It happened when I least expected it. My son Patrick was in 7th grade and restless, looking for something in his life. One day he picked up an old practice bass of my husband’s. I remember hearing those first tentative plunks from our basement, having no idea they sounded a new chapter, not only […]
Some parents can’t wait for their kids to move out. Others talk nostalgically about the patter of little feet or living with exciting, high-drama teenagers. Me? I wouldn’t know. I still have my twenty-something sons living under my roof. And although I know this situation’s temporary, here are 5 things I’ve grown to love… They’ve […]
Ever have something you’re expected to do, but never like? As a wife of 35 years, I’ve resigned myself to bed making, vacuuming and dusting. I get almost Zen-like about folding laundry and emptying wastebaskets. But cooking? It pushes me to my limit for these 5 reasons… Cooking comes at my tired time of day. […]
I had lunch with my mother recently. We laughed. We kvetched. We became teary-eyed over my recently-deceased father. We lamented over the world’s problems. I couldn’t help realizing what a great mother she’s been all my life. And that got me thinking. What makes a great mother? What are those special qualities? Is love enough? […]
Wait. I’ve been a Mom almost twenty five years? How did that happen? One moment my boys are sipping juice boxes. The next they’re playing Beer Pong in the basement. Some things I expected like that maternal tug when I see my little boys now grown men with lots of facial hair. But here are six things I […]
The other day my 24-year-old son Patrick invited me to watch a video featuring a band he had played with at a recent gig. When finished, my first response (part mother, part honest) was, “They’re good, but your band’s better.” My son gave me a disappointed look. “We’re not about who is better, Mom. […]
It’s nice to be in a family of musicians. I never know when an impromptu concert will start. Lately it’s been in the mornings when Patrick, my oldest, is making breakfast before heading out for work. Usually while the coffee’s brewing or the egg’s frying, he’ll grab his acoustic and start noodling around. The air fills […]
I swallow hard, trying to work up courage. My car sits in the garage and I take the passenger seat, feeling like I’m climbing onto an unsafe carnival ride. I look to my seventeen year-old son who’s driving and make sure my seat belt’s fastened. “Okay, let’s go,” I say, trying to sound chipper. Patrick […]
I have an idea for a new reality show like Survivor. It’s called Motherhood. In this show, the contestant must spend one week alone in a home with two children. There can be no school, babysitters, or help of any kind. The contestant must provide food, clothing, baths, sleep, and entertainment twenty-four hours a day for […]
