It’s a struggle to let go to step back and release when I want to lean in when I want to scoop up It’s a loss the emptiness that resides in the void once inhabited by small arms wrapped around my neck It’s a challenge the balancing act the delicate art of being there while tiptoeing back It’s a sever of a limb an aching … Continue reading A Reminder of Being Whole
It was my daughter’s 4th birthday the other day. I still can’t believe it, she’s already 4! My baby, who was born what seems like maybe a month ago, has been with us for four years! It was a rough start when I was pregnant with her – coming off of a miscarriage, and losing two more babies within a couple of months. Her whole … Continue reading Balancing Gratitude Amidst Grief
She found herself unable to breathe. It had been building up for awhile but today if felt tighter. Quite uncomfortable. It was more than uncomfortable, really, she felt stifled. Sweaty. Claustrophobic. She began to unbutton. It was a slow process because the buttons were tightly secured and they barely fit through the buttonholes. It took a considerable amount of effort to free each one and, … Continue reading She Found Herself
Some people know they want kids and they’ve always known they’ve wanted kids since before they could remember. Not all of us are like that. Some of us were scared shitless about what becoming parents would entail. SHITLESS, some of us were. I’m talking colon-cleansing-from-the-stomach-flu fear of the unknown. Because the only “known” we had before kids was listening to parents complain. And hey, that’s … Continue reading I’m Parenting Young Children and THIS is Exactly What I Was Afraid of.
One of my favorite kid movies is Inside Out. The personification of the emotions in Riley’s head are adorable and – even though completely physiologically inaccurate – they are so realistically portrayed. My favorite part of the movie is when Joy figures out that Riley doesn’t just need HER, she needs Fear and Anger and Disgust and especially Sadness . . . it’s so, SO … Continue reading Inside Out and Blue and Yellow and Blue and Yellow
I distinctly remember a certain point when I was no longer fearful of childbirth. Before getting pregnant, the thought of giving birth was a little scary. More than a little scary, really. It terrified and disgusted me in equal parts. I worried about the leaking and the tearing and the pain. When I eventually got pregnant, I wasn’t as disgusted, but I was still a … Continue reading When Birthing and Dying, Discomfort Prepares Us
My mother-in-law is amazing. I hit the jackpot with this lady and I know it. As her daughter-in-law, I reap all the benefits of her being my mother – she babysits my children (all the time), she has us over for dinner (weekly) and she sends over plates of her leftover homemade Greek food (every other daily) – plus I have the added bonus of … Continue reading Yiayia and Her Love-and-Feta-Stuffed Cheese Pita
I can’t even believe this is true, but I’ve been blogging for 6 years now. SIX! I realize this type of statement is the kind of things people (like me) start to say at a certain age when time suddenly starts flying by at record speed and they can’t believe the cashier at the register didn’t even card them when they bought wine and, even … Continue reading The SECRET REASON I’ve been a half-assed blogger all of these years.
September is Suicide Awareness Month. September is a designated time for us to share stories, resources, and awareness. Over 40,000 people a year in the U.S. die from suicide. That is a horrifically high number. I don’t know how many others suffer from depression and anxiety and grief as a result of those losses, but it seems like it must be astronomical. Here are a … Continue reading Have a Loved One Who is Struggling With Depression? Here Are The 5 Ways to Best Support Them.
My daughter is an age where she is developing new skills at a rapid pace. She is putting pieces together she would have missed before. She is figuring out how to do things, which inspires her to figure out more. It’s wonderful to watch, and even better to be a part of. She’s young enough to include me in her process and her celebrations. In … Continue reading This is How Behavior Charts Will Always Be Implemented in Our House
A Morning Grouch 