February 11, 2022
by Maralee
Comments Off on Stop Beating Yourself Up About Movie Nights
I was smoothing down my seven-year-old’s hair the other night while we sat next to each other on the couch. He was snuggled up next to me and it occurred to me how rare these moments feel as he’s getting … Continue reading
January 20, 2022
by Maralee
Comments Off on How to Make Small Talk with a Large Family Mom
I had an awkward interaction with someone the other day. It wasn’t the first time. It certainly won’t be the last. When people see a large family, it’s kind of tough not to comment on it. In the immortal words … Continue reading
September 10, 2021
by Maralee
2 Comments
Today marks fourteen years that I’ve been a mother (plus the four before that where I was a house mom in a group home, but I digress). 7 kids: 5 adopted, 2 biological. Ages 14 to 1. I’ve learned a … Continue reading
August 25, 2021
by Maralee
Comments Off on I Want My Body Back
It took me about ten minutes to walk a few feet today. I’m not exaggerating. There was a toy in the baby’s room that belonged in the bathtub. I put the baby down so I could pick up the toy … Continue reading
May 7, 2021
by Maralee
1 Comment
Dear 2040 Maralee, Today was hard. And it’s not even noon yet. You awoke to the sound of a crying baby who had a diaper malfunction in the night, so by 7 a.m. you were already running a load of … Continue reading
December 9, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on When The Baby Turns Five
When The Baby turns five, you’ll breathe a big sigh of relief. You’ve made it out of the baby years with your sanity in tact. No more diapers. He can mostly feed himself. He puts on his own pants. He … Continue reading
October 17, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on This Mess is Perfectionism Too
To look at this picture (or my house in general) I don’t think you’d describe me as a perfectionist. But I can see it hidden in there, between the wadded up paper towels jammed next to the paper towel roll. … Continue reading
October 10, 2019
by Maralee
Comments Off on What I Would Go Back and Tell Myself The Day We Adopted
Dear Maralee, Today you will become a mother. I know they told you you would meet your baby son tomorrow, but the orphanage administrator decided it will be today. She will not tell you this until she walks into the … Continue reading
September 26, 2019
by Maralee
1 Comment
I am not an athlete. I do not run unless someone is chasing me. But God has given me athletic children and I am learning what it means to be a good soccer mom/gymnastics mom/cross country mom, etc. I think … Continue reading
September 11, 2019
by Maralee
1 Comment
We took our kids to an amusement park over the summer. We had three kids that were tall enough to ride whatever they wanted and three that were only tall enough to ride the little kid rides. This works out … Continue reading