The publisher is using a new address for their RSS feed. Please update your feed reader to use this new URL: http://usingourwords.com/feed ..read more

I tugged self-consciously at the top flap of my robe, half wondering if it had ever been soft, or the slightest bit comforting, for that matter. Countless industrial washes later the pastel flowers were sad, pilled, and faded. While my many appointments leading up to this one had begun in a personal waiting room, where I was accompanied by nothing but my anxiety, this time was different. Today I sat surrounded by matching robes, each wrapped around a host of unique worries, fates, and diagnoses. The young woman across from me nervously fidgeted with the handle on the plastic bag where she had ..read more

Dear Pink, It’s been a week since you turned seven, and I’m finally delivering the gift I promised you. Unlike your friend’s mom, I don’t know how to make you cool clothes or jewelry. But words? I can do words. So I told you I would write you a birthday letter. You loved the idea. But the truth is, I’ve been struggling to capture my adoration for you. That probably seems kind of silly since there’s no stopping the two of us from gushing about how much we love each other on any given day. You know I love you sooooo much. (And I know you love me sooooo much.) You know you are my sunshine. (And ..read more

For the last two years, we have become deeply entrenched in our own communities as we spend a lot more time at home and in our neighborhoods, and a lot less time traveling and exchanging experiences and ideas. We read headlines about what’s happening in different parts of the country and point fingers at charts and headlines, praying our little dot on the map is smarter than another little dot on the map. We’re all beyond desperate to be right, but the truth is, each of us has been right — and wrong — along the way. Admitting that, in my opinion, is the key to moving forward with compassion ..read more

I wrote this about a month ago, thinking I’d pitch it to some very glamorous publication. But things have been hectic and my little ol’ blog is as glamorous as it gets these days. In honor of Big’s 16th birthday today, I wanted to share this with all my friends going through this major transition too. I’d like to dedicate this post to the DMV for making it so challenging to get driver’s test appointments and giving me a little bit longer to feel this way… ***** As I turned left at a neighborhood intersection for the umpteenth time the other day, I glanced into the driver’s seat of a car waiti ..read more

Living through a pandemic was something I’d never even considered. So when Covid hit, beyond the ridiculous unknowns of the first few weeks, this introvert thought it might be a nice break from the busyness of life with three active kids. We’d clean out closets (we didn’t), we’d enjoy movies together (I think we watched two before declaring we simply aren’t a movie family), and I’d get to spend some time not rushing people all over town (but wait…I really, really missed this!). It didn’t take long to realize that our family was not going to thrive in lockdown. Busyness wasn’t a problem in our ..read more

As I mentioned when I returned to this blog back in July, I took some writing workshops during the heart of the pandemic. One of them was an essay writing course. I wrote the piece below hoping it would be printed and glorified in some very exclusive publication. It turns out that takes more patience and confidence than I had at the time. So that didn’t happen. But upon reconnecting with my writing crew after a few months off, I remembered there’s always a home for my writing. Here. This past Friday night, our family glowed under the stadium lights, each alongside friends as we cheered Big’s ..read more

It’s been just four mornings of unwelcome alarm buzzing, lunch-packing squabbles, and tearful goodbyes (mostly to the dog, if I’m being honest), but it feels like we’re already full swing into this new school year. And each kid is off to a pretty great start, actually. So, summer, instead of sending you off with a sad farewell, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you. You were good to us. It’s not that you offered us one big adventure that we’ll talk about for months to come, or an exotic vacation that will land on our Christmas card come December. No, instead you patiently handed us a collecti ..read more

In 2015, travel baseball was an entirely new concept to me. Big was so excited to be joining a team a couple of his good buddies had played on the summer before, and we were happy to be along for the ride. Even if it did mean spending my birthday at the ballpark this once. So that June morning, I drove up to a park just south of SFO, navigated the massive revolving parking lot, hunted down the correct field, and started making my way over to his game. As I approached, far beyond the outfield, a yellow butterfly caught my eye and I stopped. It circled me playfully, so I stood there as long as ..read more

…online. Here goes, I’m returning to this blog—copying the pattern I used for my very first post eleven years ago today—after a two-year hiatus. Thanks for your patience! Or, more realistically, for forgetting that I even used to do this whole thing once and being curious or somewhat pleasantly surprised when you spotted this post in your FB feed today. …on 10. That’s how old Pink is now, and I’m pretty sure I’m not allowed to be less mature than she is. (Though I definitely am.) We still hold hands when we walk, giggle when people kiss on TV, and sing along—with feeling—to every Taylor Swift ..read more