While the birds and bees are busy buzzing around the countryside reminding us all of springtime flings hither and yon, I am drawn to listen carefully to conversations about kissing and puberty and other such exciting topics for mothers to eavesdrop in on. Nature is not the only expression of growing up and falling in …
A half year ago, we bought tickets to attend the Prince County Exhibition. As part of the tour of the grounds, our family went inside the small animal’s barn. We all looked into each pen, yelling with shrieks of delight over each new exhibit. The kids called out excited exclamations to each other when a …
My students are all colouring pictures of teddy bears which they have all coincidentally named after themselves. I am standing in front of them trying to re-cap a lesson we have just finished on healthy living. A visit by two public health nurses, one teddy bear clinic and seven booklets of information later, we are …
Another day, another inner struggle to find joy amidst the rubble of the stuff from which we build our stories . Stories that tell of who we are. What we are. What we want to become. My story: I want to find joy, and oft I have tried to claim it. I have even chosen …
I wake up before 6:00 a.m. to a child stealing my pillow and a husband snoring. Happy Mother’s Day, 2012. I crawl out of bed to ready for the day of festivities…birthday present openings and birthday breakfast for the ten-year old, phone calls, church, dinner out, visits with family, church again, lesson planning for tomorrow, …
Sadly, our little puppy, Lucky, was hit and killed on the road this afternoon. I never realized one could feel pain so deeply for a pet, but I have seen evidence of such tonight. We are grieving, each in our own way. It was a difficult day anyway. I left the house earlier than usual …
Not long ago, a friend mailed me a letter that contained two sheets of paper. On one sheet, was an article titled The Meanest Mother in the World, and on the other was the letter writer’s note to me which can be summarized with this one sentence: “Nice to know that being ‘mean’ is not …
The Top Ten Highlights of My Monday (in no order of importance…) 1.) Getting up only 10 minutes late in spite of the fact that Husband forgot to set the alarm. 2.) Finishing half of my cold toast and carrying in the other half to school (to hopefully finish at recess) concealed inside an empty …
I am standing in the entryway hanging up a coat that is covered in dog hair. We started installing the wireless dog fencing system this afternoon, and poor little Lucky is now in her happy place. Her kennel. I must say, I have enjoyed her more since she started training than I ever did before. …
My “adopted” mother was an elegant woman with immaculate nails and gorgeous ebony skin. She and her father lived in a neighborhood on the far side of town where they owned a little piece of land that boasted lush flower gardens and a bountiful vegetable garden. I came to live with Alice when I was …
Dripping down my entryway wall, there is what appears to be a melted Revello ice cream bar and it is forming a pool of white and brown goo on the floor directly beneath this rivulet. I have just come in the door from a full day of meetings, and as I take off my shoes, …
The piano is a baby grand. It stands majestic at center stage, ready for young pianists to strike its ivory keys. An intimidating creature, its presence dominates and casts a spell interchangeably. We take our seat in the church pews after the second class finishes. We wait. Fortunately, we have arrived in time to hear …