Clingy Toddlers
Sweet baby Flash isn’t such a baby anymore. At 18 months old, we’ve got a toddler in the house again, and this little boy lives up to his nickname. Turn your head for a second, and he’s gone, scaling furniture, digging through cabinets, and getting into mischief. He knows what he wants, and he goes after it. When he’s not getting what he wants, he’s quite vocal. I do believe he’s the most opinionated and expressive of the Robertson children. Heaven help us. Aside from the yelling at me portion, I do love this phase. I love that Flash recognizes me as the one who meets his needs. I’m the…
Angry Mommy
I lost it. Like, really lost it. ‘It’ being my self-control, my patience, my compassion, my rational thinking, all gone. There was nothing redeemable about that moment with my child. In it, I was her, the genuinely crappy mom. I have my moments, and this was one. If my emotions were animated, it would be as Cruella de Vil having a psychotic break with reality, eyes clouded by anger and driving this metaphorical car forward with my rage sure to end the exchange in a fiery crash. This isn’t the mom I want to be. This isn’t the mom I want my kids to have. Yet sometimes I find myself…
2019: A Year in Review
Another year down, another whirlwind survived. Here’s a snapshot of all the things the Robertsons did last year. What We’ve Learned: Flash: How to walk, run, talk, play, eat, get in kitchen cabinets, and steal remote controls. It’s been a busy year. Wonder Woman: How to push a switch button to play with toys. Batman: How to leverage cuteness for desired outcomes, most notably candy, happy meals, and IHOP. Superman: How to read independently. Mom: How to consistently(ish) write a blog. Dad: How to fit 4 kids, 4 car seats, 2 dogs, a dog kennel, 2 adults, a wheelchair, a double stroller, multiple suitcases, and a stash of medical supplies…
Silly Traditions & New Resolutions
Ten years ago, John and I rang in the new year/new decade on a snow-covered rooftop in Seoul. We took our dogs and two bottles of sparkling cider to the top of our apartment building and looked out across the skyline for fireworks. We couldn’t see any from our vantage point, but we laughed at our failed plan and enjoyed each other’s company anyway. As the clock struck midnight, we participated in our annual cider chug– a silly tradition started by my brother in the early 2000s. Each person cracks a bottle of sparkling cider or grape juice and races to drink their beverage first. The bottles had chilled in…
Thankful for the Little Things
When dinner time arrives, after the chaos of cooking, setting the table, getting drinks, arguing with kids over who sits next to whom, and how to keep negative opinions to yourself, when we’ve all settled into our places, we take turns naming things we’re thankful for. It’s one way we’re trying to cultivate a heart of thankfulness and gratitude in our children. Though I can’t take credit for the idea. My parents started this tradition during my grumpy tween years of ‘everything is awful, nothing good has ever happened in my entire life.’ As my mom told me then, “I don’t care if it’s that you liked your ponytail today,…
Home is Where the Heart Is
Home is where the heart is, or so the old adage goes. But that doesn’t accurately encompass the complexities of military life. My children and my husband are my heart, and they’re here with me, but Colorado doesn’t feel like home yet. So when does a place feel like home and not just a place you live? I recently posed the question on my Facebook page confident that my military connections would have the answer. Responses included: When you can get to the grocery store without navigation When you make real/genuine friendships When you feel comfortable in the area When you’re involved in the community (both an answer and a…
- Adoption, Depression, Faith, Family, Grief, Hydranencephaly, Life, Love, patience, Special Needs, Special Needs Parenting, Unexpected
National Adoption Month
November is National Adoption Month. It’s also the month that Wonder Woman was born, and marks the day we heard those life changing words over the phone, “She is yours.” My cell reception was awful that night and the audio cut in and out as I paced across blue kitchen tile and said her name over and over to our social worker, hoping she would accurately hear it. This name was treasured by us and had been held in my heart for years as I waited for a baby girl. The most important thing—the only thing—I could do for our little girl right then was give her her name. Despite…
- Adoption, Faith, Family, Hope, Hydranencephaly, Life, Special Needs, Special Needs Parenting, Unexpected
Impossible
“It’s impossible.” I told God. Well, I didn’t tell him those exact words, my actions did. I stopped praying for something that’s been heavy on my heart. I gave up hope. I know he’s the God of miracles, but I’ve been praying for years and this thing felt too far gone. I became frustrated praying for something that repeatedly went unanswered. My persistence didn’t seem to pay off, things are no better than when I started praying. It is extremely hard to have faith in God when it feels like he’s letting you down. My mind attempts mental gymnastics to not face the reality that God can simultaneously be sovereign and…
Under Pressure
I was excited walking into the first week of homework for a new-to-me Bible study on marriage. I’ve been doing women’s Bible studies for years on a variety of topics and books of the Bible, but this is the first time I have focused on my marriage with other women. Given the solid relationship John and I have enjoyed for over a decade, I was confident that this would simply build on our secure foundation. Fast forward to the second week of homework and I found myself sitting in my bed doing said homework amidst a pile of pillows and tears. I wanted to throw the book onto the floor,…
Telling Whoppers
The other night, my dad and I were driving with a car full of boys. The four boys ranged in age from 4 to 13, and their conversations were comical and varied; farts, dogs, superheroes, and all manner of randomness. Their energy was pinging around the car, a last hurrah before getting home for bedtime. I was only partially listening to their conversation when my ears picked on a whopper of a tale coming from the backseat. A story from one of the boys about how he helped a wolf in his backyard. “Fortunately” this little boy was a hero, calmly letting the wolf out and away from his dogs.…
