Another typical evening at the Gard household. Everyone going off in different directions. And so it was immediately upon finishing supper that we all left home together, half of us going in one direction and half in the other. As my regular Thursday evening activity was cancelled, I was given the rare and exquisite privilege …
I wrote the following in response to my son relaying a few comments made to him this past week on the school bus. The comments were very subtle, and seemingly innocent. In fact, my son excused the comments as his friends “just being mean.” But I beg to differ. I think these comments are malicious, …
It’s been an interesting, eventful, exhausting day. I woke this morning, and about an hour and a half into my day, I actually thought to myself, “This could make for one funny blog this evening.” Stress on the could. There are some days when it is even a stretch for me to find the funny …
I had a conversation the other day with a friend on the subject of, among other things, how absolutely fantastic and wonderful my children indeed are. She said it first. And yes, you read that right- I, the mother that tells it all, just like it is, agreed that my children were amazing little individuals. …
My children have been gifted. Gifted with family who value faith, honesty, respect, education and co-operative learning; hard work, effort, diversity, honor and humor. Among other positive qualities. All which serve to instil within our offspring an appreciation for integrity and a value for a high standard of living. We work hard as parents to …
Who I am is enough. For now. And I say this first and foremost. The rest will follow as it may. I am under the table wiping up crumbs. While I clean, I talk to Husband, who is wiping counters. I talk about my troubles with Daughter Number One. She has been extraordinarily moody of …
Not quite sure how to feel about a twelve-year old son who now reads the Globe and Mail on his i-pod. I am thinking that I need to daily start reading the newspaper just to keep up with his brilliant mind. I don’t want it to come to the place where his mother knows less …
The journey to peace comes by way of blessings. Counting blessings. Those little and big reminders given to us so that we can remember this: life is good. That life is more than good- it is stellar. Even in the moments we oft would erase. For those moments build character and endurance. They make us …
As I pen words, it is a dreary, soaking-wet, rain-drenched evening outside my sitting room window. We are all drying ourselves out after a torrential down-pour just moments ago, occurring just as we made a run for it from the van to the front steps. This onslaught also occurring after we all had walked through …
I am in my closet, hiding from the child crying on the other side of the bedroom door. Instead of telling her to go away and allow me a moment’s peace whilst I stand here in my birthday suit, I ask her what (in the name of tarnation) is wrong. She informs me that her …
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 …
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. …