I haven't posted a Thankful Thursday in a while. I also cannot believe we are three weeks into 2016. And yet, I'm already planning for spring, and summer, and fall, and I'm not even sure what happened to Christmas except that it was, in surprising ways, quiet, lovely and crazy, relaxing and somehow just what … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – A New Year
Category: Parenting
Panic Attack
I arrived home from work mid-afternoon and found Teen seated on his yoga ball hunched over a stack of papers in front of the family room computer, his study spot. I came up behind him and while I was yet two feet away, he abruptly stiffened and threw his hands in a “Don’t Shoot!” position. … Continue reading Panic Attack
Tell the Truth
A few nights ago, just as I realized I had an unforeseen free evening ahead of me, my neighbor popped over to spontaneously invite me to a panel on teen stress at a nearby high school. I said yes. An hour later I fought back tears as a well-dressed dad pointed to a picture of his … Continue reading Tell the Truth
Gifting
"What do your kids want for Christmas?" Honestly, I have no idea how to answer that question. Unlikely they've finally taken our "Need before Want" family value to heart, but they haven't asked for much. Good thing, since we aren't buying much. Black Friday came and went with only so much as a fleeting glance at the mall; … Continue reading Gifting
Garage
“Mom, I’m okay, I wasn’t involved, but the police want you to come pick me up.” My heart races at this rush of words through the telephone. Teen and two other boys had permission to spend a summer night at another friend’s house. He has a game room and they wanted to play late into the night. Teen … Continue reading Garage
Good Enough
When I was in high school, Good Enough was good enough. We did our best - and sometimes not - and we did well. Most kids in my middle-class high school were on the College Prep track; we knew a few in the "non-College Prep" classes, and we understood they struggled; we knew a few who took Honors/AP … Continue reading Good Enough
Rituals: Cation House
Writ large on the walls of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Pablo Neruda’s words strike a chord in my soul: “I spin on the circle of wave upon wave of the sea.” My life has felt like constant spinning, waves of joy and laughter, wash of chaos and drama, waves of peaceful beauty. My parents’ lives … Continue reading Rituals: Cation House
“There are such nice people in this world…”
...says Tween, as the lady burying the Target conveyor belt with items notices our simple three items - a pack of lip balm and two shower scrubbies - and invites us to jump ahead of her in line. Of course he's right. There are such nice people in this world. This week we met fantastic doctors … Continue reading “There are such nice people in this world…”
Help. Thanks. Wow.
Anne Lamott, or as others call her, St. Anne, claims that the Essential Prayers sound this simple: Help. Thanks. Wow. I have prayed many, many words over many, many years, but I’m not sure I could come up with a prayer, petition, or praise that wouldn’t fit those three categories: help, thanks, wow. Other than … Continue reading Help. Thanks. Wow.
Let it Be
Last week God gave me a miracle of closure. Almost a year ago, a long-time friendly acquaintance, a would-be friend had we shared greater proximity in the time we've known one another, well, she threw me under the bus. She observed and entirely misunderstood an encounter I had with someone else. Instead of talking to me, she … Continue reading Let it Be