When I was 18, I had a boyfriend named Harry. He was a big man, and kind of scary looking, but he had a heart of gold and really was a gentle giant. He was very kind, and very soft-spoken. He also was a talented carpenter. He built a desk…

Recently I asked my husband and my sister Deb to tell me what they saw as my characteristics. I found it very interesting that they both included “stubbornness” in the lists they gave me. …

I just sent a sympathy card to a friend. The heart-felt words suggested were “Memory of those we love stays in our hearts forever.” So true! I have lots of memories of those I love that are now in heaven. One way I remember them is when some situation leads…

In preparation for relating the following story, I asked the two people who know me better than anyone to describe my character. Among the many attributes my husband listed were such terms as “Soft-hearted, mild, loyal, smart, stubborn, focused, creature of habit”. My sister Deb’s thoughts, while including a few…

Some memories may certainly be difficult or painful. Isn’t it great that they can often be balanced with those that only bring a smile, if not outright laughter! Here are a couple of mine that definitely fit the latter category. Squash Salad One summer while I was in college, my…

Awkward Teenage Years I was 17, and had only started dating a few weeks before. I was holding hands with my date, and thought it would be romantic to kiss his hand. So I lifted his hand to my mouth and proceeded to plant a big kiss on my own…

“Independent Alexandru”: Childhood Weaknesses In my last post I talked about Alexandru’s childhood strengths. (Blog Post # 48: Raising Alexandru, Part 4 ). But as you might expect, there were also weaknesses. I was always trying to figure out ways to help him balance the two, using his strengths to…

“Independent Alexandru”: Childhood Strengths Our goal has always been to help Alexandru be as independent as possible. Despite his multiple challenges, as a child, he showed many behaviors that showed promise of acting independently. …

As I wrote about in my previous “Raising Alexandru” posts, Part 1 and Part 2, mothering a multiple-challenged child comes with a multitude of hurdles, sometimes with a simultaneous moment of humor. There were also times of breakthrough worthy of celebration. Here are a few more of each. Cows are…