Last night I stumbled on Jennifer Fulwiler’s recent post, “Stay-at-Home Moms Need Help” on the National Catholic Register (she also blogs at Conversion Diary). In it, Jennifer is asking the question of whether it’s self-indulgent for a woman who stays home to have help with housekeeping or childcare. I thought what she had to say was too good to not be discussed: When I studied anthropology in college, one of the things that stood out to me the most was... Read more
For Brooksie’s sweet excitement after bath time when I’m going to give him a lotion-y baby massage. (We’re talking arms swinging-giggles here.) That my baby is 5-months-old today! How did this happen? For birds on branches outside this impermanent apartment. For the house we found last week that we’ll move into in a month. For future cool mornings on the deck with my coffee. For August’s strong will and his current love for Green Eggs and Ham. (Two days ago... Read more
Last week, while my 3-year-old was readjusting to life with both his mom and dad, in a new city, in a temporary home, away from his friends in San Francisco and the cousins and grandparents he’d just been visiting, he cried a lot. Mostly, he cried for his dad. It’s difficult to understand the concept of work, especially when only one parent does it and the other is playing “talking cars” and “soldiers who slime!” with him during the day.... Read more
It’s been one whole week since I began life as a Austin-dweller. So far, I have been really hot, gone swimming every day, spent lots of nap-time looking for a preschool, eaten out (way too much), and have seen my bestie Jamie (and her almost 2-week old!) twice. Tomorrow, I have a real-live new friend date that I’m pumped about. The days are getting shorter; school is approaching. And I always feel a little emotional when summer begins to close... Read more
When I began college in, ahem, 1997, overalls were still cool (at least in Abilene, Texas) and I was intrigued by this store in Dallas called “Abercrombie.” Yes, I was a fashion original. So, when my college friends (also freshmen) realized that most of the senior girls we had encountered in our non-trendy Southern Baptist campus were still wearing what had been cool when they were seniors in high school, we made a promise to each other: We will always... Read more
Tonight while Chris was getting August ready for bed, I strapped Brooksie into the Ergo and walked the five minutes to the front of the apartment complex, pushing a stroller full of recycling to its appropriate depository. (Oh, Texas, you make caring for the environment so easy.) And as I walked through the heavy air, flaming sunset in the distance, I felt a settling in me, a root easing down. This afternoon, I took the boys up to Chris’ office... Read more
This is my first real blog entry since arriving in Austin. Three days and I still haven’t been on a proper grocery run (my boy’s been eating a healthy diet of cheerios and turkey/mayo sandwiches, while Chris and I have gotten Torchy’s Tacos 2 out of 3 nights. We can’t stop ourselves.) I’m a bit overwhelmed with the amount of driving. I forgot what it’s like to living in a “driving” city. (Can you believe that?) We’ve spent the past... Read more
We are in Austin. We’ve been here for approximately four hours. There’s a lot I’d like to reflect on, but I’ll be honest here: I’m exhausted. So I’ll tell you what I added to my thankful list yesterday and today as we drove across Texas to Austin. This state is bone-dry. And in the midst of the biggest heat wave in 70 years, there have been a lot of fires. In fact, my hometown (Amarillo) had no fireworks this past... Read more
I know, I know. How clichéd is that picture? But I took it myself. I passed that sign twice every Tuesday on Franklin Street in SF, on my way to drop off and pick up August from his school. I never noticed it, of course, until Chris’ interview for the job in Austin. After that, traffic always stopped me in front of it: “Austin! One Way!” it would exclaim to me from outside my car window. I’d laugh because, if... Read more
What a week it’s been. I’m writing this after just returning from “Cousin’s Camp” with my parents, my brothers, sisters-in-law and my boys’ five cousins. We rented a house in the mountains and had the sweetest time, with a few massive tantrums (my child) and a couple of poopy pairs of underwear (my child) laced in there for extra fun. Then I returned to the world of internet to find that my friend Lance is still in the same condition.... Read more
Micha Boyett
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