How to prepare for a Bone Marrow Transplant
/Well, really, how do I prepare for a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT for those of us steeped in this world.)
First, I made a list.
Hold it, back up, first I had to make the decision.
Read MoreLetter to my children: Knock Knock Jokes and cultural handshakes
/I am thrilled to report that Knock Knock jokes have entered the house. Thrilled because your Momma truly grokked a few weeks ago the true scope and heft involved in being culturally aware. It is nice to know that there are some parts of our culture that are endemic and appear easily without any work.
What do I mean by that?
Read MoreDoing plant medicine in Peru
/
I imagine when most people read that sentence they will think of Ayuhuasca in the jungle - which is not too far off base if by jungle you mean your own cabin, running water, and three meals a day. I spent 18 days in “The Space that Heals”, or Hamphichicuy, right outside of Tarapoto, Peru. For the first time in years I was able to truly rest - right before the many plants I was taking chewed me up, churned me inside out, and gently placed me back on my feet.
Read MoreLetter to my children: What does learning look like?
/Read MoreThere was a little turtle.
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle.
He climbed on the rocks.
Letter to my children: When is the sky falling?
/Dearest Beloveds,
I was recently on the phone with a social worker who told me there are a lot of resources available to have you two talk to someone about my health doings – therapists trained to talk to children about death and dying and sickness.
My current thinking on this is that until the sky falls, the sky isn’t falling.
Read MoreLetter to my children: On distractions and street signs
/Dearest Beloveds,
In some respects these two subjects are related - distractions and street signs. Both of you are right now gazing beyond on a level that you hadn’t before. Watching you emerge into sentient curious aware humans with your own interactions with the wider world is honestly one of the many joys of parenthood. Thank you.
Read MoreLetter to my children: on catching leaves and turn down services
/Dearest Beloveds,
I wanted to take a moment and say thank you for our amazing life. Thank you both for being bright eyed and bushy tailed (thank you Baba), for being curious, for being my hearts - jumping and running and balancing through this amazing life. Thank you both for looking out at the world this month and immediately exclaiming to your sibling, “Let’s go catch leaves!”
Read MoreLetter to my children: On being unplugged
/
Dearest Beloveds,
This story has echoes of "when I was your age we walked to school uphill both ways in the snow," but that can't be helped. I want to share this story with you because maybe it will make you feel that sense of time and change that I felt with Aunt Louisa told me that when she was a child there was an actual cow, named Betsy, who lived in the CowBarn.
A cow slept in the building where your father and I spent our honeymoon.
Read MoreContented Baby and Contented Dementia
/When we were pregnant with the Bean, I devoured Gina Ford’s The Contented Little Baby Book. Her unparalleled surety in her schedule was an anchor of sanity for me as a new parent.
A few months ago, I was recommended the book Contented Dementia by Oliver James. Aside from an apparent British obsession with the word contented,* I wanted to write about both of these tomes as they feel like bookends of my life right now.
Read MoreLetter to my children: Equity and watches
/
Dearest Beloveds,
I now understand why Tia and I both had the same pogo stick, the same jumping ball, the same wooden flipping ball toy (which I still have for both for you).
Read MoreLetter to my children: When the country mice visit DC
/
Dearest Beloveds,
Your Momma has always been a bit of a snob about being raised in Washington DC. Not outside the Beltway, not for me. Capitol Hill, thank you very much. (Such a fun ego surge as I write that.)
And now we are raising you two children in the country.
Read MoreLetter to my children: Haircuts, Pedals, and Cleats
/Dearest Beloveds,
We seem to be hitting a lot of milestones this month. Dragon, you are no longer Dragon of the hair. You are now a lean mean streamlined Dragon with shorn hair - ready for business. About two months ago this conversation happened at breakfast.
“Time to brush hair!”
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