Last night I found myself in a very hard spot of parenting. I felt overwhelmed and defeated. I had been tried to my very core by my two young boys that day, and I needed to escape.
“Can you watch the boys?” I said to my husband as he walked through the door form the garage.
He kissed me and asked where I was going, but I said I wasn’t sure yet.
I found my way to the movie theater. I haven’t seen a movie by myself since before my kids were born, but something drew me there.
As I looked at the listing of movies, I saw Frozen 2 was being played every 15 minutes for the entire night. I quickly realized it was the movie’s opening night.
My boys had already expressed their disdain for the last movie. When I asked them earlier this week if they wanted to see the new movie, they said yes but only if “Anna and Elsa aren’t in it.” Then they started laughing and snickering to each other as only siblings do.
I was expecting a movie about Anna and Elsa, because—well, duh—but I was pleasantly surprised to see the ** tiny spoiler alert ** backstory of the girls’ parents in the movie. How they met, a little about their background, and an even a better understanding of how they died.
By the end of the film, the central theme of the timeless bond between a mother and her children was simply captivating. I am not ashamed to say I shed a tear or two thinking about my own bond with my mom, and how it will always be a powerful relationship between us, even after one of us goes.
And Disney yet again stunned me with their ability to make non-romantic love the central focus of their film. First it was the love between sisters, and for Frozen 2, it’s the infinite love of a mother (and some more about sisters, because it’s Anna and Else we’re talking about here!).
The next morning, I told my kids I’d sneaked off to the movies without them to see Frozen 2. They were nonplussed as I shared just how much fun it was, and what I learned about Anna and Elsa’s parents. Again, crickets.
But as soon as I told them about the earth giants? They were all in. Looks like we will be heading back to the theater this weekend. I can’t wait for my kids to see this beautiful story of family and connection, and how love lives on long after death.
And yes, lots of earth giants.
I have this theory that every grandma’s house has its own smell. For mine, her house always smells like the same perfume she’s worn my whole life. I can’t tell you the name of her perfume, but I can tell you what it looks like and exactly where she keeps it on her bathroom cabinet. Occasionally the smell of freshly baked cookies overpowers the smell of her perfume at my grandma’s house. Knowing her signature recipes, I can tell you within a few seconds of walking in the door just exactly what she has in the oven. I imagine other grandmas’ houses smell...
Friendly advice: Don’t fail to realize how much you love something until it’s gone. This goes for so many things in life. The calls from your mom reminding you of mundane things. “Don’t forget your warm coat.” “Did you remember to eat lunch?” I am 44, and no joke, my mom reminds me to go to the bathroom before a long drive. It’s hilarious. I’m old enough to know that someday I will absolutely ache for these calls in the morning. Someday I would give anything to have these reminders. So, I take it all in, I roll with it,...
On May 4th, 2023 I was delivered devastating news. My husband no longer loved me, and he wanted to end our marriage. This was the last thing I expected. I tried to get him to work things out, but he was firm on the decision that we were done. My heart broke for my children and what I thought I wanted for my life. As it turns out though, this separation and soon-to-be divorce is probably one of the best things that could have happened to me. It has given me a new appreciation for myself, brought me closer to...
Dear OCD Mom
In: Living, Motherhood
When you’re an OCD momma, you might request an epidural for labor because you know the lack of pain will calm your brain and help you enjoy the experience. When you’re an OCD momma, you might switch to bottles and formula early if the baby is fussy and seems hungry because you want to find joy in the first year and know they’re eating enough. RELATED: To the Mom Left Worrying While Everyone Else is Asleep When you’re an OCD momma, you might stock up on store-bought baby food because you want your child to eat lots of fruits and...
I blame my mother. That’s right, I blame her for instilling in my young mind to always strive for outward beauty. “Always pretend that there is a hidden camera out there trying to capture an image of you because the way you look will determine how you are perceived by the world.” I remember my mother used to make fun of my overbite. I would catch her staring at me and mockingly copy how I looked. I never really thought that was funny. As early as 12 years of age, I made it a point not to get out of...
What Aimee Larsen first thought was a stomach bug turned out to be something much more terrifying for her young son. Her 9-year-old woke up one day last week seeming “lethargic, barely able to stand or speak,” his mom shared in a Facebook post. At first, she assumed he had a virus, but something about his behavior just didn’t seem right. She called an ambulance and asked her older sons if their brother might have gotten into something, like cough syrup or another over-the-counter medicine. Their answer? “Yeah, THC gummies.” THC gummies are an edible form of cannabis that contain...
I recently read a quote that said, “Sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to come.” It resonated. Not because I don’t love my friends. I do. Fiercely. Wholeheartedly. But, I’m that friend. You know the one . . . the last commit, the first to leave. The one who chooses option C when everyone else chooses options A or B. The one who doesn’t initiate the plans. And struggles to show up to the ones that are made even though they are with the people closest to my heart. The one who politely declines opportunities for reasons that are sometimes driven solely...
I love what being on the dance team has taught my daughter. It has taught her to work hard and not give up even when things get difficult. It is currently teaching her that you don’t have to like everyone, but sometimes you do have to work with everyone for the benefit of the team. It has taught her confidence in herself and kept her in great shape. Those are valuable life lessons, and that’s what we’re here for. But something deeply concerns me about these school sports, marching bands, dance, and cheer teams. They are so expensive that only...
God looked around at all He had created, and He knew He would need someone to teach His children. So God made a Sunday school teacher. God knew He needed someone with a heart and desire to teach children God’s word. God knew the children would act up and made Sunday school teachers with patience and grace to guide them when they step out of line in class. He also made Sunday school teachers with a touch of discretion to know when the stories of a child may be real or imagined. God knew this person would need to be...
To the friend who invited me over without picking her house up beforehand . . . thank you. You had no way of knowing, but I’ve been especially weighed down by the feeling of “I can’t keep up” lately—and when I walked into your beautiful home and saw dishes in the sink and laundry scattered here and there, I let out the deepest exhale I didn’t even realize I was holding in. Because seeing your mess? Your less-than-perfect? It didn’t make me think any differently of you, but it did allow me to give myself the grace I desperately needed....