Posted in Books, Living In Community on May 1st, 2012 No Comments »
The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. – Professor McGonagall, Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone [...]
Posted in Comfort & Control, Depression, Friendship, Living In Community, Soundrack on Apr 18th, 2012 1 Comment »
The other day a friend called me. She was struggling to see light at the end of her tunnel of despair, and I hope I was able to encourage her. We talked as I sat in my car in the Grocery Outlet parking lot because this is the reality of life in community: to go [...]
Posted in Everyday, Living In Community on Oct 8th, 2011 4 Comments »
Listing Photo, 2003 We moved into our home eight years ago this weekend. During that time we’ve had a dozen people live with us and hundreds come through our doors for parties, play dates, counseling, Bible study, and whatnot.* Guests have stayed with us from as close as Portland to as far away as Australia. [...]
Posted in Everyday, Living In Community on Jul 24th, 2011 No Comments »
For the last seven or eight years we’ve hosted a BBQ once a week at our home. You bring something to grill and a dish to share, we provide the deck, an awesome music mix, and s’mores for the fire pit. Four or five years ago a little guy we love (who’s not so little [...]
Posted in Living In Community on Jul 18th, 2011 1 Comment »
My house is full. All five rooms. Four adults, four kids, three family units. A few weeks ago my friend, Lacey, moved in with her two kids, occupying our remaining two rental rooms, while a single guy rents the third. Her kids are the same age as mine, and they’ve been friends for about three [...]
Posted in Comfort & Control, Grieving, Living In Community, Soundrack on Jun 8th, 2011 1 Comment »
“Maybe we’re not meant to be together.” “He said he never loved me.” “He told me he wants a divorce.” “I can’t keep letting him treat me that way.” “I don’t see how reconciliation is possible.” “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” “I can’t stop crying.” These are soundbites from some of the conversations [...]
Posted in Everyday, Living In Community, Seen, Heard, Said on Feb 20th, 2011 1 Comment »
Last night Bryan and I stepped into the bar of a fancy schmancy steak house to dine with the common people, but happy hour was in full force, and all the tables were taken. Directly in front of the entrance was a large round table suitable for about eight people, and the server asked if [...]
Posted in Living In Community, Thomas on Jan 23rd, 2011 2 Comments »
Every Thursday we host a small group of friends in our home. We eat dinner together and hash out the challenges of living a meaningful life. Our friend Bob usually brings dessert because he shows up a little late, after he gets off work. Bob is now Bob the Dessert Guy in the eyes of [...]
Posted in Everyday, Living In Community on Jun 24th, 2010 3 Comments »
The drama next door has proved to be excellent fodder for teaching my kids the benefits of discipline. I mean, nothing says “I do it because I love you” better than observing the neighboring teenagers swear all day long, come and go whenever they please, and threaten your dad. “Do we let you get away [...]
Posted in Everyday, Living In Community on Jun 21st, 2010 7 Comments »
Ever notice how you come across somebody once in a while you shouldn’t have fucked with? That’s me. -Walt, Gran Torino. Things are going awry in my neighborhood, and I don’t plan to be a passive bystander. I’ve been watching kids come and go from the house next door for a year now, during all [...]
Posted in Bryan, Everyday, Living In Community, Startup Mom on Aug 26th, 2009 2 Comments »
I think we were all stretched a little tight last week when Bryan was out every night at events, bookended by working both weekends. It was one of those occasions where it did no good for me to complain about it – whether out loud or in my heart – so I simply embraced the [...]
Posted in Living In Community, Zoe on Aug 15th, 2009 No Comments »
It was beginning to look like I couldn’t participate in the Run for Children’s race today. Bryan had to be at an all day video shoot, which left me and the kids alone, and they’re too big to push in a stroller. I thought of getting a babysitter, but quickly realized our one car would [...]
Posted in Everyday, Living In Community on Aug 13th, 2009 4 Comments »
We finally have a very awesome renter moving into one of our spare rooms. Our house has been empty for a long time – too long. I love having people live with us, because our renters often become like family. We’ve had a teacher, a medical school applicant, and a pilot, among others. They share [...]
Posted in Comfort & Control, Living In Community on Jul 3rd, 2009 3 Comments »
Five years ago in the middle of the night on July 3rd, Bryan and I woke suddenly to a smoke filled house. My heart fluttered in my chest as the adrenaline washed through me, and I rushed into Ruthie’s room to snatch her from her crib. We quickly realized the fire was not in our [...]
Posted in Everyday, Living In Community on Apr 23rd, 2009 No Comments »
Just so you know, a kid threw gum at J__ on the bus and she put it in her mouth “because it still tasted good.” I made her pinky-swear never to do that again.
Be warned: what you see here is not my best work. It is what Anne Lamott describes in Bird By Bird as a series of “shitty first drafts.” Blogging dragged me kicking and screaming out of creative constipation by getting me to actually write. So I do that. A lot. Without worrying about every word choice or comma placement.
Want to know more? Read my full About Page.
"Sanity Hacks of a 