February 6, 2020
by Maralee
Comments Off on Bring Your Kids to My Funeral
At my funeral, hand out lollipops at the beginning. Kids like lollipops and they help keep them occupied. We used to bring lollipops to court hearings when we were foster parents so our kids would have something sweet to help … Continue reading
January 28, 2020
by Maralee
Comments Off on Where Was I The Day You Were Born
I’ve tried a thousand times to remember. Every year I think about it again. Where was I on the day you were born? Did I somehow know something momentous was happening in a hospital room on the other side of … Continue reading
October 15, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on Lies My Miscarriage Told Me
Miscarriages are cruel. They steal your hopes and dash your dreams. They silence you with shame and regret. They make you feel unworthy of the gift of motherhood that comes so freely to others. They make you second-guess every decision … Continue reading
January 10, 2019
by Maralee
2 Comments
There was a time my pain was a dark, cold rock in the center of my chest. It made my breathing shallow and kept me awake in the middle of the night. It was with me every day and I … Continue reading
October 17, 2018
by Maralee
1 Comment
In 2008 I experienced the joy of a positive pregnancy test and then the loss of our baby through an ectopic pregnancy. It was heartbreaking and traumatic in all the worst ways. About two years later, we experienced it all … Continue reading
June 28, 2018
by Maralee
Comments Off on Mary Poppins was a Foster Mom
I watched Mary Poppins the other night the way I watch most movies these days: a kid in my lap, a kid on either side of me, and a kid laying on the back of the couch behind my head. … Continue reading
February 26, 2018
by Maralee
Comments Off on Regrieving- When the Beauty Reminds You of the Pain
Grief is a funny thing. Sometimes it’s always with you. Sometimes you get a break. And sometimes after you think you’ve fully grieved and moved past a particular hurt, it all comes rushing back. I thought the griefs of my … Continue reading
September 18, 2017
by Maralee
6 Comments
Last year there was a fire in an area of the country that is precious to me. We spent five years working in a group home that bordered the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. I was glued to my computer … Continue reading
June 28, 2017
by Maralee
1 Comment
My “baby” is really not much of a baby. While he isn’t yet three, he’s larger than any of my other kids at this age and just wants to be one of the big kids. He’s almost out of diapers … Continue reading
June 22, 2017
by Maralee
1 Comment
I introduced my children to a favorite childhood movie of mine, “The NeverEnding Story.” It was less scary than I remembered and more of a rant against ever encroaching technology and the loss of imagination for kids (ahead of its … Continue reading