The blessing and curse of anticipation

I realized a few days ago that I’ve totally lost the ability to wholeheartedly look forward to something; to abandon myself to the anticipation, allowing it to permeate every aspect of my being. Perhaps I’m the only one, or perhaps that’s one of the many things we all lose when we become adults. I’m not […]

The unexpected demographic

Willa is turning one on February 18. She’s been walking for two weeks now. With her large top, small bottom, and arms swinging in front of her potbelly, she strongly resembles a baboon. Her whole body sways precariously, but she rarely falls. When her arms aren’t swinging they’re rhythmically slapping that belly, exponentially increasing the […]

A girl and her dog

I couldn’t find her anywhere. All the doors leading to potential danger were firmly closed so I wasn’t panicking, but the house is small. There are only so many places she could be and she wasn’t in any of them. Suddenly, as I scoured the kitchen and living room with a quick eye, I heard […]

These agonizing choices

The walls of the buildings are colorful, the grass is a rich green, and the playground looks out onto the moody ocean and a street lined with coconut palms. The international school looks pleasant enough from the outside, but is ultimately an unknown. Just one more unknown in the mountain of unknowns looming in our […]

How vomit led to self-awareness

You quickly find things out about yourself when your shirt is dripping and your hands are sticky with the evidence of your child’s illness. I was never the girl that played house and dreamed of the day I would have kids. I never believed I would be okay with having another human’s bodily fluids all […]