The MotherVerse Blog: mothering out loud

The Mother’s Day card arrived today. It says, “You are a mother now, and you know what it’s like to look into a little face and see a trust so complete your heart aches with the responsibility.”
It’s from my mother. It’s the second Mother’s Day card she sent. The first was lighter, more playful. This […]

Family meals are important to me. When our blended family first blended, I wondered how long it I’d have to wait to enjoy family meals again. Children complained about the food, asked questions about future meals and commented about meals they’d rather be eating. I was surprised at how gathering around a table could create […]

I always worked hard to make our home a safe haven for the family members in the rat race of life. I wanted my kids to feel “at home” and safe when they crossed the threshold of our home. I felt successful at this goal in my first marriage.
I have the same goal for our […]

It’s all I think about.
I’ve been on leave from work for one year. I’m one of the lucky ones. Every time I bemoan the fact that I have to return in July, another mother trumps me.
“I had to go back after four months.”
“Two months.”
“Six weeks.”
On Friday I visited a daycare people in town had raved […]

Is there such a thing as a good divorce?
There are several book titles with both the words “good” and “divorce” printed on the glossy book jackets.
When I began telling people that my first husband and I were separated and planned on getting a divorce, most of my friends and family didn’t think it was “good”.
A […]

My friend Anna and I had barely sat down to lunch before I moaned, “I think I hate my husband.”
(Anna is single right now. No kids. Nice shoe budget.)
I continued: “I’m tired of his dirty socks on the floor, wet towels on chairs, empty milk cartons in the fridge, dusting, vacuuming, washing bottles. He actually […]

I’d like to pin a badge to my shirt that reads, “I rode in the passenger seat with two 15 year old drivers today”. My son and my step-daughter both got their learner’s permits from the state Division of Motor Vehicles during the past two weeks. Today I was blessed with the courageous task of […]

I am feeling emotionally adrift these days. I have always been prone to internal storm and though I know it is not the healthiest way to conduct a life, knowing doesn’t always translate into changing. At least not for me. My tendency to create a certain amount of chaos in my own life can feel […]

Your wavy hair glistens
Your dark eyes glow
They tell me you are broken.
When you are happy and smiling
Your dimples deepen and
The corners of your eyes turn up.
They tell me you are slow.
When you are laughing
Your whole body joins in
and your giggles overcome you.
They tell me you are delayed.
When I look into your deep, brown eyes
I meet […]

I’m celebrating one of those uncomfortable anniversaries. My mother died on March 2. Some years I’ve been so involved with my family that I didn’t recognize the anniversary. As I grew older and developed more self-awareness, I would notice a few days after the anniversary. My conscious awareness usually followed a subconscious awareness. I would […]