I probably should call it the “parent alarm,” since I know plenty of dads who have it too (I’ve been married to two of them). It comes as a free gift with the arrival of your first child, it’s always turned on and it works at any distance, and you don’t even realize it’s been installed until the first time it goes off. After nearly 25 years, mine is still functioning quite well. I spent […]
Tag: family
Husband and wife…and wife…and wife…and wife…
This is turning out to be Polygamy Week around here, what with two book reviews related to the topic (one posted on Monday, the other will be up tomorrow) – and two books with common themes read in near-succession tend to get me thinking. In a review of yet another novel about polygamy, Natasha of Maw Books Blog asked the question, “Should polygamy be legal?” and wondered if the answer might be less obvious than […]
It’s just not a good time, baby
Do you ever get the feeling you’ve walked right into the middle of something? It was one of those dreams that was so vivid it was hard to shake off, and I’m still thinking about it. I realize that for some people it would be a wonderful dream, and one they really hope will be fulfilled. For me, it was definitely one that I’m glad was just a dream, and one I have no desire […]
Bad mothers, good mothers, and mothers who think about motherhood
If you would have asked me at 18, I would never have predicted that by the time I was 45, I would have been a mother for over half my life. My son will be 25 this summer, and I’ve lived more of my life with him in it than without – I can’t imagine it otherwise, even if I try. There have been changes in our relationship as he’s grown, of course, and he […]
Twelve Things on Thursday: Disneyland Dozen
As I mentioned several times recently, I spent the weekend of my birthday at Disneyland. This year, Disney’s parks are featuring the theme “Celebrate Today,” and encouraging visitors to come there for their special occasions. One incentive they’re offering is free admission on your birthday, which is what prompted the whole idea to go there. My birthday’s falling on a Sunday, and the fact that the kids had no school the next day due to […]
He’s turning 80 and that’s no lie
My sister’s writing is more creative than mine, and she enjoys crafting comic poetry. She always composes the invitations for her sons’ birthday parties, and this year, she came up with one for their grandfather, who had a special party of his own yesterday: Eddie’s birthday has arrived How thrilled we are that he’s alive. He’s turning eighty and that’s no lie. He still likes to eat his cherry pie. He wants you to come […]
From The I-Don’t-Get-It Files: Eight is more than enough
Last week, a Southern California woman gave birth to octuplets. Early news reports focused on the medical accomplishment – all of the babies were delivered healthy and seemed to be thriving, including the “surprise” eighth one (the doctors were prepared for seven) – and didn’t divulge too much personal information about the family. But people are curious, and before long details began to leak out. At this point, there’s still a fair amount of rumor […]
SVMG Book Club: Intervention, control, and “Who By Fire”
I don’t really think of myself as an interventionist. I might not always agree with what you do, and I might question you about it. I might express that disagreement to you, and chances are that I may talk about it with mutual friends as well. But unless it’s something truly dangerous to your well-being, I’m probably not going to get in your way of doing it. Despite my misgivings, I will generally give you […]
Weekend Assignment #246: Surprise!
For this weekend’s Assignment, Karen said: It’s been a mindboggling year in many ways, and not all of it has been good news. Let’s focus on the personal and the positive, shall we?Weekend Assignment #246: A strange and sometimes difficult year is drawing to a close. Tell us about something that happened this year that was a pleasant surprise for you personally.Extra Credit: Are you looking forward to the new year? This year will be […]
“…You might be a mother” of a meme
The following was originally published on the LA Moms Blog by my friend, the very funny Anna Lefler. I thought it might make a good meme, and she has graciously allowed me to turn it into one – thanks, Anna! Here’s how it will work: Copy and paste this whole thing into your blog (or an e-mail, if that’s how you roll), and add one or two of your own “you might be a mother” […]
GUEST POST: Channeling My Mother
Today is the ninth anniversary of my mother’s death. I’ve written about her and her passing here and here, but she wasn’t just my mother – she was my sister Teresa’s mother too. Teresa previously guest-posted here in June, during my road trip, and I welcome her back again today with her remembrance of Mom. ================================= I lost my mother twice. On October 8, 1999, while I was pregnant with my first child, she passed […]
On Sunday some rested, and some wondered why…
This road-trip-inspired post, which is partly a meditation on religious instruction, was originally published in a somewhat different form on the Los Angeles Moms Blog. I don’t have an official “Hump Day Hmm” going up for this week, so I thought this post could fill in for that. Bright and early on a Saturday morning in mid-June, the day after the school year ended, the five of us climbed into Mom-in-law’s SUV and headed off […]
