Pieces from the desk of Lori
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Lessons from the Stand: Turning an Overwhelming Situation into a Fun Adventure
So it’s been a while since I’ve written because I basically fell into a post football season stupor and am just now beginning to emerge and function in the world like a real person. …I totally borrowed that opening line from one of my favorite bloggers --- only she...
Under Construction
I sat across the table from my beautiful daughter Jessica, trying to speak past the lump in my throat. The restaurant in Southern California was noisy and crowded, but I was determined to get the words out. So much had happened in the past year and this moment was the...
My Summer Surprise
Olivia began shuffling her feet, rounding her shoulders and looking down as we approached the classroom. My happy-go-lucky-can-make-friends-anywhere girl was not up for the challenge. She has been struggling with a recent transition in her life where she has to...
My Favorite Hillbilly
Do you remember the show The Beverly Hillbillies? THAT’s my dad’s family minus the Beverly Hills part! (He is pictured in the back row, 4th from the left) He was raised in Arkansas during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. They were sharecroppers, meaning they worked...
Eeyore on Steroids: “I’d Look on the Bright Side if I Could Find it!”
I gave my usual ‘I need your best person because I’m a really hard stick’ speech to the pleasant lady checking me in for bloodwork. She was unable to locate orders which was strange as I had literally JUST walked across the hall after meeting with my doctor with clear...
Parenting Pep-Talk
The sting of the slam signaled my words cut deep. I had again said the wrong thing to my 21year old daughter, Jessica, and she was upset. What was meant as a helpful correction came across as a nit-picky insult. (photo credit: Margo Design Studios) I have to say… I...
Car Crashes and Other Not So Fun Stuff
The words seemed to hang in the air as a slow wave of fear formed in the pit of my stomach. This was the second time in less than a year the phrase, “Mom I crashed,” was being spoken to me. I immediately pulled off the highway to talk to my 17 year old son on the...
Smiling Through Pain
Let’s start with the biggest news of all from my most recent Stanford appointment. This is, well… basically… HUGE! Are you sitting down? Ready?? I WAS ABLE TO SLIDE MY WEDDING RING OFF BEFORE THE PROCEDURE!! Hah! Forgive me for all the build-up, but this is a really...
The (Not-So) Glory Days of High School
Last weekend, for me, was JAM-PACKED. I have to insert “for me” because I have become such a wimp with how much I can handle these days. I am battling a constant feeling of being overwhelmed and having NO energy. There are reasons for this --- many of which are out...