The Huge Boss, the Small Boss, and Dogs That Don’t Listen
Some days, I just want to be the huge boss Our family roles have been defined since my son’s preschool days. According to his 4-year-old reckoning, Dad is the huge boss and I am the small…
Things That Go Ring in the Night
Video doorbells don’t always see everything Fearless, I’m not. In fact, sometimes I’m a downright sissy. Not that I haven’t done brave things. After all, I birthed two children without so much as a Tylenol. And…
Food is Love and Cookbooks are Sacrilegious
Lessons from an Italian Grandmother My Italian grandmother taught me that food is love. She lived ten minutes from us growing up and never came over empty-handed, so my siblings and I were the recipients of an…
Turning Outlaws into In-Laws
Saying “I do” doesn’t immediately make you family. Turning outlaws into in-laws isn’t easy, because marrying into a family and joining a family are two different things. Marriage is a moment, but joining is a…
Learning to Paint in the Blank Spots
Lessons gleaned from preschoolers learning to paint “This is Ben,” said the teacher. “He is learning to paint in the blank spots on the page.” I looked at the paint-smocked preschooler, who stood in front…
Failure to Negotiate
Too Chicken to Haggle Over Chickens The root of most marital arguments is failure to communicate. In my marriage, it’s failure to negotiate. That’s because I married a man with the soul of a horse trader, while…