April 26, 2021

Things that go “ring” in the night.

“Mom?!”  Bleary-eyed, I took my cell away from my face long enough to see the time. It was 4:15 in the morning. My heart leaped in my throat. “Christopher? Are you okay? Are you at work?” He had just started a new job, working 4:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fridays through Sundays, at a bottle manufacturer about 40 minutes from our house. Although I had initial reservations about him driving that far, at that time of day, Craig and I agreed that it was time for him to start making adult choices. And so far, he seemed to be doing well. Now he was in […]
September 13, 2012

The Things We Do for Love: “Chopped”!

When you’ve been married for more than a decade, it’s easy to fall into a bit of a routine: He nods off around 9 o’clock while I “channel surf” until I land on a decent movie or one of my cooking shows. My current favorite is “Chopped.” Each week four professional cooks vie for $10,000 prize money by creating culinary magic from a basket full of unlikely ingredients, creating first an appetizer (from grape jelly beans, conch, purple potatoes and kale), main dish (tofu, rabbit tenderloin, raddicchio, and Sambucca), and dessert (pumpernicle, lichi fruit, quail eggs, and corn nuts). Thirty minutes, starting NOW. In each […]
March 5, 2009

What Should I Do with My Child’s (First) Name?

If you’ve been following EMN for any length of time, you know I’m a fan of birthmother counselor Patricia Dischler. Today her KIDSAKE newsletter (Feb 09) has the following article, which I’m reprinting here with permission. (If you’d like to subscribe, see below).  – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SO MUCH MORE THAN A NAME – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –   Naming your child is a big event in the […]
September 29, 2008

Mighty Mom Monday: “Potty Training 101-102”

This classic post is from “My Wonderful Life” . For those who just can’t get enough, here’s installment #3!(June 2007). Thanks, Sarah! OK, here we are halfway through the summer. I had 2 goals for this summer back in May. 1) Get Alligator’s fingers OUT OF THAT MOUTH. 2) Potty train Sonshine. Apparently, God laughed and laughed when I told Him these goals. I’ve given up on Gator-Boy for now. He started cutting those 2-year molars and, to tell the truth, it just wasn’t worth the fight. Sonshine, however, I am working with. So far he’s decided he wants to spend every waking moment in the […]
August 26, 2008

School Daze… a Prayer for Parents

School starts next week. The beginning of the school year is always a little nerve-wracking at our house. Will Sarah cooperate in her new learning environment? Will Christopher be able to concentrate and work independently? A few questions nag at me as well. Will I “fit in” with the other parents? Can I find something to do that will be truly useful to the teacher without throwing out my back or spending more time at the school than my children do?  Will one or both kids wind up in a “peanut-free” zone and force me to find 52 ways to fill a lunchbox without resorting to […]
August 7, 2008

When a Pet Dies: Letter from Heaven

My mother-in-law passed this on to me today. I warn you … it’s a tear-jerker. So go grab a tissue and a cup of tea, and settle in. This information might come in handy one day! (If anyone can help me with the original source, I’d be happy to post it.) Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month.The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that […]
May 22, 2008

Calling all Extraordinary Moms… That’s You!

The simple truth is that every child thinks Mom is extraordinary. Whether that child comes to us the conventional way, or through adoption, or foster care, or some other way. Your presence is what teaches that child about love, about goodness, about kindness, about truth. You ARE those things to your child … and to all the children in whose lives you invest. Pope John Paul II used to talk about the “feminine genius,” and frequently quoted the Council Fathers of Vatican II who contended that “Women imbued with the Spirit of the Gospel can do so much to aid humanity in not falling.” By […]