Leaving for Foster

I didn't have to do anything except gather the plastic bags full of his shirts and pants and socks and underwear and shoes. Bags with books and teddy bears. All he had. I stood in the room with others, including his foster Mom. We just waited watching him weep. Watching a child's heart break. He …

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

I don't post much anymore and this post is long and it's not funny but I really hope you will read it. I ask you to read it. And share it because it matters not just in Portland, not just in Oregon but throughout the U.S. My mother was a teacher before I was born. …

Profoundly Resilient

Today is Brigid's 16th birthday! It is hard to believe that just four months ago this happened: Brigid was in the back seat behind the driver. Here you can see her car door stuck to the grill of the car that hit them.   We were in the hospital for 10 days. Brigid in her …

I Got that Call

I'm typing this from Brigid's hospital room. Early Sunday morning, she was in a car going back to her friend's house from a run to McDonalds. A drunk driver blew through a 4 way stop and t-boned the car. Brigid was in the back seat on the driver's side and took the bulk of the …

Dear Katie,

For my readers who don't know Katie's story, please refer back here and here. Katie has been home for a few months and returns to school today. She is still working so hard and has come so far and her reward is a touch of normalcy, she gets to go to school half time for …

Parenting Disclosures from my Childhood

I am happy to report that three days in, the new rules at my house are still working. No one has missed the Volvo bus to school. The girls understood the situation that while I was really upset on Sunday, this is not a punishment but more a reorganization. Thank you all for your comments, …

An Open Letter to My Daughters

Dear Annie and Brigid, Your nonchalant refusal to take me up on my invitation yesterday to join me on my trip to the cemetery to take flowers to my parents was completely thoughtless, showing that you have hit new lows in self-indulgent, inconsiderate behavior. You were not only disrespectful to me, you were disrespectful to …

Shame on you Paw My Gosh

Do you follow Paw My Gosh on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest or Tumblr or whatever the hell other place there is for following things? Paw My Gosh is one of those websites with cute dog pictures and stories and videos about darling animals and the wonderful things they do. Up until last week, I …

So, What’s in Store for 2014?

Do you make New Year's Revolutions? I do, sometimes. I love the years when my resolution is to do more crossword puzzles and bam! I do it and I have stayed true to my word. Then there are the boring new year's resolutions....diet, alcohol, exercise, smoking, etc. Those are the UnHoly Quadrangle of failed New …

The Miracle of Elephant Eating

How do you eat an elephant? You know, because an elephant is really, really big and could weigh up to 12,000 lbs, so it would be really tough to plan an eating strategery. I doubt anyone would want to eat a real live elephant so let's instead ask, "how do you eat a 12,000 pound …

The Thankful List as Parenting Tool

In an effort to get my teenager to appreciate all the good in her life, I have tasked her with writing a list of 50 items she is thankful for. It is due on Thursday. And because I love lists. I'm making my list right here, you lucky pilgrim bastards. I am thankful for: 1. …

The Same Old Teenage Story aka Every Parent’s Nightmare

I remember my mom telling me about three kids in her senior class who were killed in a car accident right around graduation. I think they were hit by a train. When I was a freshman, a senior at my high school (Lake Oswego High School) was killed in a motorcycle accident. Last year, my …