This is my daughter in her happy place. The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. Two million gallons of water and 17,000 animals representing over 750 species. Turtles, eels, a giant Pacific octopus, stingrays, puffins and blue poison dart frogs. She loves them all. She can tell you all about the feeding habits of the shark, … Continue reading I Hope She Finds Peace

My 17-year-old daughter and I have spent every weekend for the past month shopping for a dress for her high school junior prom. She is, at heart, a sweatshirts and jeans sort of young woman. So, as you can imagine, these forays into every local store and nearby mall have not been the highlight of … Continue reading The Epitome Of Bold

We just took our youngest child, our only daughter, on her first college tour. But this is not my first rodeo. I went through this process with my son a couple of years ago. I know what to expect. Except apparently I didn’t really know what to expect. I didn’t expect things to feel so … Continue reading The Enormity Of This Moment

When my son was in third grade he was given an assignment to create a “Timeline of My Life.” He had to choose five important events from his young life to put on that timeline, the first of which had to be a picture of his birth, and the last a photo from that year, … Continue reading The Timeline Of My Life

I came into the kitchen early this morning and discovered a mess. Crumbs on the countertop that were not there when I left this room, tidy and freshly Windexed, late last evening. To be honest, any other morning I probably would have overlooked that small pile. I would have recognized just how trivial and insignificant … Continue reading Calling For A Ceasefire In My Marriage

Recently I was going through a pile of old papers in an effort to “tidy up,” and I came across a tattered page from my son’s feeding log. This page was almost twenty years old, but seeing it still felt like a punch to my stomach. Born six weeks early after a harrowing pregnancy, our … Continue reading Failure To Thrive

I’m sure by now you’re familiar with the name Katelyn Ohashi. Or if you don’t know her name you’d probably recognize her face. Katelyn is the college gymnast and two-time viral sensation who wowed millions this past weekend with her jaw-dropping, perfect 10 floor routine. You might even be familiar with Katelyn’s story. Once an … Continue reading Katelyn Ohashi Helped Me Find My Voice

Today I “accompanied” my son to the pediatrician for his annual check up. I did not “take” him to the pediatrician because my son drove us there, he filled out the required paperwork, he presented his own health insurance card. This child of mine is almost 20 years old. I simply came along to keep … Continue reading Thank You To Our Pediatricians

My son sent me this Snapchat from college, and when I first saw it I giggled to myself. So typical of his self-deprecating sense of humor, I guessed my son was poking fun at this singular solitary moment. I know he has friends at college. I know his day is filled with the bustle of … Continue reading I’ll Never Stop Worrying

I purchased this tree 15 years ago when we moved into our first home. It traveled with us when we eventually moved into our current home. The tree now stands in our chilly front hallway, in an inglorious spot next to the closet door. It’s never thrived. I’ve cut away many yellow and wilting leaves … Continue reading Create Something Beautiful