So much for television being an escape mechanism — When my daughter, Amelia, was a newborn, she was constantly at my side unless she was sleeping in her crib at night. I ceased watching television so I wouldn’t warp her brain — with three notable exceptions. She liked to nap in our living room on my lap for hours…

There’s always that one neighbor who stops by unannounced — Once in a while, our doorbell camera catches an opossum scurrying across the porch overnight. Even shrouded in near-darkness, our suburban friend seems like a cute, scrappy thing, and there’s no damage beyond the occasional opossum poop or some dug-up mulch, so we’ve never been particularly concerned. I thought we…

If it were easy to make choices, everyone would do it — It’s been too long since I published anything. Weeks seemed to disappear in minutes until over a month had vanished. My plans didn’t stand a chance against reality. Best laid plans I had it all mapped out last fall. I would continue to homeschool my daughter Amelia, try to ramp up my online…

She has the childhood I always wanted, and I couldn't be happier — A few weeks ago, my daughter was beside herself and could barely force any words out through a tangle of tears. Eventually, my little girl told me she was crying because she was so happy with her life that she never wanted anything to change. Her grandma had said something…

What happens when you put out snacks and don't specify intended recipients In the weeks leading up to last Christmas, we had delivery people stopping by at least a few times a day. We weren’t alone. With many people turning to online ordering to avoid shopping with others, all of…

Every family tradition starts somewhere — Thanksgiving is a time for some families to reflect on what they are most grateful for — maybe fellow family members, friends, Black Friday sales, or the fact that they could find a fresh turkey at the fifth store they tried the night before. However much thoughtful reflection exists, a…

Sometimes, a little nudge can send someone over a cliff — My 13th birthday started the same as all of the previous ones. Mom got a cake from the grocery store, where she “had a guy” she trusted to write our names correctly, and she ordered a pizza from Dino’s. Grandma and Grandpa, my mom’s parents (my dad’s folks were always…

I got lost in myself and wandered off my path — Mom did her best to give my sisters and me a good life, but she was married to a cruel, overbearing man who cheated on her and demoralized her. She didn’t think she could make it without him, but I was convinced otherwise, so I begged her to put us…