nurturing her tangled hair, barefoot soul, and strong mind
I’m a mess in this moment, you guys. You’re probably looking at this picture and just seeing a kid walking out the door for his first day of sophomore year… No big deal, right? But you know what I see? I see my little boy with his Spiderman backpack on his first day of kindergarten.… Continue reading The In Betweens
I guess it’s a thing.You’re supposed to get married, buy a house, and then have kids.Well…Today is our 10th wedding anniversary.We’ve been living in our home for over 11 years.Our kids are 12 and 14.So…It’s safe to say we do things a little backwards.A little opposite.But my husband and I Live and Love fully embracing… Continue reading Opposites…
Hey Mama, I see you’re about to sign your boy up for Little League, so I feel I should warn you. You’re about to sign up for more than endless sun-beaten hours, sitting on rickety old bleachers at a dust-swept ball field. You’re also signing up for awkward first encounters with new parents.For a backseat… Continue reading To The New Baseball Mama
She’s not what you think… She’s got dirty feet. Tattered clothes. A mouth you’d shake your head at. And hair as unruly as her attitude. If you saw her at any given moment, you might think she’s a product of neglect. She’s not. She likes playing dress up, trying on my makeup, and shooting videos… Continue reading I wanna be that girl…
It’s not supposed to be like this. I should be in those stands. I’ve been watching you from those stands since you were in kindergarten. I’ve been to nearly every game since. Cheering until my voice went hoarse. Clapping until my hands were red. I’ve earned the right to be there for you today. I’ve… Continue reading Rooting For You
She’s in the kitchen washing dishes with her back to you. You approach her with two cups in hand. Fingerprints smeared on the glass. A good few gulps of milk left sloshing around. You place them beside the sink and look to her apologetically. She doesn’t notice you. Steam rises from the faucet, and scorching… Continue reading Please, Don’t Tell Her How To Grieve
Listen… I know you think I’m a snitch. That I was sent here to keep your kids in check. The Naughty and the Nice. But you’ve got me all wrong. I’m here for much more than that. I’m here for one mission… to make YOU believe in the real Magic. I’ll never forget the first… Continue reading Diary of an Elf on the Shelf
I was eight years old.It was late spring.I sat perched on my favorite limb in the apple tree that was the centerpiece of my childhood home.Mosquitoes buzzed by my ears. As one hand subconsciously swatted them away, the other scratched at the welts they’d left on my skin.The air was cooling, and my stomach rumbling.… Continue reading My Father…
Boy…This is where it starts.This is your beginning.Are you ready?I know I’m not. I’m scared as hell.But whether we’re ready or not, it’s here.Just a little while ago, you were my baby.Tiny toes, soft hands, and a little body that nestled so easily in the crook of my arms.And here you are becoming a man.Ever-growing… Continue reading For My Son… The Teenager
Her hand clutches her hip. Her chin held high. He words leave her lips with force. “This is how we are going to play this game,” she asserts.
Her friends fall into place, but I hear one of them whisper to another. “She’s so bossy.”
I immediately cringe.
That word hits me like an age-old spear through the gut.
I was ‘bossy’ too. (Still am)
Nobody likes a bossy girl.
All the moms agree. Bossy girls are the worst.
On the same day, I see my boy in the side yard. Barking out orders about how to hit the ball. Telling all the neighborhood kids the rules and strictly enforcing his right as guardian of his realm to assert his dominance.
My husband’s chest swells. All the dads agree. The kid’s a leader. A strong force on the field.
I don’t have to spell out this double standard.
Unfortunately, it…
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