They say you remember trauma more acutely than pleasure. If the memories of my first high dive experience are any indication, it’s true. My boys did not inherit my high dive angst. I was in fourth grade. No one made me do it, but it looked fun. Something akin to flying. So, in my least favorite faded-red swimsuit, I leapt to my near-death. A nanosecond after my limbs smacked the water, my head throbbed with pressure of chlorine water forced up my sinuses. I remember “rearranging” my … [Read more...]
7 Reasons I Can’t be the Umpire
Umpires for Little League seem to be in short supply around here so a couple times per seasons the parents are required to ump. Although this sounds efficient, it’s probably not the best solution—at least in my case. When it was our turn to ump, I contacted a whole list of umpires potentially available to cover parental umpire duty. They were all unavailable. In circumstances when it's more work to get out of work, I can tend to get over … [Read more...]
A Post-Mother’s Day Reflection
Super-mom forgot to supervise. Did you ever imagine motherhood would be a ride like THIS?I always wanted to be a mom. I’m just not always the mom I wanted to be. Here’s a little confession: I actually remember telling someone I wanted to be a supermom. I know… But somehow confessing, recounting, and laughing about it redeems the weirdness. The supermom I wanted to be drove a minivan. She had long hair that didn’t tangle when she drove with the windows open. She sewed adorable dresses from 4-H … [Read more...]
The Unseen Work of a Teacher
A few years ago I heard a call-in radio show honoring teachers. A Michigan man with a slight Arab accent told a story I can’t forget. In the 1970s, when he was in elementary, his family moved from Iraq to Michigan. Can. You. Imagine? One day at school his teacher had pulled down the world map at the front of the classroom and explained the rules for a geography game. The students would come in pairs to the front of the classroom and stand with their backs to the map and faces towards … [Read more...]
Are We Better When We’re Serving?
Last weekend we had the privilege of caring for two foster children ages one and two. It wasn’t our first time doing foster care, but it was our first in quite a while. Before we committed to an overnight placement, Kurt and I wanted to make sure the whole family was in. “If we are going to do this,” I said, “Then we are going to serve these little ones as a family.” Everyone agreed, but we didn’t give much thought to the implications of prioritizing others. (No, we’re not having friends … [Read more...]
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