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Taking Note

Posted on August 31, 2008

The summer has gone by in what can only be described as a blur. Briar starts school on Thursday, Avery is speaking in paragraphs and Finley is sleeping through the night. Yesterday we celebrated a milestone: a run. We loaded Bri in the single jogging stroller, while Ave and Fin rode together in the double. Armed with iPods and water we ran block after block, passing through the neighborhoods in ways we’ve never been able: together. Briar beamed, Fin kicked and Ave squealed. After a while, as we found our rhythm, they slept. And Sean and I reveled in the freedom to just run and watch and experience. Can you remember the last time you did that?

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Categories: Love

And then I’ll slap you, k?

Posted on August 31, 2008

Sometime this summer Briar and Avery hit their stride, no longer divided by vocabulary or agility, they play together. The play structure or, compound, as certain neighbors refer to it, has become a stage of sorts. The girls will play, becoming so engrossed that they forget I am there. Watching them run up the rock wall and scampering about on the platform, I find myself standing grinning like a fool. It was so much work, watching the girls while Sean worked 10 hour weekend day after 10 hour weekend day to build it. And the grief we’ve taken: From: JacksonDate: May 27, 2008 3:27:20 PM EDTTo: SeanSubject: “LET’S PLAY WALL” The Chinese have nothing on you guys. With all this terrorism, I think it’s…

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Categories: Mama Sap, Me

HRC

Posted on August 27, 2008

Sitting there, the pomp and circumstance of an event that I did not feel a part of blaring before me, I waited. I sneered at sign waving spectators, scoffed at commentary on certain figures and I waited. It was unclear if I was waiting to hear Hillary or waiting to feel more anger toward Obama. I was angry at a country that seemed to be staring down two dead ends. My unwillingness to not vote had me musing that maybe, just maybe, I’d cross party lines. As the video rolled and I saw footage of a young woman, heard the narrative of a life lived with the belief that anything could be achieved, I began to weep. I thought of my daughters and their…

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Categories: Me

The Toddler Yin and Yang

Posted on August 26, 2008

Amidst the moldy sippy cups, unidentifiable splotches on the carpet, between the tantrums and the moonlit cuddles, there can be balance. If we are able to breathe deeply and remember, in those excruciating moments that we have to scoop our almost-four year olds up and flee from the store as they threaten to say even more loudly in the direction of the acne-faced 20-something bagging our groceries, “But why does that guy have those red spots all over his face?” We will realize that before long we’ll be standing, ironing a shirt or doing some equally mundane task, and the silence will be broken by the flatulence of a two year old. As we turn to admonish gently with a, “Say excuse me,” we’ll…

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Categories: Mama Sap

Check. Check. Damn.

Posted on August 26, 2008

Briar starts pre-school next week, this is not a post about how I feel about that (not ready to do that.) No, this is a post about how as a friend of mine said, “Even the best laid plans…” Sean went to the parent-teacher night last week. He came home full of purpose, explaining to me how the school is in lock down during certain times of the day, how we need to be on time to pick Briar up and what we can expect from this. I have written plenty on how hard being a working mom and a good mom can be. I realize that sometimes I set the bar too high for myself, but other times, well other times it just…

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Categories: Me