Motherwise Cracks

Intense and unnatural attention to laundry, vacuuming, ironing, dirty dishes, plants that need water Finally calling people on your “to call” list Avoidance behaviors toward the reminder letter from doctor’s office hanging on the fridge Compelling need to write out weekly, monthly and quarterly “to do” lists Actually watching “Must See” TV shows – avoiding [...]

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My kids have complained now and again about where we live. They say, “There is NOTHING to do here” or “This place is a dump.” I think they miss its stong suit - simplicity. For example, while other communities flaunt hot pink flamingos or those silly sun-charged patio lights, we can experience a pilgrimage without leaving the yard at Our Lady of the Dish [...]

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I stared at the $304 telephone bill in disbelief. Surely the phone company made some terrible mistake. As the heat traveled up my spine lighting a flush to my face, I rifled through the 8 pages of the bill trying to find the customer service number to correct this terrible mistake. I must have been [...]

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Dearest Children of Mine: Regardless of how off the mark you are when estimating my age, I didn’t have an educational experience that involved a one-room schoolhouse and writing on a slate. Laura Ingalls and I do not have that in common, although I did have to walk 5 miles to school in sub-zero weather [...]

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When you take the time to read with your children, introducing them to the classics through the years, you expect them to develop a love for literature. They have their own little library shelves and lovingly keep their favorites on them . Until they start collecting some inane items that make no sense to you [...]

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I bought a subscription to Sports Illustrated for my son for Christmas, completely forgetting about the famous swimsuit issue – swimsuit. That would imply there is one. How about swim bottom issue, swim string issue, swim naked, barely there issue, sex-not-swim issue? I am sorry, but I just cannot reconcile myself to the thought of [...]

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Sung to the tune of Lionel Richie’s Three Times a Lady – Thanks for the gray hairs That you’ve given me The memories are fresh in my mind And now that we’ve come To the end of our driveway There’s something I must say out loud I’ve cried once, twice Three times like a baby [...]

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“Experience is a comb which nature give us when we are bald.“ You are cordially invited to share something you have learned this week as we look back and think, “Boy, I wish I hadn’t done that” or “I am SO glad that happened.” Make sure to leave this week’s reflection as a comment. My [...]

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