Sitting in the dark, snuggled under a blanket, cupping a mug of coffee, I tried to muster enough gumption to go outside and run. Or to be honest, I may have been looking for an excuse to go back to bed. Bailey the dog was no help for the latter. She was looking at me hopefully, telegraphing ...

“Whatever you do, don’t move the shirt on the ironing board. The paint needs to dry.” These were my parting instructions to my husband as my daughter and I left for the weekend. Homecoming Week was starting, and outfits in varying stages of completion were strewn throughout the ...

Preferences define who we are. Before we even start kindergarten, we are asked about our favorite colors, sports teams and foods. My best friend in fourth grade loved orange. Closing my eyes, I can still picture the orange “Star Wars” T-shirt that she wore everywhere. Many years later, ...

If you’ve spent your life in education, you know September is the month of promise. Summer ends, and suddenly there’s a bright shining new year ahead of you. After weeks of togetherness, you’re ready to trade your biological children for someone else’s. First-day outfits, first-day ...

Dear Old Friend, It’s been a while. I confess that for years, I turned my back on you. We grew up together, playing with Susie, the girl down the street. One day I just drifted away, and I never said goodbye. I don’t think either one of us knew how long it would be until we crossed paths ...

Despite having the maiden name of Gardner, my thumbs are not green. People look at the flower gardens in my front yard and believe I know what I’m doing. They push my comment of “oh, I’m a lazy gardener” to the side as modesty. In reality, it is the truth. My flowers are ...