9/11 Memorial

My heart ached. I sucked in my breath. My eyes filled with tears.

I did not expect to have this reaction to the 9/11 Memorial.

I expected to see a nice monument with the names of those that lost their lives in the towers and on the planes. What I got was so much more. No picture, no articles, no first-hand accounts had prepared me…. More

Letter to My Daughter

When I was only a daughter, a sister to brothers, a sister to one sister, a wife to a husband, and a mother to sons, I prayed to a father-God. I did not doubt, sway, or psychologically challenge the camouflaged examples of sexism. I hardly questioned the existence of veiled capitalist-North American social-structure yolks that were to be borne only on the shoulders of women. I rallied against abortion. I submitted to touch and affection against my gut’s will. Blind, unwilling to see the pieces of woman-hate that pushed their way into my life’s puzzle, I was a soft feminist who focused on fitting in with patriarchy, earning validation from my family, and being under-welcomed by a church unworthy of my fealty. I bestowed more value on men’s accomplishments. I felt guilt and shame. I hated my body, my curves, and the shiny swirls etched in my skin that marked my babies’ becomings. I ignored the sanctity of my femaleness. I blamed my mom. I trash-talked other women, while comparing my shortcomings to theirs. I buried my needs, and blamed myself for the sexual violence I experienced. I was insecure and incapable of seeing and wielding my power. I cared for people and things that would never understand me, appreciate me, or return my care. I laughed at girly-ness. I thought my qualities and traits unimportant when they weren’t applauded by others. I disguised my voice with pixie pleasantries when I needed to rage. I dieted…. More

The Ultimate List of Things to Do While You're on Bedrest

I’m currently on pregnancy bedrest (for the second time) due to preterm labor and a handful of other issues. Bedrest is one of those things that has been around virtually forever but hasn’t been proven to be particularly effective, not to mention it comes with its own set of risks. For those reasons, it’s prescribed only when all other options have been exhausted, and there just isn’t anything else to do. While the idea of lounging around for weeks or even months at a time might sound like a luxurious vacation to some, believe me, it gets old fast. I’ve always thrived the most when I keep busy, and I love to be out exploring the city versus being cooped up indoors, so if I don’t have some sort of a plan my mental state starts to suffer pretty quickly. That’s where this list comes in, I began to compile it during my first pregnancy and wrote everything out in earnest as soon as I found out I would be prescribed bed rest again. Hopefully, if you find yourself in a similar situation it can be of some help to you, I’ve tried to include as many resources as possible along with the suggestions, so you’ve been warned, I’m not joking when I call it the “ultimate” list, it’s long. I’ve tried to break it up into sections to make it easy to jump around and find what appeals to you, and you can always bookmark it and come back to it later…. More

Home Educating While Abroad: A Beginner’s Guide

Homeschooling your children can be a daunting task, but doing it while traveling abroad? That can be downright scary at first thought. There is, of course, a lot to consider. You may want your children to have an immersive educational experience. Or, you may want to focus on art and music in Spain. Two months later, when you’re in Greece, you may want to them to learn about science. You might favor a schedule that balances out the curriculum in a more traditional way such as focusing a little on each subject per day. Whichever way you choose to create your homeschooling environment, here is a starter guide to help you navigate the waters…. More