You have been my child’s teacher, and I am grateful. For a span of nearly twenty-five years, children of mine have had the privilege of being taught, nurtured, cared for, and loved by so many extraordinary teachers, men and women who have helped to form these young beings into who they are. My nearly grownContinue reading “Ode to My Child’s Teacher”
Category Archives: foster parenting
See Ya, Buttheads
It was the wax bottles, the Maryjanes, the sixlets, and the caramel bullseyes, along with a vast array of other vintage candies that held my attention until I looked to the direction of my son. We were at a downtown sweet shop, and he was engaged in conversation with a young girl who looked toContinue reading “See Ya, Buttheads”
Racing the Clouds
“I know a lot about dinosaurs. My favorite is the Velociraptor.” “Is that a big one?” I immediately regretted encouraging this boy to carry on with what was clearly going to be more information than I could…or would want to… process. We were at a birthday party, and my little son was playing ball withContinue reading “Racing the Clouds”
Sunsets and Storms
“How long do you think I’ll last? I mean, when do you think I am going to die?” Ethan’s questions still sometimes catch me a bit off guard. I am not sure I ever give him answers that satisfy or even make sense to him. I had to come up with something. “Well, Grampa isContinue reading “Sunsets and Storms”
Mirrors and Empty Containers
Maybe he didn’t intend to leave it here, but I’m happy that he did. The whole kitchen fills with the smell of good coffee, because it’s whole bean, and I have to use the grinder, which makes me appreciate the roast even more, when I already feel like I am getting away with something byContinue reading “Mirrors and Empty Containers”
Dandelions, Cranberry Sauce, and a Fairy Tale
Had I paid more attention to the dandelions, these years may have made more sense. I figured that’s just how it was going to be. So many times I have thought about how it could have been different, how I could have been a different mother, how in different circumstances the fairy tale might possiblyContinue reading “Dandelions, Cranberry Sauce, and a Fairy Tale”
True Story: A Crack in the Egg
The sun was just beginning to set as I finally made my way out into the evening, leaving the confining walls of the hospital, alone, as I had done more times than I might like to recall. Hoping, beckoning, begging, crying out that this will be the end, the catharsis, the transcendence, the awakening…the timeContinue reading “True Story: A Crack in the Egg”
Am I Good?
There’s true magic to outshine the first bloom of an orchid when, through self-study, patience, crossed fingers, and a bit of fish emulsion, buds emerge on nearly-two-years-barren stalks, only to show themselves in quiet succession with breathtaking beauty, sugar plums in shades of violet and pink, worthy of the most compelling dance of the NutcrackerContinue reading “Am I Good?”
Get Me Some Milk, You Idiot!
Pillars of light danced from the early evening waters of the lagoon, a thousand glow sticks from a summer’s festival stood mid air. The moon would rise, and the lights would fade as the sky’s darkness would give in to what had been its destiny all along. If there had been magic, still it wasContinue reading “Get Me Some Milk, You Idiot!”
Nothing Left to Give
It’s going to take some time. I hope it doesn’t take forever. I must have been in second or third grade, and she was a year or two younger than me. On the rare times that I saw her in the school hallway, I thought she looked older. Without a doubt, she was wiser. “It’sContinue reading “Nothing Left to Give”
