Family

Being a mother is simply the greatest achievement of my life. It has taken me on an unexpected journey that can constantly surprise, educate and confuse me! The emotional connection I feel towards my children brings boundless elation and joy as well as the inevitable worry and concern. They are a wonder to me every day. From a teenage son through to a toddler daughter, each moment of every day is filled with different energies, activities, feelings and a lot of comedy. From playing sport to lounging on the sofa, each of my children fill every second with laughter, music and discussion. They are kind hearted and well-mannered and have incredibly enquiring minds, and I feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by these phenomenal human beings. Being in a position where they live such a...
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I am so, so alone There's nobody to talk to They're all gone, nobody home I miss my children, and yes, my wife too I can do whatever I want Write a poem, or an open letter Watch TV, play the computer But none of that makes me feel any better Nothing can extinguish the sadness I feel so sad from deep within Oh, the thought, this will last for two weeks Nothing I can do, not a thing I wrote my wife an e-mail Told her that I miss her That put a smile on my face But I only feel a little better In a few weeks they will be home again The silence will definitely go away Things will be as it was again And then, yes then, will I wish for another quiet day
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Dear "Glue of the Family,” Thank you for creating the memories with my family that I will remember for a lifetime. From the moment I walk into our family gatherings to the moment I leave, I never feel more loved. You have never thought twice about doing everything in your power to make sure everyone has a wonderful time when we are with you, even if that means playing referee in family disputes over the last turkey leg. During holidays, I know you are stressed because of how many mouths you have to feed and how many presents or decorations you have to prepare. As I grow older, I understand just how difficult it is to coordinate schedules. I appreciate the time you take to make sure we are always happy. You're constantly making my favorite dishes or stocking up on my favorite snack when...
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Hi, Daddy. It never crossed my mind that one day I'd be writing you this messy and unorganized letter. We both knew that when I was growing up, I didn't really have a father that I could look up to. Yes, we were best of friends when I was still your little girl. You taught me how to swim and how to love the beach. We'd play a lot of boy games even though I wasn't really a boy, but what we did not know was fate also played games with our family. I was too young to understand why you and Mommy had to live separately. Why I had to be with you during the weekdays and be with Mommy on the weekends (or vice versa). Why I had to choose when we can live together. I never knew the reason why until I figured it out on my own. I just wanted to deny and say that it wasn't real....
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Dear Parents, I'm a Non-Parent. I'm someone who watches what you do and how you do it. I judge you, but not in the ways that you might think. For example, as a non-parent, I have no idea what it's like to be in a grocery store with a child who's having a meltdown over the fact that you're not buying Froot Loops. You might notice how lucky I am, as a Non-Parent, to simply walk away from the scene and go on with my "carefree," childless life. I know sometimes Parents have the notion that we Non-Parents think we know everything, and that we think we'd do everything differently than you. Not so, Parents. When I see you dealing with the Froot Loop meltdown in aisle seven, I'm sending you genuine thoughts of patience and grace. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably have a...
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Dear Parents, Let’s talk about the juggle. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Whether you are a parent or not, we all have to juggle multiple responsibilities in order to get what needs to be done… done. As a parent, you are now adding someone who is looking to you. And that’s when the fear and guilt starts. Are you doing a good job? Are you making what is really important a priority? And unfortunately, with no crystal ball, we have to use our brains and hearts to really determine what is a priority. I understand your fear. Having children is terrifying as much as it’s beautiful and wonderful. Both of my children help me grow to be a stronger mother every day, and I can say, a lot of the crap I put up with, the things I strive for, etc., is all for them. Everything has an...
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Dear Mom and Dad, Although there's no rhyme or reason, I've never really been the type of person to express how I feel verbally. I know I tell you every day that I love you both, but sometimes saying "I love you" isn't enough for me. Sometimes, "I love you" doesn't entirely express just how deeply I care for the two of you, at least that's in my opinion. But, without any explanation, I tend to shy away from talking about emotions or subjects of that matter which I'm sure you've already realized. I guess this is why I've always found comfort in writing. So, before I go off on a tangent as I so often do, here's everything I've always wanted to say. I realize these last several years have been anything but easy for us. I guess you could say that one April morning in 1991 really changed...
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Dear parents of entrepreneurs, Where should we begin? There's so much to say. I guess the first thing that comes to mind is ... It must not be easy. You know what I mean – the wondering. Why did my child have to be different? Why couldn't they just finish college, like the other kids? Why couldn't they get a normal job? Work for someone else? Less worries. Less stress. To answer your question, a lot of it is because of ... how do I say this? Well, it's because of you. I know, not all of you owned your own businesses, but you taught us to give 110% in everything we do. You made sure we learned to make our own decisions. And to take responsibility for them. You taught us that we should try and do good for others. That we should try and do good for ourselves. You said it...
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Dear Mom, I'm sorry I didn't remember to bring a card. I know how that hurt you and I hope you know that I never meant for that to happen. I want you to know that Hallmark has yet to make the appropriate sized card for everything I'd like to say and thank you for. I know we haven't always seen eye-to-eye. In fact, I know we rarely do. There is almost an irony to the fact that two English majors struggle so much with something that seems as simple as communication. I want you to know that even then – when we seem two worlds apart, two generations away, or 100 miles from one another – I am thankful for you every minute of every day. I am thankful for you even on the days I have three missed calls and five texts from you on my phone. I am thankful for you in the mornings when you text...
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Dear Friends, We are writing on behalf of our three-year-old granddaughter, Cora Grinsel. Cora was diagnosed on August 18, 2012 with Stage 4 High-Risk Neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer of the sympathetic nervous system. As you can imagine, our family has been devastated by this news. It is only through the faith, hope, prayers and the comfort of our family and friends that we are able to get through each day. Cora’s father, Jeff Grinsel continues to work, while also taking care of their five-year-old son, Oliver and spending as much time as possible with Cora. However, Cora’s mother, Danielle Corrao Grinsel, has had to take a leave from her job to care for Cora while she goes through intense therapy that will last for at least the next year and will require multiple hospital...
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