Tag: parenting
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Marriage: When Everything Feels Hard
Chad and I have been married for eleven years. There have been easy years and there have been hard ones. There have been years with many changes, losses, or achievements. There have been years that were more ordinary, our time filled with work and weekends together and household chores. Some years look very much like…
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Where’s the Pause Button?
I could have used a Pause button so many times this year. It’s been a hard one so far. There have been many moments where my brain can’t think of anything except, “Stop!” Stop the hospital visits. Stop the cancer. Stop the fear and anxiety and grief. Stop the contagion. Stop the kids growing up.…
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Baby Prayers
I opened my eyes and about six inches in front of me was my little five-month-old girl, resting on her side, eyes closed, mouth slightly open as she gently breathed in and out. Both her arms were outstretched in front of her, her little hands folded onto each other. It looked like she was saying…
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Parenting in a Pandemic
Day 41 of our shelter-at-home was a rough one. Honestly, every day at home with two babies under the age of two has its hard moments. That particular day felt hard overall, moment to moment. Even in the good moments, when the kids were behaving and being adorable, a part of me was still struggling.…
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Marriage: An Exercise in Sustaining
This weekend, Chad and I are celebrating ten years of marriage. Ten years. I don’t take that for granted. I know the last ten years of my life (fourteen including our dating years) have been so much sweeter, richer, and fuller because I’ve had Chad by my side. I don’t doubt that for one second.…
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Our First Conversation
In August, a slimy, wiggling baby was placed on my chest as my husband stood beside me, a look of wonder and pride in his eyes. I had labored for seven hours — not that long for a first-time mom — but then, all of a sudden, here he was, our baby, alive in the…
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Marriage: An Exercise in Care
Chad and I have been married for nine years. Those nine years have been marked by different events and milestones, every year bringing something new. I hope it is always like that: that our marriage is an adventure that continually requires faith and commitment and growth. Some years, we started new jobs or new businesses;…
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Parenting: Pets & People
Last week, we had to take Olive Oil to the vet to have her teeth cleaned. This was the second time in two weeks that we had to take her to the vet, and since she has anxiety, it’s a big deal. Taking her to the vet, or anywhere for that matter, is an ordeal,…
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To the Moms in My Life, From Your Friend Without Kids
Chad and I have been married for almost six years. Many, if not most, couples who plan to have children would have already started by now, but the truth is we love being just us. And we will probably have kids in the future, but we’re in no rush for the most part. But we…
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{pretty, happy, funny, real}
~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~ {pretty} My husband is in the wine and liquor industry and so he gets some great perks, like VIP tickets to an annual polo match at Liberty State Park. We went last year too, but this year we were included in the “trade” section, which…
jamie y. watkins 