A Mother Lost, a Mother Born

It’s Mother’s Day, and while I celebrate my own motherhood, I also think about my mom, who died almost 22 years ago. On the late-summer day when she gave up her brief-but-valiant battle against breast cancer, I prayed the crystalline skies would swallow my shock, that my

Read more

The Privilege of Pregnancy

I’m pregnant for the third time in my life. The first time I had a flawless pregnancy–my son was born perfectly healthy, and I had very few complaints. The second time I experienced a missed miscarriage–my child died without my knowing it, sometime around the seven-eight-week mark.

Read more

Learning to Revel in a Loss of Control

In any given week, at least one day seems to spin out of my control. Especially lately, as my pregnancy hormones ebb and flow, claiming bits of my memory and pieces of my physical dexterity. By day I chase an impish two-year-old who speedily scampers away at

Read more

Why Mama Writes

For the first 35 years of my life, writing was my greatest love. My identity was neatly, proudly wrapped around being a member of the Fourth Estate. Journalism took me from Chicago to Washington, D.C., and back, and I loved nothing more than stacking my plate high

Read more