Motherhood begins the moment a woman opens herself to the idea of becoming a mother. Her motherhood is not measured by the size or number of her babies, nor whether she has ever held them, heard their heartbeat, or given them a name. No, a mother is made when her heart opens to the possibility…
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Names In The Sand
Continue...Have you ever written a name in the sand? This morning, on a beach far from home, I stood in the early morning light. The sun was beginning to warm the sand, gentle waves lapping at the shore. The beach was almost empty, the sea clear and calm. It was so peaceful. I took a deep…
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Getting Anxiety In Check
Continue...I recently sat in my boss’s office for my annual evaluation. I teach 4th grade, and my principal had some data pulled up on the screen in front of us. “So,” she started. “What do you think has been the biggest change this year? Something you’re proud of?” I hesitated, of course, but, luckily, I…
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Myths Of Child Loss Grief: Time Doesn’t Heal
Continue...Time doesn’t heal. It gives you space to find healing. Time can feel like a gift and a thief at the same time. It gives you the opportunity to do the work of filling in some of the gigantic hole left in your heart with peace, yet as it keeps rolling on, it can also feel…
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Dear Boy Moms: I Don’t Really Hate You, But I Do
Continue...Dear Boy Moms: You probably don’t notice, but I watch you from the corner of my eye. A mix of anger, jealousy, despair, and yearning bubbles under the surface. When our eyes happen to meet, I smile. I’m sure you think I am merely admiring your little boy as I pass by. But there’s more…
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Dads Grieve Too – And They Need Other Grieving Dads
Continue...Dads grieve too. The women in our loss community say it often and we say it with such passion. Dads grieve too. However, right after we finish that statement the discomfort settles in. A question inevitably arises: Yes, dads grieve but how do we support them in their grief? There’s a lot we, as…
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A Day In Her Shoes
Continue...First thing in the morning I check in on my children; my toddler is still asleep. Or is he? I often have to check his breathing every night because nothing is guaranteed anymore and I don’t feel immune from it happening again. The first wave of the day. I drop my kids off at school…
