Five years ago, I would have never asked myself such a question. Life was demanding, of course, but I still found time for phone calls, thoughtful e-mails, and my calling card: handwritten thank you notes.
Then came the babies.
Author: Lauren Fortenberry
Mother. Writer. Teacher. Wife.
Two Miles
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 12
My husband is traveling for the week, which means one thing: my children have become savages.
Move Along, Dear
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 11
In our rental, I have the kind of view that most writers would kill to have. A simple wooden desk in front of a wall of windows that look out to a forest (and swamp, though that sounds less picturesque).
If you are a mother, however, the hooting owls and the relentless woodpeckers start to get to you after a little while (at least when a nap is desired).
Small Talk
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 10
Okay, so I’ve missed a few days. The thing about writing about your life is, well, sometimes you just can’t blog about what happens in your day.
Small things happen that no one else will find interesting.
Big things happen that you can’t really share…at least not at the given moment in time.
But today, I was reminded of the deep love I have for something so fleeting in our technology-mediated world: face-to-face small talk.
Working Hard for No Money
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 9
Lately, I’ve been thinking about jobs.
Our rental has become a bit of a fishbowl in recent days. A deck is being built outside. Shirts, as we have learned, are optional.
The whole environment is strange until you consider that the beings clanging around our home are humans. They have families, too. And when they work long hours after a long day of work, they leave them behind.
His Moon
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 8
Tonight a little arm wrapped tightly around my neck in response to boisterous thunder booms.
Assembling the Unknown
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 7
“Can we chat?”
It’s become a bedtime tradition in our home. Snuggles and conversation with Mom are how my children end their day.
Corny Trade-Offs
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 6
“What do you do all day?!”
It’s a question I was asked when I was a stay-at-home mom. It’s a question I’m still asked during my summer hiatus from teaching.
To be fair, I used to be just as curious.
Counting Fingers
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 5
“Mommy, two plus two equals…1, 2, 3, 4!”
I shot my husband the look. You know, the “Wait, what just happened?!” variety.
Our three-year-old son has been curious about numbers for years, but the light bulb moment has never been within reach.
Until yesterday.
Big Girl Bed
The Gratitude Gospel: Day 4
It was one of those bittersweet moments in parenthood – a sign that your child is growing more independent by the day.
This weekend our almost two-year-old daughter transitioned from a crib to a full bed. The déjà vu was hard to resist.
