Sipping sangria in the sunshine The shrill of a seashell played by a Japanese man A white bandana wrapped around his jet-black hair The Kokyo Taiko drums pound in the background Their rhythm climbs into my heart beats into my bloodstream   My son and husband are entranced with the symmetry of sound these [...]

  G turned to me with tears in his little eyes and blurted out,   “I don’t like it too tight. I like it just perfect.”   And then our argument was over.   I hugged him and said,   “I know. God help you, I totally know.”   Poor G had already inherited my [...]

  Sour milk and sticky apple juice fingers brushed through Baby shampoo-ed hair   Unwashed teddy bears and slightly dank blankies resting next to your warm body encased in Dreft-washed Elmo PJs   Then of course there are the aromas of belly laughs and dark, dark eyes and the eternal smiles of sleep   The [...]

  I have this horrible predicament in that I cannot live in the present or even in the past—I am constantly living in the future. I do have rare occasions when I can appreciate the moment for what it is.   My boy counting butterflies at a nature sanctuary. Flying kites with my family on [...]

  If I have to hear one more time from:   a) our contractor b) our banker c) strangers we barely know   that I should not have stopped working during a recession, I am going to die. Seriously. Stop stressing me out.   Yes, food is more expensive. Yes, gas is ridiculously expensive. Yes, [...]

  How does one dress for a Catholic school open house? When you sometimes look in the mirror and are shocked to realize you are even a mother.   So far your expertise with dressing yourself is in   first dates happy hours concerts weddings (including your own) business meetings   But never as a [...]

  My child is more advanced at networking at age three than I was at age twenty-three (hence, the nine months post-college it took ME to find a job). He also has a hefty list of goals that include:   1) Grow up and become a man so he can shave and go to work [...]