive my college diploma I was thinking of what I accomplished. While I was hopeful for the future, it wasn’t the time to dwell on where I would be a week a month or years later. I was living in the moment. When my […]
We all make note of our children’s “firsts:” their first smile, first tooth, first step, first day of kindergarten. Especially with my youngest, as my kids moved on to big milestones (moving from elementary to middle school, for example) I started noting the lasts, with more than a little melancholy. With the youngest, these lasts were also lasts for me. […]
As my youngest completes her college journey I am again faced with the question: “What now?” While I easily adjusted to no longer being a daily chauffeur, my life has still been somewhat dictated by a school calendar. With two in college, most of the past few years have been a constantly revolving door – while one would leave, the […]
Savor the moments. Every mom has heard that they should enjoy each minute, that they will miss these days someday. Not really. There are moments I miss, but overall, I have no desire to go back in time. I am beyond thrilled to be past the stage where I need to carry a diaper bag everywhere or rent a U-Haul […]
