• I finally got to use the gift certificate Rosina gave me for my birthday. We did some paint pouring! Robin and Christina were less than thrilled about going, but there’s something about splashing paint around that lifts one’s spirits. They’ll never admit it, but they had fun.

    September 8
  • I spent a lot of time talking to people today, which is not one of my favorite things. I had lunch with someone from church, caught up with Siggi, and then spent time with friends from cheer. I think I made more cheer friends than Robin. And I’m glad!

    September 7
  • I finished reading the Frederick Douglass book. I am learning so much, and I am so grateful. My mind is full of new ideas, things that contradict the things I previously thought were true. I want to read more. Who knew that one day at Fort Sumter would lead to this? That one day changed…

    September 6
  • The rain has been endless! I think I read that we’ve had something like more than 5.5 inches of rain in two days. Roads are flooded… poor Billy has had to hold practices in the rain. Meanwhile, the search is on for a tree guy.

    September 5
  • My boy doesn’t like storms, and it stormed all day today. It stormed this morning before we woke up, and a branch from the tree my neighbor warned me about fell through the roof of her pergola. It absolutely destroyed me. I cried for half an hour. I couldn’t even bring myself to go over…

    September 4
  • My mind is fighting with itself over unanswerable questions. I am at odds between what is in my heart and what is right. Who knew that one day at Fort Sumter would lead to this kind of inner conflict? I’ve gone from Ken Burns to Martin Luther King to Abraham Lincoln to Frederick Douglass. Soon…

    September 3
  • Today’s big activity was making these enormous s’mores cookies with Christina. They were incredibly time consuming to make, but they were delicious! Good pick!

    September 2
  • It was a pretty productive day. Took the kids clothes shopping because Robin wears the same three items every day and Christina has grown so much in the last year that not one item she owns fits her. There was a moment where I had to threaten to pick Christina’s clothes out for her if…

    September 1
  • Christina had the idea to have stadium food while we watched the first Penn State football game of the season. So we did and it was awesome! Also, today Jackson turned 13 and got a hot dog to celebrate, and we played a LOT of Scattergories. A nice Saturday.

    August 31
  • I am officially on vacation. Going nowhere, doing nothing, and I’m so excited. This past week has been crushing at work and I so need a break. I kicked it off by playing the piano for the first time in months. I played Billy Joel songs and Billy (my Billy) even recognized a few of…

    August 30
  • Summer nights are for roasting marshmallows on the back patio. Even if Robin does pout in the corner and snarl at you every time you talk to her.

    August 29
  • The merry-go-round continues. This is going to be a long school year. I decided to bow out of the chorus, at least for the first concert until I establish a bit more of a routine. I think that for now, I’d rather be there for my kids for the short amount of time that they’re…

    August 28
  • I just sang “Goodnight, My Angel” to Robin because she couldn’t sleep. It’s the first song I’ve sung to her in months. I hope it brings her peace the way it did for me at her age.

    August 27
  • Someone told me today that I’m doing good parenting. Some days it feels more like it than others. Today was one of the better days.

    August 26
  • I am struggling with a lot of things, but Robin had no struggles eating this cotton candy at her cheer party.

    August 25