Parked at a crowded curb in front of the middle school, I watch as my girls get out of the van, tie shoes, check hair in the side window, glance to see if anyone they know is nearby. I should drive away, I think. I should leave and make space for another family to unload their kids. But it's not just the parking spot. It's the admission my girls are growing up. They walk away from the minivan. … [Read more...]
Momma Bear Lets Go
There are momma bears, and then there are MOMMA BEARS. Those of us who are raising a child with a chronic illness, disability, or special need tend to fall in the second category. While not necessarily qualifying as a “helicopter parent,” we do tend to stay a little more engaged than the average mom or dad, monitoring for anything serious in the way of medical, psychological, behavioral, or social … [Read more...]
The Sacrament of Letting Go
Do you ever throw yourself a pity party? You know, one of those parties where you’re the only one who shows up? When you’re all by yourself, down in the dumps, knowing absolutely no one can possibly relate to your life situation? I had a day like that last Sunday. Feeling sorry for myself is easy on gloomy days when I can’t get to church for the 5th week in a row because my son Joel, who has … [Read more...]
When Cancer Comes Calling
An uninvited guest showed up at my door ten weeks ago. Its name? Endometrial cancer. Every time I sit down to write about this unwelcome guest my brain turns to cotton candy, words get stuck in the gummy mess, and a blinking cursor on the computer screen sings nah-nah-nah-nah-nah. My brain may feel like cotton candy, but at the soul level substantial work is … [Read more...]
Transformation on the Trail
Sunlight streams golden through beech and maple canopy. We walk, three of us, mother, father, son, through a cathedral of light. Leaf mold tickles the nostrils, leaves crunch underfoot, and above us, sycamore leaves applaud the day. A wild flutter erupts in my chest as thousands of grackles take flight, flash purple and black against a patchwork of blue sky. Taste of smoke sits on the tongue, … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Press Through Your Biggest Parenting Fear
True Confessions: I don't follow the news. Maybe it's because I get enough news from my daughters' teachers, doctors, and therapists. Maybe because I'd rather read a novel or stare at a wall with the 10 minutes of free time I have during the day. Or maybe it's because I know I'll find stories like the one last weekend. Ones that fracture the heart of a mom raising a child with mental … [Read more...]