Did you stop writing? I have been asked this question countless times over the past several months. Aside from the surprise that anyone noticed, I silently cringe at these inquiries. Because I have no real answer. Yes? No? Maybe just […]
It’s hard to live in Minnesota in March. Already weary from the long winter, it feels so unfair to wake up to forecasts of snow, cold and rain while the rest of the country is walking on sunshine. We are […]
This morning, I read a private journal entry from one year ago. In it, I was processing (ok, venting) about a source of pain and frustration in my life. It is almost verbatim what I wrote over the weekend about […]
The moment a child is placed in your arms, your are faced with two seemingly opposing objectives: protect her from the world and prepare her for it. Its like a cosmic scale that slowly tips from protection to preparation as […]
We mark the anniversary of our son’s birth and death every year on his birthday. It’s our tradition to visit his grave to eat cake and let the kids send balloons to their brother in Heaven. Each year, I sweep the weeds […]
Our dream hobby farm wasn’t a fixer-upper per se, but it did need fixing up. The interior needed new flooring, fresh paint and a facelift on all three levels. The five acres outside required even more serious work. Most of the property was overgrown, breaking down […]
A couple of years ago I arrived home one day to find a Ninja blender on my driveway. Confused, I brought it inside and called Kohl’s to ask what happened. Apparently my account had been hacked and the perpetrator ordered […]
I take care of prisoners all the time in the Emergency Department. On any given shift I see the aftermath of jailhouse fights, skirmishes with guards, needle sticks or even shenanigans orchestrated for the sole purpose of a little field […]
It was just a silly breakout at a women’s conference. At least that is what I thought. The speaker had wrapped up her talk and issued a challenge to turn to the person beside you and share your thoughts. I […]
The mess in my children’s bedroom stopped me in my tracks. Beds unmade. A tub of legos spilled onto the floor. Stuffed animals strewn in every nook and cranny. Clean, folded clothes parked on heaps dirty laundry. Wrappers and McDonald’s toys littered […]