Making Sense of the Senseless

The World seems crazy right now.  This week has been a never-ending stream of terror and loss and sadness-the Boston bombings, the Texas plant explosion, a blogger losing her special needs son too soon. I continue to be grateful that my boys are too young to understand or notice any of this.  I don’t have to figure out how to explain evil and death to them, I don’t have to assure them of their safety.  Like so many others, I’m so glad I don’t have to do that yet! But maybe it’s not the kids that need reassurance – maybe … Read more

Marbles

I am currently reading Daring Greatly by Brene Brown AND Carry on Warrior by Glennon Melton and I’m all “whoa ladies – GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”  Brene is a researcher who has built a body of work on shame and vulnerability and whose Ted Talks went viral.  Her message is to truly live a wholehearted life you have to learn to embrace your vulnerability and stop hiding it.  Glennon’s a popular blogger who uses her gift of words to encourage moms (women, people) to embrace their imperfections and live “unarmed.”  The common thread through both theses women’s writings is connection.  Both have made me turn a mirror on myself … Read more

Clickin Moms Blog Circle – Interesting Perspectives

This month’s Clickin Moms Blog Circle challenge was “interesting perspectives.” It’s kind of fitting that this is my first post in well over a week.  March was a tough month and I’ve taken the last week to focus inward and get my footing again.  I needed some time to get some “perspective.” Since having kids, I have found the best way to gain some much needed perspective is to focus on them.  To spend time just being their mom.  So I rushed home each night and consciously hugged them tighter.  I watched them more intently.  I let the overwhelming love … Read more

Fate's Funny Ways

So like I said in my previous post, I’ve been having a rough go of it recently.  Selling my parent’s house has been stressful and has sent me on an emotional rollercoaster ride.  I’ve been struggling with my grief in ways I haven’t struggled in a couple of years.  I have felt so lonely. I’ve been screaming at the universe to cut me some slack and haven’t been getting a response. Then today this comment was submitted to yesterday’s post: Hi Amanda,  Back in 2009 I think you left a comment on a post I had written on a NYT … Read more

Thirty Four

Life can be hard.  Harder than I think it should be at 34.  But maybe that is how everyone feels. I think the years are starting to show on my face.  Worry and stress and grief.  But those lines around my mouth also represent laughter.  And those crows feet around my eyes tell the tale of a life full of smiles. You have to know the dark to truly appreciate the light.  So even though my thirty fifth year of life has started off a little harder and darker than I would like, I know that bright days lie ahead. … Read more