Tag: parenthood

• Grocery Store – It’s Over

  

  Dear Grocery Store, I want to break up. It’s been well over 20 years now of dealing with you and the love is just gone. As the time nears to see you, I cringe. Thoughts of meal planning haunt me and I wonder when it will end. My heart races with anxiety rather than passion, […]

  Melissa

  February 22, 2021

  Uncategorized

  errands, family, feelings, grocery shopping, home, life, middle age, midlife, mom life, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, raising chidren, raising teenagers, single mom, single parenting, working mom, working mother

• 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

• The Slow Break Up

  

  I’ve heard it said that raising a son is like a slow, painful break up. I have to agree with that. Today my Luke is 17. I’ll say, my, until it is no longer appropriate. i.e…when a woman steals his heart. He stole mine 17 years ago. Thank you for humoring me six times a […]

  Melissa

  July 30, 2020

  Uncategorized

  birthday, changes, childbirth, compassion, empathy, encouragement, family, growing up, home, inspiration, life, love, Marines, military, mother’s love, motherhood, National Guard, parenthood, parenting, pregnancy, raising children, raising sons, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, single mom, single mother, single motherhood, single parenting, slow down, strength, time

• Mothers – Don’t Forget to Exhale

  

  Here they are…in all their glory….This was Sunday night, and I had just gotten my babies back after their weekend with dad. I was so exhausted after two insomniac nights, but there’s not a chance I would turn down my four children wanting to plop on my bed and just hang out. How sweet is […]

  Melissa

  July 15, 2020

  Uncategorized

  adulthood, changes, exhale, family, feelings, growing up, growing up too fast, home, inspiration, life, love, middle age, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, parents, raise them well, raising babies, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, raising tweens, relationships, single dad, single mom, single mother, single motherhood, single parenting, thoughts, what is motherhood

• 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

• Pacing The Floors and Learning To Streak

  

  When trying to stalk your teenage son, to find out his whereabouts…you’ve got to be clever. You’ve got to think like a teenage boy, so he is not embarrassed by you. Here are some tactics I have found to work like a charm when my son is out and about with friends, and I am […]

  Melissa

  February 18, 2020

  Uncategorized

  blogging, changes, encouragement, family, feelings, home, humor, inspiration, life, memories, middle age, mom, moms, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, raise them well, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, raising tweens, relationships, single dad, single mom, single parenting, snapchat, texting, thoughts

• Sometimes We Have To Change.

  

  This morning I woke up my 10 year old daughter. Need I say more? I’ll explain for those of you who don’t have kids in double digits. Waking a child who doesn’t like to get up, is a frightening experience. Maybe you can imagine waking a momma bear sleeping with her baby cubs as you […]

  Melissa

  February 6, 2020

  Uncategorized

  blogging, chances, changes, childhood memories, choosing, confidence, encouragement, family, feelings, growth, home, inspiration, life, middle age, midlife, midlife crisis, mom, mommy, moms, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, patience, raising children, raising teenagers, raising teens, relationships, single dad, single mom, single parenting, thoughts, writing

• Stop Empowering Me

  

  On my quest to live my life my way, with little concern for what others think about it, I hit speed bumps daily. This learning to love oneself isn’t as easy as it sounds. It has to be more than just a nice little love. It’s got to be an in your face, you are mine and […]

  Melissa

  February 5, 2020

  Uncategorized

  blogging, career, change, changes, empowerment, encouragement, family, feelings, having it all, home, inspiration, life, life decisions, life goals, life lessons, middle age, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, quotes, raising children, raising teenagers, relationships, rest, self care, simplify, stay at home mom, stay at home moms, strength, thoughts, working mom, working mother

• 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