“Can I say a bad word?” At least he asked permission. “If you really have to, go in the bathroom and yell it into the toilet,” I offered tentatively, still trying to get a handle on this fine art of parenting. “What the hell….” I heard a soft, almost apologetic version of this “bad word.”Continue reading “Sitting on a Phone Book”
Tag Archives: hope
Asparagus
He had spun me from what was left of my childhood, turning me toward the rich path of motherhood by his very existence. I made acquaintance with his wise, deep eyes and soft, wild hair. Together, we tried to figure out what to do. It’s hard to make sense of things, to make them allContinue reading “Asparagus”
Tie Me to a Tree
The six year old practices every bad word he knows in one long stream, shot directly at my quiet request to put on fresh underwear. Three days seems a little long for the same pair of boxers…even during e-learning. “Home is their haven.” These were words that I shared more than once or twice overContinue reading “Tie Me to a Tree”
The Secret Room
Once, I cried at a baseball game. It was dark, so no one probably even knew. By some sort of twist in the interpretation of a rule…or something…the very reliable little league pitcher for Aaron’s team had to be pulled from the game. Though the details elude me, I remember that much was on theContinue reading “The Secret Room”
New Garbage
She remembered things differently from what I could recall. Seasoned in some ways, I couldn’t see what was right in front of me. Despite our proximity, there was a lot in the way. Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. –JoshuaContinue reading “New Garbage”
A Little Toast to Hope
Yesterday, I was having a good day, which really wouldn’t seem extraordinary except there just haven’t been a whole lot of them lately. A year ago, I had just lost 22 pounds. My hip didn’t hurt anymore, and I was a little closer to keeping up with the boys. All of the big kids wereContinue reading “A Little Toast to Hope”
Dearth
“Mom, why is your garden really empty right now?” The words of my five-year-old came from a place of curiosity. The corn stalks that had poked skyward for many months had been cut. Lemon cucumbers no longer hung along the fence posts like bright lamps strung for a party. He had noticed. He wondered: why?Continue reading “Dearth”
Eyes
If our eyes are windows to our souls, the other features certainly help with interpretation. The thoughts are higher, bigger, and more pervasive. There are questions in everything. Our world is different. For some, it’s really the only world they know. A quandary in the world of child welfare is the often dumbfounding loyalty fromContinue reading “Eyes”
Fostering Words: Love Isn’t Enough, But At Least It’s Something
As a fresh spring chicken of a foster parent, I was given by one of my dearest friends a candy-pink shirt with the words, “Love is Not Enough” boldly stated for all to see. This puzzled me just a bit. “Hmm…we’ll see”, I thought to myself, as I wore it with pride. That was aboutContinue reading “Fostering Words: Love Isn’t Enough, But At Least It’s Something”
The Long Winter
On most nights before the boys go to sleep, we have been reading the Little House books for close to a year now. I love the stories of honesty and simplicity, of struggle and triumph, of bravery and tenacity. Here at the farm, we love tapping our maple trees, picking dandelions and Queen Anne’s laceContinue reading “The Long Winter”
