I just got home from taking Opie to summer camp.  For the next five days he will be at a camp in Louisiana where (until 4 hours ago) he only knew the friend whom he accompanied.  He was so excited all day today as we wrote his name in all of his clothes and packed sets of clothes into gallon-sized zip-lock bags so he wouldn't have to decide for ( Read more... )

 What happens when you leave a camera unattended in a room with a kid?  This

So the short version is...the trip went well.  I'll share as we go along in the next couple of weeks ( Read more... )

It has happened.  I knew this day would come: I just didn't think it would be this soon ( Read more... )

I've never believed in love at first sight.  Interest, intrigue, like, lust - yes.  Love - no.

As we celebrated Opie's seventh birthday this week, I have tried and tried to put into words how I felt when he was born.  Somehow, it never comes out right.  So before I begin this, I need you to understand that I love my children and my husband more than ( Read more... )

Everything we do in life has fallout, whether it be the smallest of kindnesses done in anonymity or the largest of gaffes in a public forum.  There are reactions to every action, and effects from every cause.  It is a natural law, whether in a scientific realm or a spiritual realm.  Everything has consequences including the consequences themselves ( Read more... )

One of the hardest parts of parenting is discipline. Before I had children, this concept didn't seem so difficult: they misbehave, you "discipline" them, and of course the little darlings will do exactly what you wanted them to do afterward. (Okay, you can stop laughing now....)

It wasn't that long after Opie was born that I began to get the idea ( Read more... )