In general, I’ve kept my mouth shut about the backlash on Joe Paterno and his tarnished reputation in regard to the Sandusky scandal. The fact is, I don’t really know what happened. And that is not my point here. I remember when I heard about the death of Saddam Hussein on the news. I recall feeling an ache for human kind. I admit I did not feel sorrow for his death, but neither...

I struggle with anxiety. In the not-too-distant past, this struggle was what I thought of as typical, run-of-the-mill nervousness about life. We all face moments where circumstances overwhelm and we become less than certain about how to properly deal with them. A couple years ago I dealt with an extremely stressful situation over the course of a week. I struggled to find successful ways to deal...

I have very few pictures of my childhood in my possession, and no pictures of me before I was about 3.  Most of the pictures I have (about a dozen of my little sister and me) were given to me about a year ago. My husband has one picture of him as a toddler, and it’s fun to compare that with pictures of our little ones. This partially explains my desire to get some quality pictures of our family,...

Today I am struck with a severe case of “I Don’t Wanna” (IDW). It was hoped that the illness peaked yesterday when experts posited my symptoms were indicative of “I Would Rather Not” (IWRN) - a milder (and kinder) version of IDW. Here’s what I know… Once an individual displays IDW mannerisms, s/he demonstrates a decreased sensitivity to grammar, political...

There are so many emotions today as our nation reacts to the death of Osama bin Laden. I am brought back to 9/11/2001 and remember my scattered reaction to the events of that horrific morning as the news became increasingly tragic. The surprise attack on American soil was credited to a single man: Osama bin Laden. There was, of course, an instant and intense desire to bring bin Laden to justice....

Yes, I know that Nolan is funny. Anybody who knows him has surely been caught up in his joy at one time or another. He’s a creative boy with a zest for life. He is curious, personable, and quick to laugh. Also, like many other children, he is able to describe and identify things in a way that demands giggles. I understand that I am his mother, and therefore more easily amused by his...