klynlynk

Divorce has far-reaching consequences, especially if children are involved. I turned down that road in June of 2005 when I filed for legal separation from my husband of seven years; our divorce was final in February of 2006. Irreconcilable differences. That's divorce-speak for 'we bring out the worst in each other' or 'there's no chemistry' or 'we don't really like each other anymore' or 'we just can't do it anymore". No matter the reason a couple splits, it sucks. Starting over is hard. Really hard. You'll probably feel like flooding social media with anger-filled (perhaps wine-induced) rants about how something didn't go your way & how it is all your ex's fault because they don't have your "good" parenting skills. My advice: Get over yourself and STFU.  If child custody needs to be established, then the process normally results in the mother being awarded full custody and designated as the chi...

I remember playing Dodgeball in elementary (K-6) and junior high (7-9) school. We couldn't bring a note from Mommy excusing us from P.E. that day or cry about getting hurt...we played Dodgeball. We played not just because we were told to play, but we also enjoyed it. We were kids acting like kids. We PLAYED. A generation later and now our children aren't allowed to play group games like Dodgeball in school because someone might get hurt. And because someone has to lose the game. Apparently it's not acceptable anymore for people to have different talents. Today everyone gets a trophy. What happened? Do you remember feeling the icy-hot sting when that textured-rubber ball connected with the side of your face during a game of Dodgeball? I sure do. Because I sucked at Dodgeball (and sports in general). The Dodgeball sting was especially bad if the thrower was mad at you that day. Or if we were outside on a frosty winter morning. Or if a boy threw the ball at you. We didn...

My youngest daughter, Kendra, is five and a half years old (I added the "half" there because she would probably cry if I said she was just five years old). She made a dramatic entrance into our world (complete with an electrocuted squirrel and hospital-wide power outage) and she was born with the ability to throw an Oscar-worthy temper tantrum. She is wise beyond her years, at times even wise beyond my years; her words and outlook on life can sometimes overshadow the fact that she is only five years old. So, as frustrating as it is in the moment, I often find joy in her emotional meltdowns. Some reasons why Kendra is crying, mad, or pouting: We put a big bow on her head and brought her home from the hospital. She was forced to have her picture taken with her sisters. She couldn't catch a cat. She had to take a nap. She rubbed spaghetti in her eyes. We got her sparklers on the 4th of July. We dressed her like an Arkansas Razorbac...

27 questions my teenage daughters have texted me in the last few weeks, in no particular order: Can we get Sonic or McDonald's for dinner? Where are Kendra's zip pj's? Can you take me over to Daddy's at like 12:30? Can I go with y'all? How was the concert thingy? Do you think on our way home you could drop {my friend} off? Can {my friend} still come over tonight? Can we get stuff to tye-dye tonight? Can {my friend} come over Sunday night? Do we have any locks? What time are we even supposed to even be off of our phones? Can I go with you to pick up Kendra? Can we run to {my friend}'s house real quick? Do you mind if I go to {my friend}'s for a couple hours to hang out? Can {my friend} stay the night again? Chick-Fil-A? When does {my friend} have to leave? Can we make popcorn? Can we stop and get a pizza first? Can I just go to {my friend}'s for New Years? Can we go to the movies instead of bowling? Where are y'all? Can we ...

In this age of technology and instant gratification I went four weeks without a cell phone.   On purpose.   From 3 July 2015 to 31 July 2015 I turned off my phone and turned on a new experience.  It was an experience that took me briefly back to a time when we didn't have the world in the palm of our hands.  It was an experience that delighted me, challenged me, educated me, humbled me, and fueled my longing for simpler times. The Pros: I had to use my imagination when I was bored.   I learned how spoiled I'd become and how accustomed I was to instant gratification.  That's not a trait I desire for myself and it was humbling to acknowledge that I needed to make some changes. I didn't feel as "busy".  I was just as busy but it was better. My neck didn't hurt from being oddly bent over a device.  It brought new definition to the phrase, "keep your chin up". I had to depend on the willingness of others to share their phone with me when I ...

My husband and I are thirty-something's in the middle of raising a modern, busy family of three girls aged 16, 14, and 5 years.  We're at a stage in life where we buy tampons in bulk and dinner is never agreed upon unanimously. As a mother, I adore every fiber of each of my daughters' precious existence. As an aging human who often runs on that hamster wheel of self-induced stress, I can reach new levels of memory loss, frustration, exhaustion and insanity with superhuman speed. As a language lover, I cherish every word that comes out of the mouths of my babes. Our house is  full of all kinds of goodness, hormones, noise and dreams; occasionally I'm mindful enough to make a memory out of the moments we share. If laughter is the best medicine, then my favorite prescription is remembering when that's what she said. When she starts a conversation with: Middle Kid:  "So, we were tumbling in choir today..."   When she won't eat her vegetables: ...