Kaiser Mommy

Choose Joy. Every Time.

On Forgiveness

Something happened several weeks ago that I’ve had to sit with all this time before I could share it. I’m still not sure I can share it without sounding too sunshiny or glossy or superficial, but I’m ready to try. I had a really hard week. I grieved everything that’s happened over the last long while. I lay alone and cried sobbing in my pillow. Everything was very sad in.. Read More

This isn’t our grandmas’ world

More than a decade ago, I set out to write a book. I had a concept – “Becoming Good Women” – it was based on the idea that my grandmothers were these very good women, and how would my generation grow to be good women as well? I was *just* wise enough to realize that my fresh out of college self wouldn’t really have a clue for a long time.. Read More

This Week

I know how much I have changed and grown because I am still at peace at the end of this very long week. It was a week filled with meetings and paperwork, needy students and swirled with the struggles of others. My best friend’s family is dissolving an adoption, stepping back to look at the needs of five people and what is best for everyone. Trying to do it with.. Read More

Love Will Come To You

Beautiful gift of a perfect Fall day, combined with a successful day at work, my Alex in a great mood and this song that reminds me of my best times of life. The sound quality on this Indigo Girls cover isn’t the greatest, but I think these girls do a beautiful job with the song.

Thanks (?), Ira Glass

Picture quote of the week from facebook is by some dude named Ira Glass who does some stuff with NPR and some thing called, “This American Life”. I have not yet decided if this quote sets me free or makes me want to put my head in the oven. Which as it’s an electric oven would probably just burn the fuck out of me and not put me out of.. Read More

Me ‘n’ My Act Together

Today was a good day. On very little sleep. After waking and having to adjust my attitude. With caffeine and cute shoes. And some nasty breakfast pizza. Fine, it wasn’t nasty, it was pleasurable in a totally guilty kind of way. Like all convenience store food. I worked solid today. Purposefully. I didn’t get to do everything I planned, but when something went awry, no big, I moved on to.. Read More

A Month of Selfish

I’ve long had the idea that if I took a section of time and REALLY looked at myself and REALLY worked toward taking care of myself in a focused effort to get my act together – and everyone else was doing the same thing with their ownselves – and THEN WE all reached out to one other person and helped THEM . . . and so on and so forth.. Read More

Love and the City

I am a junkie for commentaries on dvds. I adore hearing what was on the minds of the people who created the thing I just watched. I’ve watched the Sex and the City series over the last few weeks – which I haven’t done before – the last episode is just full of quoteworthy material. “Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you.. Read More

people person

There’s a weird little flip side to the joys of independence. The times that I can’t fill the role myself. Like listing “in case of emergency” contacts for work. This week I was supposed to give the admin my emergency contacts. My mom was a no brainer (if a wee bit pathetic feeling) but a second contact . . . I had no idea. I had no “person”. I was.. Read More

Dearest Missouri

I’ve been an Arizona girl in the land of the silicone and sunsets. I’ve been a Minnesota girl with the all things fried on a stick at the State Fair. I’ve been a Kentucky girl surrounded by the history of Mary Todd Lincoln and beautiful tree lined streets and horse fields and bourbon. I am the prodigal child. I leave, I berate her, I ignore her. She waits for me… Read More

Rhythm Method

Ah. Rhythm. Routine. Schedule. I crave it. I’m not good at keeping it – left on my own I’m far too airy fairy to follow a schedule. I’ve been trying ever since Alex was a wee tot to find a daily routine. For the last year my routine has been make a mess, eat some fast food, have a smoke, repeat. Occasionally with a blast of cleaning or home repair… Read More