It's been a small handful of days since Christmas.  There are still piles of things to put away, and cardboard boxes to haul to the trash.  I haven't taken down the Christmas tree.  My husband hasn't packed away the train set.  My children haven't yet played with every one of their new toys.  Amidst the continued enjoyment of the season, I've recalled with tenderness a few of my favorite moments — replaying sweet conversations over and over again.  

This year Thanksgiving fell on the first day of Chanukah.  Of all the joyous holiday posts on facebook that day, one in particular made me smile most of all; Ross wrote, "Gobble-Tov."

Ironically, our family wasn't even celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, we were decking the halls with boughs of holly for a post-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving with extended family the following day.  We combined two holidays of our own and christened the day "ThanksMas" or maybe "Christ...

It's been a long day... week... month... start of the school year... five years.  Truly.  Going to three boys (five years ago) sent me for a loop, a loop that's still left me whirling.  

There's this thing now that feels like anger.  Before I had children I don't remember ever being truly angry.  O, wait, there was the once when I was about 7, and my brother told me to "shut-up".  I got so angry I swatted at him like an uncoordinated schoolgir...

Sweet-pea Scented Difficult Days

Hormones swinging out, then chase right back in;

Each baby brings with him this offering.

Emotions climb up high, then calm back down,

Our newborn cries, we nurse, but dare not drown.

Today is September 11th, 2013.  I have been married exactly 12 years, 1 month, and 7 days,  and yet I remember September 11th, 2001 as a newlywed, just like it was yesterday.  We all do.  Everyone remembers.  Every one of us can recall where we were, what we were doing, whom we were with, the day such terror shook our nation, reducing the mighty twin towers to a rubble of twisted metal and dust.  We recall the images that flashed, one by one, burying a tender pie...

It's been a couple if weeks since my last blog entry — ironically, my last post was focused on the generous encouragement I received from three lovely friends.  For you see, I've been down lately.  Too down to write through it.  And this down hasn't been a recent falling, and scrapping of the knee.  When I look over the last couple of years blogging here, I see many posts tagged away into a file called "The Hard Days."  It's embarrassing how many of ...