Parenting
Love In Motion
The older I get, and the more I watch my kids navigate their own friendships, the more I realize how smart their generation is. They see things we sometimes forget. Recently, while at dinner for Family Weekend, one of my daughter’s besties said something that...
The Secret Sauce To Talking With Your Teenager
One minute your teenager might be talking about something random, and the next they’re declaring they want to quit cheerleading—or that they have no friends. And before we even realize it, we’ve blurted out, “What?!!” (double exclamation points and all). But here’s...
The Homesick Month
It’s October, and that means pumpkin candles, leaves turning color, and Halloween decorations on the porch. But if you’re a parent who just launched a kid to college, October also means something else — the homesick month. After the excitement of move-in day fades...
Why Does My Teenager Hate Me?
Recently, a woman approached me and asked a question I think so many moms quietly carry: “Why does it sometimes feel like my daughter hates me? She’s 16 and we used to be so close. Now, she’s mean and doesn’t like me.” I looked at her face; her eyes were holding...
Sister, I See You
Sister, I see you. I see all that you are doing. I see all those you are caring for. I see all you are juggling. I see all you manage. I see the ways you show up. I see the moments you make special. I see it all. Whether you’re a mother, daughter, wife, sister, or...
Where Is Our Humanity?
Lately it feels as if every day brings another disturbing headline. I find myself concerned, worried, baffled — and, most of all, deeply sad. We are no longer who we used to be. Just last week, I spoke on the news about the violent images our young people are...
Bleacher Sisters
We met under stadium night lights, often sitting on cold metal bleachers and wearing team colors. We shared rides, warm blankets, and pregame nerves. We shared tears when the scoreboard didn’t go our way, and when it did, we cheered like it was the Super...
Holding On to Where They Started
There’s a trend that’s been around for a while involving high school seniors. I love it and hope it never goes away. It always makes my mom-heart swell. Seeing seniors rock backpacks that throw it all the way back to kindergarten or first grade? Pure joy. It’s fun....
The Corner We Never Really Leave
I drove by my kids’ elementary school yesterday. We haven’t been part of that school community in over 11 years, but I still think of it as “my kids’ school.” I think I always will. There was a time—not so long ago—when that school was at the center of our world....
A 21st Birthday, A Mother’s Heart, and the Power of Adventure
The invitation to join my daughter in Italy for her 21st birthday brought so much more than I ever imagined. It brought the joy of checking things off my bucket list—like seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night, attending mass at Notre Dame, or cruising down the...
