Some thoughts, still nebulous–would love some feedback:
We were talking with Young Episcopal Memoirist today about full-time writers (she is not one). She commented that often a person will have some success with a first book, and she’ll quit her job to write full time, and the second book won’t be nearly as good because it’s […]

Random pieces from day 4:
–Rita Mae Brown says you can have a job that pays the rent, you can write, or you can have a life–pick two.
–We had the inclusive language discussion yesterday after reading a submission from a man who used a *lot* of Father language for God. While I don’t want to lose […]

It hasn’t been edited, it really doesn’t have much of a beginning or an end really, and I’m not sure what the point is, or even if there needs to be one.
—–
This morning C was showing us some hand signs. “This means stop, this means go, this means dude.” I didn’t even know she knew […]

A very unorganized list of stuff I am thinking about on day 3:
–Another great day for the Divine Miss M. Retired Office Manager continues to work wonders with the cup. M apparently even started sucking on the spout this afternoon, rather than just letting the milk dribble into her mouth. And she doesn’t seem ravenously […]

PPB and others were wondering what I submitted for critique. Here is the first piece:
Introduction
It’s happened again.
Another friend of mine from seminary, ordained, installed and practicing ministry for less than two years, has given notice to the church she serves. She will not seek another call—not right now. She will be a stay-at-home mom to […]

As they say in Texas, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute.
Babyhood is like that—if you don’t like the phase you’re in, wait a minute. The corollary to that is to enjoy the good times and not get too wrapped up in what was or will be. All this is to say, I […]

Last week I heard Erica Jong on the Diane Rehm show. She’s written a book about writing called Seducing the Demon: Writing for My Life. During the interview she talked about writing being something she has to do, otherwise she would go insane. It’s a calling, she said. I do know that I get […]

We’ve been play-acting Cinderella in our house for weeks now, ever since the Disney version came into our lives via Netflix. C has played Cinderella every time, and she always waits on the stepsisters with a little more doormat-enthusiasm than I like (Girl, don’t let them, er, me, push you around like that!). And when […]

First, three milestones to report:
1. Today is my last day home with M before maternity leave ends.
2. C has her first sleepover tonight, at MaDear’s house.
3. I had my first barrage of “But why?” from C yesterday.
Now, from Songbird:
Yesterday, as I drove past Planet Fitness on my way to Planet Dog, and remembering there is […]

I have been having a little delayed post-partum baby blues, thinking about maternity leave coming to an end. I go back to work April 4, and I’m very much looking forward to the work and the people. However, much as I try not to, I’m doing some anticipatory sweating of small stuff. The good news […]

snow falls, and breaks on impact.
I look up, and branches
bearing nests like arthritic knuckles
clutch at the whitewashed sky,
grasping for each new flake;
the icy petals slip through their fingers,
and mine,
but yours are plump to collect them
until at last we hurry inside.

Had a great few days with the CGs and the Petite CGs. It was fun to see the littles interact. We took them to the aquarium, also did some eating, drinking and merry-making. Good times.
Now we are at various stages of sickness in the reverendhousehold. R has a sinus infection, or worse. Miss M had […]

Well, the reality is finally settling in for little she-who-is: I Am Not the Center of Attention Anymore. It’s a sad realization for her, but I’m grateful she’s not taking it out on M. Her father and I can take it.
On Wednesday, when I dropped her off at day-care after our Morning with Mommy, she […]

RevBaby Reviews
…an occasional series for the diapered set
Today’s topic: Nursing Options in the Big Suburban Mall
It happens every time. A morning jaunt around the shopping center works up an appetite. Fortunately, the anchor department stores provide lounges for those in-between snacks, but quality varies widely at these eateries. I sampled Elevensies at three locations, […]

Rocks: I finally have a dental PPO, which means I can afford to get some dental work done.
Sucks: That dental work includes getting two old fillings redone this week, and possibly getting gum grafts on a few teeth! Yuck!
I have three more weeks of maternity leave before the writing workshop, and I go back to […]

the cushion behind my back
crunches as I rock.
the baby clucks with each milk-swallow,
k, k, k;
later, puffs into my ear.
I thump the hollow flesh
poured out on my shoulder,
and three wet burps escape.
across the hall, two voices,
a floating conversation:
cheeseburger—
watercolors—
then duet becomes solo,
with pages fluttering their accompaniment.
finally, a stern lamp clicks off,
suspending cinderella’s dreams
for another night.
the furnace sighs […]

worries:
infertility
miscarriage
birth defects
gestational diabetes
bedrest
preeclampsia
emergency c-section
prematurity
twelve-pound baby
post-partum depression
SIDS
autism
asthma
allergies
leukemia
abduction
car wreck
bullying
drugs
psycho boyfriend
psycho girlfriend
no boyfriend or girlfriend
peer pressure
heartbreak
drunk drivers
the easy way out
the wrong man
infertility
miscarriage
birth defects
…
“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” –Matthew 6.34

Excuse me, states *to which* I’ve been… ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.
(Map may take a moment to load)

create your own visited states map
Mamala is here to hang with revbaby while I finish the writing piece for the workshop at the end of the month. Apparently […]