My Scribbler’s Heart

Seven Quick Takes Friday

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Seven Quick Takes Friday

Partners In Crime

Patience has been in short supply lately. (A natural byproduct of having babies in your 40s?) I’ve caught myself speaking to my kids in an irritated tone or tending to their needs in a begrudging manner.

Our children are a huge blessing, and I’m making a greater effort to be fully-present to them and remind myself how privileged I am to be their momma. So, I’ve spent more time making them smile and laugh, which is a beautifully simple thing at their ages. When they aren’t destroying things, whining, or pitching fits, they are easy to love. Continue reading →

Have You Set Yourself Up for Failure?

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The High Price of Unreasonable Expectations

Have you set the bar too high?

One morning last week, my husband expressed frustration with interruptions to his morning routine.

“Every morning when I fill the sink to shave, someone comes in here needing to use the sink. I need to get up at 5:00 a.m.”

I had just rolled out of bed, so it was somewhere between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. He was still in the process of shaving, as evidenced by the lather on his face. Continue reading →

Small Success Thursday

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Small Success Thursday

Why small success? Because that’s the only kind I know! Even the big ones come in small steps. Here’s my paltry offering for the week.

  1. Thank-You Notes Done. I facilitated the kids getting their Christmas thank-you notes done. Then the notes from my oldest daughter’s birthday. And Valentine’s Day. And my youngest son’s birthday. Seems like a little thing, but with four children, generous family and friends, and multiple occasions, it becomes a protracted task.
  2. Toddler Bathed Without a Poop Incident. Don’t know how or why this started, but for three consecutive baths, we had “incidents.” I’ll spare you the details, but is unpleasant, to say the least. To top it off, the culprit is terrified of the whole scenario. Continue reading →

Should You Journal? My Life on Paper

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In 1981, at the tender age of nine, I was given my first diary.

Here’s what it looked like:

My First Diary

Dear Diary

And check out this clever message written on the side:

Message on diary side.

It reads: You are a sucker if you believe this. Carolyn’s diary key is hidden in music box. Ha ha!

This, unedited for your amusement, is my first entry (Here and throughout, names are reduced to initials to protect the innocent.): Continue reading →

Flash Fiction Challenge: Part Two

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This week, I’m sharing Part Two in Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge. (To recap, the object is to post a 1,000 word story beginning. Each week, another writer will build on the story culminating in a four-part tale written by four different authors.) I’m building on a story beginning by Sheri Williams.

Sisters (Part Two)

rainy windshield

Photo by Jusben. (Morguefile.com)

My finger pinched in the metal opening mechanism, but I shook out my hand and jerked open the umbrella. I muttered  a curse and bit down on my injured finger to diffuse the pain. I headed east, the clicking of my heels muffled by the rainwater. Realizing I was nearing a run, I forced my legs to slow down. Breathing in the fresh smell of summer rain, I replayed our lunch meeting. Continue reading →

Five Favorites: Lent Edition

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Five Favorites

Lent begins tomorrow, so scarf those fatty doughnuts or indulge in whatever Mardi Gras traditions you choose before we settle in for forty days of discipline. Here are my favorite things about Lent.

–1–

The minimalism. The spirit of Lent is encapsulatd  in the words uttered as our foreheads are marked by cruciform ashes.

Meménto, homo, quia pulvis es, et in púlverem revertéris.

Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.

Concentration is focused on three simple things accessible and customizable to every person: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Cultural distractions during Lent are minimal compared to the consumer onslaught endured during Advent. The Easter Bunny is a minor distraction, at best.

Easter Bunny

Go home, wascally egg-hiding wabbit.

Continue reading →