I reached out my arms tonight to pick my up sleeping son. Instead of waking him to walk, I’d just carry him to bed. Like countless times before. His face, wearing the same expression he would make as a sleeping toddler, crinkled in misery, eyebrows knotted. He stretched and tried
Certain moments in childhood stick out vividly and center around visceral emotions interwoven with our connection to someone. And I hold numerous memories of when my father, a fence man by trade, would appear in the door holding his hand. Then, stumbling to the sink, a splattered of red dots
My “little” boy’s carefree childhood days are numbered. I feel it. He talks now of science and PEMDAS and a burgeoning love of algebra. He wants to be an engineer. And “the best basketball player ever.” He’s been in his first playground fight. And, embarrassed, told me that he hears
It was 5:15 pm on a cold Friday in early November. I had spent about 4 hours at the kids’ school that day (2 different trips), with ever present 3 year old Juli by my side. Kevin had just arrived home from his shift with the power company. I hadn’t
She giggles and calls herself “Mama’s Backpack”, happy to hop on and tag along wherever I go. She never complains. Seldom cries. I can count on two hands the number of meltdowns she’s ever had. She’s obedient to the point that it’s humorous. And a tad frightening. Perhaps the universe
The clock on the microwave read 7:23 am. Three year old Juli, wearing bedhead and a night tee, walked up and whimpered “Somssing…hurt…me.” She tried to crawl in my lap. Then stopped. Dressed in a night shirt, I was rummaging around an overflowing laundry basket hunting pants for my 7
