Right about now, all over America, mothers of college freshmen (and kids taking [international] “gap years,” studying abroad, or leaving for mission trips) are dampening tissues and handkerchiefs, perhaps even the pillows in their children’s bedrooms, with copious tears. If you’re one of those mothers and you’re worried about staying in touch with your kids when […]
Boy Meets World–Our 3rd and Final Labor and Delivery Story (Don’t worry; it’s funny!)
Fluid, surprisingly warm, gushed down my legs. I glanced at the porch floor where a small pond was forming between my flip flops. Here we go again, I thought. Our last labor and delivery ever. “Watch how high we can go,” my older daughter said from the swing set. The younger one squinted and slammed […]
1st Responder: How to react when the traumatized child is your own.
“In this life you will have trouble.” Man, do I believe this statement. Not simply because Jesus said the words, but because I’ve personally experienced trouble. And now that I’ve lived a half a century, time and again I’ve seen bad things happen to good people, people I love. But what if it’s your own […]
Pet Lessons from the Little Red Hen (aka, Why you should “just say no” to a[nother] pet.)
For 20 years I never slept in. Not because of kids, though. Because of pets. For two decades straight I woke up earlier than I wanted so my family could sleep in. Each morning, if I didn’t tiptoe downstairs before six or seven for doggy detail, one or both of our canines would howl—a very […]
You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby…Love (My 2017 Listen to Your Mother essay)
“Hey lady, did I yank you away from a hot date or something?” That’s what I wanted to ask the nurse-midwife when I was writhing about in childbirth with you. She was supposed to be rubbing my back, spooning ice chips into my mouth. Instead, she leaned against the wall in her periwinkle scrubs, kept […]
