Personal Essay

Say YES When You Can

~ Stacy ~ 36 Comments

Tuesdays are, for the most part, my “home” days. I’ve been hitting the Rise and Shine spin class (at 5:15 am – eek!) so I can get home earlier and begin our homeschool day earlier. You know, that whole trying-to-make-the-best-use-of-our-time thing.

So this morn, I returned home at seven, showered up, loaded the dishwasher and was just about to line the boys up for the Pledge of Allegiance when the middle lad asked the question of the day.

“Will you play with me?”

Now I spend loads of time with my kids, so mom-guilt is pretty minimal around here, but you know what I don’t always love to do?

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This Land is Your Land: An Experienced Road Tripper’s Guide to Car Travel with Kids

~ Stacy ~ 15 Comments

When my siblings and I were kids, our family went on a BIG road trip about every summer — we’re talking two or three weeks on the road. Back then, I was clueless about all the preparation and effort my parents put in to make things run smoothly. Road trips aren’t always easy, but they ARE ripe with opportunity for family bonding and learning about the world beyond your backyard.

I hope these tips and recommendations help make your family road trips as enjoyable and memorable as they were for this crew in the rad nineties…

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Wow.

Okay, let’s go!

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Seasons of Dating: Winter (The Toddler Years)

~ Stacy ~ 6 Comments

Greetings, y’all (or “yous guys” as they in my peninsula),

I have a new (and slightly spunky) post up today over at Her View from Home about dating during the small-child phase of life. I do hope you’ll read it even if you DON’T have kids — maybe even ESPECIALLY if you don’t have kids.

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Protecting Children from Sexual Abuse

~ Stacy ~ 13 Comments

I’m honored that a version of my essay, Not My Child: Protecting My Son from a Sexual Predator, is featured today on the MOPS International blog, Hello, Dearest.

For a writer, there is nothing more affirming than when the words of your heart encourage and empower others.

I’m grateful to Leslie Means at Her View from Home for creating the platform for the original story, and to the editors at Hello, Dearest for keeping this important conversation alive.

Thank you. ❤

Read the essay at Hello, Dearest –>

*image via MOPS.org

 

Goodbye, Old Boy

~ Stacy ~ 50 Comments

We lost our dog this morning. He’d been sick off and on for a few weeks, and we tried all sorts of treatments. This morning, his breathing became labored and I called the vet’s emergency line. She met me at the office for a chest x-ray that revealed severe blastomycosis.

We discussed the options, or lack of them, really, and I knew what we had to do.

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First Leg of the Journey

~ Stacy ~ 12 Comments

We’re on the first leg of a new expedition here at the Harrison house, and though we can’t predict what’s around the bend, we’re confident this is the path for us.

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Flesh from Bone

~ Stacy ~ 10 Comments

Yesterday, I roasted a chicken for the first time in months.

We’ve been ill. We’ve been distracted. We’ve been in perpetual motion.

Last week, I said enough already and promised myself I’d make my way back to the kitchen – I’d make space for food that demands forethought and time.

We called Dottie from the farm up the road and ordered eggs, bacon, and a chicken.

***

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On Houseflies and Humanity

~ Stacy ~ 8 Comments

The first thing I did this morning was turn the calendar to February.

January was a bit of a doozy. We rang in the month with pukers, and rang it out with more of the same. That’s parenting, right? Don’t plan anything in the months between Christmas and Easter…

This round of sickness hit our house on Thursday morning. I’ll spare you the dirtiest of details, but let me just tell you that we’ve gone through a 12-pack of toilet paper in three days, and at the end of the day yesterday, there were nine pairs of underwear soaking in the sink.  I broke out the dusty jug of Clorox, and if you know me, you know it takes a public health crisis for me to reach for the bleach.

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Protecting My Child from a Sexual Predator

~ Stacy ~ 16 Comments

It took five years of time and space before I resolved to write about our experiences with a now-convicted sex offender.

If ever I’ve hoped my friends would read and share a post, it’s now. It’s that important to me — and dare I suggest it should be that important to you, too?

If you leave a comment (and I always hope you will) please do so with compassion.

Thanks for visiting me here.

Stacy

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*Featured image via Canva