News — love
Just Why?
"Just why?" That was my first thought when I walked in to brush my teeth and found a broken clip sitting on our bathroom counter. WHY doesn't Brad just throw things like this away? Why does he leave it sitting on the counter where I will inevitably be the one to deal with it…. I'm so glad I had to finish brushing my teeth before I reacted; my mouth occupied, so the first thought couldn't pop out. I can just throw it away. The clip is the leftover trash from a weekend project—a project my sweet man...
How to Shut Up Your Inner Critic so Your Daughter Will Know How
"I'm not good at that." It started with small, little snippets of self-doubt. I should have noticed. I should have stopped it sooner. I'm her mother, after all….unfortunately, I'm also really gifted in the art of negative self-talk. Maybe I missed it because what should have been a red flag has been given a space on my shelf, a narrative I frequently read and accept as normal. It took flares of anger, where self-hate spewed out of my sweet girl like a volcano I assumed was dormant. I was shocked. I argued back--NOTHING you are saying about yourself is...
Awkward, Secret Love Dance
A wise friend once told me: "everybody's plate is full. Some people just have smaller plates." This week our plates feel like they are spilling over. I could list everything; it would shock and overwhelm some people, while others would say, "oh, you should hear MY week…." it isn't a contest, so I will say: whatever size our family plate may be, it doesn't feel like it's quite big enough for our yeses this week. The tipping point is that after 15 years, we are redoing Asher's room. *Psychologically prepare for a blog on the horizon that will...
Rethinking Worry: What if it's a Spiritual Gift?
I'm not one to worry or overthink things. Can I be honest? Is it safe to share raw truth? I can be kind of critical of people who are. If you are in my days and minutes, and you are a worrier, you probably aren't shocked at this confession. I've rolled my eyes at you, and I've made jokes. They aren't mean; they are trying to be funny, but also... I don't have a lot of patience with worry. A couple of years ago, we adopted the world's perfect dog. He is so sweet and gentle. His one problem is...