It all started with hearing mom say no to baby and then watching as that precious little soul reflexively did the very thing, whatever it was, that he was instructed not to do. Maybe he looked up and grinned and it became a game. Perhaps she ran full tilt in the opposite direction, all the …
Judge Yourselves
Amelia asked me to write about her and Thomas today. It’s easy to do. At three and four, they supply a rich treasure trove of material from Lolly’s perspective. I delight in seeing them grow and learn and I am grateful for the teachable moments afforded by their visits. I see Amelia watching intently as …
It’s Your Choice
“I was thinking I’d blacken some mahi for dinner,” I told my husband. I’d spent the morning with our son’s family while he played tournament golf with our son. I hadn’t realized that their lunch was provided and had been served after their round ended, only an hour or so earlier. He certainly wouldn’t want …
Where Are You?
“Want to play hide and seek, Thomas?” asked Amelia as she propped her forehead on her hands against the stone column on the front porch. “Yes,” he answered, striding over to take her exact posture on the opposite side of the same column as she began to count. The moms and I looked at each …
Is That Legal?
I saw hundreds of posts during the power outages following Helene reminding drivers that to properly navigate malfunctioning traffic lights, follow the rules for a four way stop. I live in a comparatively small city but some of our major intersections where six or eight lanes converge reminded me of playing Frogger on the original …
No More Wasted Time
When our kids aren’t sleeping or eating appropriately, we look at what’s going on in the moment to try and find a reason. The problem, however, most likely stems from something further back than we tend to look. Maybe they were exposed to a germ last week that has been working against their little systems. …
Whatever You Want
Ophelia Rose was my daughter’s cat. Crating her was always tricky but she traveled well. She went on many vacations with our family, but she did not love the vet. When I opened the door to the veterinary office, her weight shifted to the rear of her crate and she would start hissing. They managed …
Moves and Countermoves
Two has arrived in full force for my daughter and her husband. Their son has discovered his voice and along with it, his autonomy. My husband looked across the table in the restaurant, saying, “Please don’t stand up in your chair. I don’t want you to fall.” His reply? In his sternest voice, “Poppy, don’t …
Dirt Dauber
Amelia loves to play in the mulch. When her mommy and daddy put new mulch in the flower bed by their front door, instead of playing on her play mat with her toys, she would crawl over to the edge of the grass and start pulling the mulch out of the bed. When our new …
Dangerous Trap
Jesus asked a stirring question in the context of private conversation with his closest friends about identity and purpose. Is anything worth more than a soul? “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” Matthew 16:26 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.16.26.NLT Weigh anything …
A Fitting Reply 