Parenting
Why we aren’t counting the days our son was in foster care…
I understand why people do. And I understand it marks redemption for some. I appreciate the pictures of both children adopted and children returning to their birth homes. Redemption. We are coming upon the adoption of a certain vandal. But we won’t be posting how many days he was in foster care… here is why:…
Read MoreMy Kid is a Jerk – But I am a Good Mom
Mom life. I have paced and stewed and cried and thrown up. But after a hot shower, a glass of wine, 4 gluten-free cake pops, and half a Xanax I am prepared to go there. Let’s do this. I love being a mom… 72.3% of the time it’s a good gig. I am a yeller,…
Read MoreTo My Sons: It’s Time to Go….
Oh John-John and Baby-Ku, my boys, my precious sons, it is time to go. In 72 hours we will help you move into the dorms. Nothing will ever be the same. Your absence in our halls will be deafening. But you need to go. You have brought us so much joy and yes, so much…
Read MoreA Day in the Life of Mom – the Whole Truth
No one would believe me, mom-life, is not a joke. “So, what did you do today?” He asked with such minimalism. Physically I couldn’t keep up with my dear husband. Once, in an effort to gain his attention to break for lunch, two of his employees form tackled him. He moves like he is trying…
Read MoreTo Sophie on her 14th Birthday…
Dear Sophia Rose, One year ago today, you woke up looking like you were headed to audition for a Monistat commercial. I couldn’t tell you then what I can tell you today. Today, you are fourteen. Fourteen will be easier than thirteen. Thirteen is an unwelcoming number. It is the dawning of a new age.…
Read MoreThe 8 Rules of Perfected Parenting
Recently I had an opportunity to spend the day with our four-year-old son, Sam. Sam is currently #5 out of seven kids. He needed some time with just me. Sam is the oldest of the “new litter.” The old litter consists of our four biological children. Sam and his soon to be adopted little brother,…
Read MoreThe Not So “Gag Me With a Spoon” Pieces of Me…
My IPhone has been auto-correcting the word “stairs” with “Atari.” Yes, Atari. The XBOX of the 1980’s. This is odd to me. I mean if, I had accomplished the dreams of “1984 Jami” the use of the word Atari might frequent the touch screen of my IPhone. As would tennis shoe roller skates, world champion…
Read MoreLook what you’ve done…
We are basically homeless. The madness of this move must be diagramed. We have a ranch with houses on it and we own the houses. One of the houses is occupied by my sister and her husband and their four children. One of the houses is occupied by our man-babies, John and Luke. And one…
Read MoreReal Mom: A Heart Story
(Originally Posted Jan 2016) Today is the anniversary of the birth of my real motherhood. The delivery was painful, joyful, and earth shattering. I had given birth four times before. I had miscarried once. I have a negative threshold for physical pain – I had 4 failed epidurals. Well, one completely numbed my right foot,…
Read MoreFoster Care: Hoping for the Hurt
Foster Care: Hoping for the Hurt This will probably not reach the masses. I don’t care. If my words fall upon the heart of one… I have succeeded. I just left a house with broken spirits. Addicted spirits. Fighting spirits. Spirits… Who have given up on their life, their old life. Among those spirits is…
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