I had just come from Madalena’s and was driving to meet my husband for a late afternoon drink when I got picked up. Never mind that I had worked out that morning and was still in my gym clothes, marinating in my own grit and stink and general grossness derived from being packaged in Lycra [...]
In Aging, Life, Self-worth, Women on
25 January 2010 with 6 comments
One comb out, a few tears, a great new stylist and 3-1/2 hours later (no, that’s not a typo), this is what her hair looks like. She chose the “clicky-clackies” and her birthmother chose me.
In Adoption, Hair, Love, Parenting, Race, Self-worth on
5 October 2009 with 12 comments
Real questions I received from grown adults during a 24-hour period this past weekend. Ruby was within earshot for all of them:
“Adoption? That is so wonderful! I want to adopt my 20-year old maid. I love her but I don’t know how to adopt her.”
“Why is her skin black and yours isn’t?”
“Do you like that [...]
In Adoption, Parenting, Race, Racism, Self-worth on
5 July 2009 with 16 comments
Much of the literature I’ve read about transracial parenting has said that three is the age at which the questions about race begin. I’ve been apprehensively waiting for the inquiries, hoping I’d have the right answers when put on the spot. I’ve tried to prepare myself for it, and at the same time—however wrong this [...]
In Adoption, Family, Love, Parenting, Race, Self-worth on
1 March 2009 with 15 comments
Ruby’s grasp of language seems to have exploded in the last week. She was a sappling on Friday morning, I swear, but she somehow sprouted branches and roots in every direction by sunset, which is when she pointed out that I hadn’t asked Sam to pass the salsa please.
Polysyllabic words and multi-sentence paragraphs, combined with [...]
In Adoption, Family, Love, Parenting, Race, Self-worth on
23 February 2009 with 18 comments
“When I grow up, I catch the moon! I jump real high and catch the moon!”
In Bits & Pieces, Love, Parenting, Poetry (Mine or others), Self-worth on
15 January 2009 with 3 comments
All day, I’ve been wadding up the cyber paper into cyber balls and cyber launching them into the cyber wire wastebasket across the room. It’s now overflowing onto the floor but I think I finally have something I can keep.
In Self-worth, The Column, Writing on
25 September 2008 with 2 comments
I’ve been a little overwhelmed here lately, which is part of the reason it’s been so tumbleweedy in these parts. Overwhelmed, and also quite a bit sick of myself. Aren’t all of you sick of myself, too? I certainly wouldn’t blame you. Nevertheless, I’m pushing past it.
And so: A story.
Ruby had her first [...]
In Family, Hair, Parenting, Self-worth on
19 June 2008 with 16 comments
(This is my 150-word inspirational speech, written in under 10 minutes.)
(Oh, and it’s for my friend, Katie.)
You’re always saying, I’m not a photographer or How can I be a good photographer or Really, you’re a better photographer than I am. And to this I say: Grrrrrrl! Have you seen the photos you’ve taken lately?
Look, I [...]
In Life, PROMPTuesday, Photography, Photos, Self-worth on
29 April 2008 with 4 comments
Following the release last week of new statistics supporting a decline in U.S. abortion rates—statistics that both pro-life and pro-choice advocates claim favor their stance—I decided to link on over to the Guttmacher Institute website to see what I could see with my own eyes.
The Guttmacher Institute is the nonprofit organization focused (hallelujah!) on reproductive [...]
In Backwards and In High Heels, Self-worth, The Column on
23 January 2008 with 26 comments