"As soon as I saw it, I knew it was meant for you!" It was a simple gift, given to me by my forever friend, Lisa, to celebrate the one year anniversary of my book being published: a collection of fabric pieces with dandelions scattered about, in shades of turquoise, teal, and blue. Only problem?… Continue reading Kindness Boomerang – Time and Talent
The Turquoise Table
When the quarantine began mid-March, our physical activity came to a screeching halt - no longer was I marking off 10,000 steps on my pedometer, my daughter wasn't walking miles around her college campus, and my youngest son no longer had daily recess with his friends. There wasn't much we could do outside of our… Continue reading The Turquoise Table
From Rage to Responsibility
How does one protect children from the hard aspects of life while also instilling in them an awareness and a social duty to lead, love, and learn? This is the question I have been grappling with as a parent and educator the past few days. I am a white, suburban mother of three, but one… Continue reading From Rage to Responsibility
Sand, Sun, and Quarantined Fun
"Mom... what do you want for Mother's Day?" The holiday was only a few days away and my children were scrambling to make it special for me. This would mark the third Mother's Day without my mom, a constant reminder that I was now the matriarch of my family. This year would be different, however.… Continue reading Sand, Sun, and Quarantined Fun
Fast Food Formal
Seven weeks of home quarantine. So much has changed in the world these past seven weeks. All our spring activities were cancelled and the calendar which was once overflowing with daily commitments is now filled with Zoom meetings, online presentations, and virtual gatherings. We've had to rethink and reimagine life as it is right now… Continue reading Fast Food Formal
Reframing Perspective
"Mom, can we make brownies?" It was a simple request from my oldest child, now home from college, wanting something to do together. I peeked in my pantry, but didn't see any boxed brownie mix, so I told her we would have to make the brownies from scratch. I grabbed my phone, tapped on my… Continue reading Reframing Perspective
Miracles, Wonder, and Joy
Easter Sunday 2020 will be frozen in time for families all across the world. Everything we're used to doing - our family traditions and faith-filled celebrations - are overturned and moved to the side, much like the rock and empty tomb that was discovered on the third day after Jesus hung on the cross. What… Continue reading Miracles, Wonder, and Joy
Life Interrupted
It's been three full weeks since my life was interrupted by COVID-19. March 13 is marked on my calendar with black permanent marker: "Last Day Teaching At School." Each week since has carried the weight of a sucker-punch to the gut, from the news that schools would be closed the remainder of the year to… Continue reading Life Interrupted
Kindness in Quarantine
"Everything will be OK." These were the words I repeated to myself as my brain swirled with edges of panic. It was 2009 and my ten-year-old daughter's test results had come back positive for the highly contagious swine flu, a variant of the H1N1 virus that was quickly becoming a pandemic. We were told by… Continue reading Kindness in Quarantine
We Rise Together
Those closest to me can probably remember when I added "Become a Keynote Speaker" to my life-long bucket list. I had spent several years sharing my educational experiences at local and state conferences, but hadn't yet been invited to share my story to a large gathering. I was a novice to the main stage and,… Continue reading We Rise Together
