Uncategorized

  • Number Line

    When I was seven or so, we worked with number lines in school, and I remember loving the fluidity of those lines rising above the order and rigidity of the numbers and tick marks at the bottom. I wouldn’t have used those words then, of course. At the time, I would have just said those…

  • Just Show Up

    As I read stories from Kara and Jill about people who Just Show Up on the Mundane Faithfulness blog (http://www.mundanefaithfulness.com/home/2015/10/1/grace-dress-take-two-guest-post-by-jill-buteyn), I couldn’t help but think of my friend who has shown up for me for over twenty years. She has known me through all of the phases and stages, and continually supports and loves me…

  • Coach

    It was a perfect Fall morning with bright blue skies, and our team’s cross country coach was zipping back and forth on the course, covering checkpoint after checkpoint. We’ve seen him do this many times before in our years as xc parents. He darts from one part of the course to the next, and offers…

  • A Wake

    When I was a kid, my Dad was always going to wakes. With a stressful day job, three-and-then-four baby girls at home, two sick parents, and an overall busy life, he would frequently drive an hour to attend a wake for five minutes and then drive home. I never understood all of the effort, until…

  • Breathe

    I have a love-hate relationship with my phone. When my daughter was called into the dentist this morning , I did what 98% of us probably do when we’re waiting, or find ourselves with a stretch of free time…I picked up my phone and started scrolling through text messages, emails, facebook, and I was immediately…

  • Adopted

    my dog is adopted she had a whole life before this and she used to shake and shudder and not eat and not walk in those early days with us then she barked at passers-by apparently concerned about her safety or mine and I couldn’t understand it because I knew she was safe but she…

  • More grocery store wisdom

    “I really like your hair,” said Beth, the woman working the grocery checkout, and I did not know what to say. All Summer long (truthfully, all life long), my hair has been my nemesis.  I’ve bought products, scoured hair-care websites using the search terms ‘frizz’, ‘curly’ and ‘help’.  I’ve ‘plomped’, deep-conditioned, dried with a t-shirt,…

  • Renovation

    We made our way to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC with little expectation, other than seeing a really pretty place while exploring the city on our quick family getaway.   As we approached, I found myself awed by this old and holy place nestled within a city that is all about newness, power, money, and prestige.…

  • Dr. Who Chicken and the Good Tomatoes

    Last Summer, we spent much of the precious daughter-home-from-camp-weekend time binge watching multiple seasons of Dr. Who.   At the same time, we discovered how delicious chicken thighs were when cooked on the grill, and we grilled many, many pounds of them with piles of red peppers, zucchini, Vidalia onion, and eggplant. These were perfect dinners,…

  • Be Still

    I sat down with my cheese, crackers, nectarine and recorded episode of Real Housewives of NYC yesterday to enjoy a little quiet time after a busy morning when I heard my dog barking outside. She is a fiercely protective, twenty-two pound beagle mix, and she vigorously defends me from everyone who walks down my street.…