Getting What I Want
My baby girl, fourteen months, had roseola the other week. Her fever hovered around 103 for days, and she was lethargic with very little appetite. Therefore, whenever she would rouse herself long enough to point at something she thought looked
The Creek Bank of Life
Last Sunday, I took my middle daughter, almost four, to the creek near our house to look for arrowheads and fossils. We always make our girls wear water shoes in the creek, so they don’t cut their feet on the
My Rainbow Baby
On May 21, 2017, my three-year-old became my middle child. She has been an incredible big sister—never once showing jealousy toward our new arrival—but recently this transition has revealed itself in other ways. For 2.5 years, we have known our three-year-old
The Snail Shell of the Soul
I heard a thunk and returned to the kitchen. My two eldest daughters stood at the patio door and stared down at a female cardinal outside on its back. Its large, orange beak opened and closed as snow flurries clung
Humans of Tennessee
Three years ago, almost to the day, I purchased two tickets to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but my husband ended up needing brain surgery instead. I remember being on the phone for hours, trying to get our tickets reimbursed, like
Enjoy Them While They’re Young
On Saturday, my husband and I left our house a mess and took the girls to the fall festival in town. The cool breeze stripped a few leaves off the trees and sent them scuttling down the sidewalk as we
The Beginning, Again
On Tuesday, at the coffee shop, I noticed a young mom and dad sitting across from each other. The mom scarfed down a sandwich while glancing at the car seat on the table as if the newborn could escape. I loved
The Story’s in the Growth
This week, I went for my daily walk and saw my husband had pulled a chair over to our creek. It moved me to picture my better half, of almost nine years, sitting there and being still. With my three-month-old
Choosing People Over My Phone. Won’t You Join Me?
I sat on a chair facing the front windows of the coffee shop, which is always a hazardous position, since I tend to people-watch rather than write. And, sure enough, within five minutes I was studying the mother and daughter
Babymoon or Bust
I really wanted to go camping for our last-minute babymoon. I planned on packing a blow-up mattress and rolling around in the tent like a walrus until I got comfortable, but then the weather channel showed rain and a high