motherhood

Dear Mr. President: I Chose to be a Stay-at-Home Mom

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. – Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Though I have very strong political views, I remain apolitical in (more…)

You Smell Like Death

For nearly 13 years, we lived in a subdivision on a 50-by-100-foot lot. When you can reach out your kitchen window and shake hands with the person having coffee next door, you really want to get along with your neighbors.

And for a long time – despite the suffocating proximity – we did. Come evenings, weekends and summertimes, the front yards all (more…)

Right Where I Want You

Sometimes I wish I could look upon all your faces because, honestly, the life of a writer can be demanding and isolating – in a word, lonely. I stare endlessly at a computer screen and piles upon piles of printed notes. The occasional face-to-face meeting is such a welcome change that I inevitably dress up, even if those I’m meeting are (more…)

Rocks in My Pockets

When I’m out shopping, I look for young moms. Getting much of anything done is hard enough when you have little ones underfoot, but shopping with unsedated children can be a herculean challenge. I remember. And I remember that, if you’re actually lucky enough to cross off everything on your list before meltdown occurs, you still face the challenge of getting (more…)