Giving New Meaning to Parenting

When my older son was 11 months old, friends of ours volunteered to watch him for 24 hours so we could get away.  We drove from our home in MA to Freeport Maine with lots of plans of what we would do.  As soon as we reached our quiet hotel room, though with a nice [...]

Even when I have time off, I seem to bring my kids with me. Yesterday, I escaped from home for a few hours to get my hair colored. It is about my only indulgence and one of the few times I get to be on my own without kids in tow. While talking [...]

Sometimes I wonder whether my working full time will have had an impact on the amount of time that my children will remember having spent with me. Being one of those overachieving parents, I am often too hard on myself about whether I am reaching my parenting goals.
Then there are those times that remind [...]

GNMParents has joined hundreds of sites across the web in turning purple in support of Maddie Spohr and her grieving family.  I am not qualified to write about this lovely little sprite.  Her parents, Heather and Mike, remember and celebrate her life with such Grace that they redefine the very word.
Maddie’s death has rallied parents [...]

From the earliest time I can remember, I wanted to be a scientist or an engineer.  Ages 5 to 13, I wanted to be a Veterinarian (like many young girls, I am told), but eventually decided that the emotional toll of not being able to save animals would be too high a price to pay [...]

My husband has been away, taking care of a relative having surgery, now for over a week.  The kiddos are now 13 and 10, so this is certainly less stressful than when they were toddlers.   We’re eating less fancy meals than when my husband’s home, but other than that, the routine is still pretty [...]

Our kids are 21 and 17.  Grown up.  Almost.  Our 21-year-old son still lives at home and attends a local university, and our 17-year-old daughter is a senior in high school.  Last week, I wrote about letting go of them, because we know that in another year they will both be gone [...]

“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in an clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness.”
~Mahatma Gandhi

I walk into one room, where the girl breathes thickly, warmed beneath a blanket crafted in love. Face turned, hands clasped, hair spread and knotted, she is [...]

I am old and sheltered. Other people have been listening to U2 for years. In fact, they are old. But I didn’t listen to a whole song until this year. And I know, some people find them profound, others find them pretentious. But that’s not the point of this post.
A new friend gave me a [...]

I spend a lot of my childhood on the outside. Outside of my friends, my family and sometimes, outside myself. The only time I really felt like I was inside something worthy was when I was buried in a book. Or? At Nana’s house.
Some of you know a little about that lost girl, from [...]