I have one living grandparent, my dad’s mother. She is a treasure of a person. I remember a particular conversation we had when I was seven or eight, while she was visiting from Texas. We were out in my backyard together, talking about boys as I swung on the swingset. I asked her earnestly, “Wina,…
Tag: love
A Prayer for Your Family
Seven years ago, in my second year of teaching, I taught at a Catholic elementary school. I’m not Catholic, but French teachers are often in short supply, and I was in no position to be picky about jobs. Sometimes I was a bit uncomfortable being a Quaker inside the Catholic bubble with all the unfamiliar…
Gifts That Can’t Be Wrapped
This Christmas has been special. I am grateful for many things. Especially: The presence of my big brother – Uncle Ben – which means that all four of us “kids” were together at Christmas. This has not happened often in the last decade. Furthermore, you can’t imagine a more doting uncle. He is the first…
Poor Baby
My little daughter is sick. It was just as we predicted to her big brother, who has had a cough and runny nose for the past couple weeks: if he is constantly hovering over her, breathing into her face as he gives her long strings of kisses… SHE WILL GET SICK. So, yeah. She has…
Happiness and the Multi-multi-multi-tasking Brain
I think it’s safe to say that everyone wants to be happy. If there is such a thing as a universal goal in the context of humanity, happiness must be it, right? Keeping that in mind, it seems a bit sad that so many people still feel themselves to be in pursuit of happiness. Folks…
A Post About Beauty
I started worrying about my children back when they were zygotes. With a daughter, I have worries that are completely different from those I have for my son. Self-esteem and body image issues are some of my biggest concerns for her. She’s only seven weeks old, but already I find myself wondering how best to…
Haiku About my Kids
I am not a poet. Still, sometimes life seems a bit more manageable with a prescribed number of syllables, doesn’t it? *** Small furious boy growls and pounds the couch cushions his mind filled with NO. *** When a little guy endeavours to create art his tongue must stick out. *** Blue eyes gazing up…
Sebastian’s Tree
A year ago yesterday, on October 15th, International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, I wrote to Sebastian on Unspoken Grief. I was feeling very blue and needed to write with a bit more anonymity than usual. Looking back at what I wrote, I feel so fortunate to be where I am, one year later….
Journey to the two-child* family
After twelve days with the new girl in the house, we are settling in. Two whole, living children. As expected, it’s a rather large adjustment. Worth it in every way, of course… but large nonetheless. I guess there’s still lots I haven’t told you, starting with the big weekend o’ birthing, but finding moments to…
Dear Rainbow Baby, now that you’ve arrived
Dear, sweet Rainbow Baby A, You are finally here. Today you turned four days old. You arrived on Sunday morning, September 30th, at 10:21, after about thirteen hours of labour. It was a beautiful autumn day, and we could see spectacular orange and red trees from the hospital room. Precious girl, it was so amazing…