Family, Life, memoir, parenthood, parenting, Photography, Photos, Writing

Memoir Inspiration: Corrie and Hayes

Great stories take us to a place we’ve never been. Maybe it’s a place we dream of going, but for whatever reason, we’re unable. The Emotion It’s like this. Remember being a kid.  If you went on a trip, imagine the excitement just before, and the classic question: “When are we leaving?” Multiply that question… Continue reading Memoir Inspiration: Corrie and Hayes

Family, Life, parenthood, parenting, Writing

The Original Easter Letter to my Daughter from 2015

This is the original post I wrote on Easter morning April 4, 2015 as a letter to my daughter. I left it mostly unedited to share again now. from April 4, 2015 Dear Corrie, Two women talk at the park about the latest in little girls' names: Lily. Two weeks later, a woman says to… Continue reading The Original Easter Letter to my Daughter from 2015

Blogging, Grief, parenthood, parenting, Photography, Photos, Writing

Ain’t No One’s Humpty Dumpty

If you read a children's nursery rhyme, something dark crawls beneath its surface. Take Humpty Dumpty for example. He "sat on a wall." Okay, it seems simple."Humpty Dumpty had a great fall."Okay, he fell. So did Jack and Jill. "All the King's horsemen and the King's men couldn't put Humpty together again."It seems simple, right?There was nothing anyone could… Continue reading Ain’t No One’s Humpty Dumpty

Family, Life, Loss, parenthood, Photography, Photos, Writing

The Middle School Season

Corrie on the night of my school's eighth grade dance this past winter. Some seasons we long to keep going. It is like that swim you want to take in September before the climate changes.  Some seasons we want to end quickly. For five years and five months, I faced some serious tests from graduating… Continue reading The Middle School Season

Family, Loss, parenthood, parenting, Photography, Photos, Writing

Letting Go and not in the Elsa Way

The hardest part of parenthood is letting go. I am learning to let go in more ways than one. I'm not Elsa at the top of the mountain singing the joy of newfound freedom, "Let it go." As a child, I dreamed, however naively, I'd find this great love story and have my own children.… Continue reading Letting Go and not in the Elsa Way

Grief, Life, Literature, Loss, parenthood, parenting, Poetry, Writing

Lost the Kitten: A Corrie Poem by her Mom

I lost the kitten that went with the mitten. I don’t know where to find her. She played in the sun. When she was done, she came to wash the dishes as she followed my wishes to help me with the dinner. She said, “I’m the winner,” to her Papa, who ate the chips and… Continue reading Lost the Kitten: A Corrie Poem by her Mom

Art, Cook, Cooking, Family, Life, parenthood, parenting, Photography, Photos

You Will Have to Make Omelets Again

Corrie had a way of bringing out the artist in me. She had a way of opening me up when I had closed myself away from so many due to trust issues I’d developed through the years. In fact, if people wanted to see my real personality, I encouraged them to come to my classroom.… Continue reading You Will Have to Make Omelets Again

Family, Grief, Life, Loss, parenthood, parenting, Poetry, Writing

A Poem for Corrie

Writing should always have a purpose. When we're thirteen, it may only be to get those feelings out on paper with our limited knowledge of the world. Then, in some cases, thirteen-year-olds know more than my preteen self. I am so thankful to those who've reached out in person, on Facebook, and from the Twitter… Continue reading A Poem for Corrie

Death, Family, Grief, Life, Loss, parenthood, parenting, Photography, Photos

Mommy, I Need to Water the Flowers

The work ahead of my family seems heavier than a load anyone wants to lift.It's a load my students this year would say, "This is too much work." It's the type of work previous students would say, "You doin' too much." Sometimes I think my past traumatic experiences are taken lightly. But, those ordeals made it… Continue reading Mommy, I Need to Water the Flowers

Death, Family, Grief, parenthood, parenting, Writing

Life after Her Death

There is a sense you have nothing to lose after a major life catastrophe. I have previously written about having a purpose to write.  Life experience has offered some funny situations  about which I’ve written and more serious events.  I thought there would be just a period of relief after last school year and a… Continue reading Life after Her Death