Tag: children

• The Numbers are Dwindling

  

  Yes, I’m dramatic and yes, I know some moms are thrilled to get to the empty nest. However, I’m not one of them. Believe it or not I think that might be the blessing of a bigger family.   Too Aware of Time You’d think it would be the opposite. You’d think after raising six […]

  Melissa

  September 2, 2021

  Uncategorized

  adult children, blessed, children, concern, faith, large family, military, motherhood, parenting, prayer, raising children, raising kids, single mom, single mother, slow down, stress, teenagers, turn back time, worry

• Dust Off Your Goals

  

   I like to joke about having three teenagers and a tween in my house, and people tend to gasp when they hear it. But the truth is, they are an absolute joy at this age, and I am in no hurry for it to end. Sure, the hallway often smells like a few bottles […]

  Melissa

  October 25, 2020

  Uncategorized

  children, encouragement, family, goals, inspiration, love, midlife, motherhood, parenting, raising children, raising teens, raising tweens, single dad, single mom, single mother, single parent, teenagers, teens

• Saying Goodbye to The Tooth Fairy

  

  Charlotte named her most recent loose tooth, Gerald. He took so long to come out, she got a little attached. She brought him to me in a ziplock, as I lay in bed wondering why there was a ziplock hanging over my face. She suggested I just give her the dollar, or better yet a […]

  Melissa

  September 11, 2020

  Uncategorized

  childhood memories, children, encouragement, finding joy, grandchildren, growing up, growing up too fast, inspiration, joy, large family, magical, memories, motherhood, parenting, raising children, raising teens, raising tweens, single mom, single mother, single parenting, slow down, thankful, the beauty of motherhood, tooth fairy

• A Better Path

  This is my favorite time of day. The sun is setting, and I love the light in the living room. Dinner is cleaned up, the kids are busy with bike riding, costume design, piano playing, and slime creation. I’m thinking a glass of wine for myself might top it off perfectly. Some days my head […]

  Melissa

  August 25, 2020

  Uncategorized

  change, children, compassion, empathy, encore, fatherhood, guilt, homeschool, homeschooling, inspiration, journaling, life, lockdown, motherhood, mothers, next generatoin, pandemic, parenthood, parenting, passion, passionate, raise them well, raising children, raising teens, raising tweens, school, single dad, single mom, single mother, single motherhood, single parenting, slow down, strength, teenage years, teenagers, thoughts, working mom, working mother, writing

• Stop Telling Teenagers This Isn’t That Bad

  

  I have heard it said a lot lately, that teenagers should quit moping, after all they don’t have it as bad as a senior in high school during the Vietnam war did. Agreed. For sure. Every era has their own bad time. As a 48 year old myself, I’d say this current situation with the Coronavirus […]

  Melissa

  May 9, 2020

  Uncategorized

  anxiety, bad mood, children, Coronovirus, COVID-19, emotional health, emotions, extrovert, friendship, kids, lockdown, lonely, mental health, mommies, motherhood, pandemic, parenting, parents, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, raising tweens, shelter in place, single mom, single motherhood, single parenting, stay home, summer job, teenagers, tweens

• Lock Down and Slow Down

  

  I planned on journaling every day during our shelter in place, but that hasn’t happened. I also planned on cleaning out closets, handing each child a stack of great literature to read, and reading some myself…also has not happened. Like most things in life, my pandemic stage is not turning out as planned. I am […]

  Melissa

  March 29, 2020

  Uncategorized

  anxiety, children, Coronovirus, COVID-19, culture, encouragement, friendship, health, lockdown, love, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, peace, raise them well, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, raising tweens, relationships, relax, safety, school, shelter in place, single mom, single mother, single motherhood, single parenting, slow down, stress, support, worry, write, writing

• The Exhaustion of Single Motherhood

  

  I love to encourage moms. How can I not? Motherhood has been, still is, and always will be my passion. I sort of fell into it, and turns out it is the greatest gig in life. Today I want to encourage a special category of motherhood. It is another area I sort of fell into…single […]

  Melissa

  March 5, 2020

  Uncategorized

  changes, children, divorce, encore, exhaustion, family, inspiration, life, middle age, mom, mommy, mother, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, raise, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, single, single mom, single mother, single motherhood, single parenting

• Less Pressure. More Oreos.

  

  Something struck me as funny last night, as I was hurrying my children out of the house and into the minivan. I thought…..I’m not as good as I used to be. Yet, I also think I am better. We were heading for the school Christmas program. My 13 year old son wore his shirt untucked, […]

  Melissa

  December 19, 2019

  Uncategorized

  adult children, blogging, changes, children, choosing, cool, family, feelings, grandchildren, growing up, home, inspiration, kids, laid back, life, middle age, motherhood, mothering, parenting, pressure, raise them well, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, relax, relaxing, school, single dad, single mom, single parenting, thoughts, working mom, writing

• Be Careful

  

  My morning started with a bang, literally, as the garage door hit the front of my car on its way down. My son was in the driver’s seat and all I could muster out of my very sleepy mouth was, “Careful!” In his defense…careful of what? The poor guy probably felt helpless trying to assess […]

  Melissa

  November 26, 2019

  Uncategorized

  adult children, babies, blogging, changes, children, family, fear, feelings, happiness, heartache, home, inspiration, joy, letting go, life, middle age, motherhood, mothering, parenthood, parenting, raise them well, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, sacrifice, single parenting, strength, thoughts, toddlers, tweens, wisdom, worry, writing

• Motherhood…The Greatest Comedy Show

  

  Want to stay humble? Have a boatload of kids. One minute you’re cool and feel like you’ve got it all together….then suddenly you’re sopping up toilet water or stripping your child in front of a plane full of strangers, due to a diarrhea incident. I had a really great day. Life is good and I […]

  Melissa

  November 13, 2019

  Uncategorized

  babies, blog, changes, children, comedy, encouragement, family, feelings, fun, home, humble, humility, humor, inspiration, laughter, life, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, preschool, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, single dad, single mom, single parenting, teenagers, thoughts, toddlers, tweens, writing