Author: DarynKagan

Family, Life Lessons Took Me Long Time To Learn, Parenting, The Hard Stuff

So, I Broke Up With The ‘What If?’s’

We had a crisis in our house this week. As are most crises with teenagers— This one was astronomical. Huge. Tragic. It involved, Get ready. It’s big. Our daughter losing her cell phone. Yes, I know. International relief funds have been started over tragedies smaller than this. “I think I left it behind at school,” she explained in a panic while using someone else’s phone. “I couldn’t go back and check or I’d miss the bus home.” You can imagine how this crisis

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Family, Husband's Crazy Frequent Flyer Mile Hobby, The Hard Stuff, Travel

It Takes A Village To Raise My Mom

It takes a village to raise… A parent. You and I have long known about the need of the so-called village of neighbors, friends and family to raise our kids. Today, I’m thanking the village it takes to care for my mom. My mom, who has it made it quite clear she’s not leaving our hometown where she’s spent her entire life, even if all the kids live far away. My mom, who was diagnosed with a mild form of lymphoma a few months ago and has

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Family

My Dog Leads The Way To Joy

To chore or not to chore. That is the question. The debate between people like me. Crazy mad dog lover. And people like my husband. People who don’t get the whole dog thing. “Have you done your chores this morning?” he’ll ask. Let me translate: “Have I walked you walked the dog?” No matter how I try to explain, he just doesn’t get the concept. Walking my dog is not a chore. It is, simply, Joy. I love watching the way her tail wags to

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Family, Parenting

I’m Parenting From Another Planet

Looks like I will be turning in my American passport. I’ve been informed I’m not of this country. Oh, it ratchets up from there. Apparently, I’m not even of this planet. The notice came via a look. A look from my kids. Perhaps, Dear Reader, you’ve gotten “The Look,” as well? It comes about the time you mention celebrities or movies that were part of the fabric of your youth. “This guy reminds me of Elton John,” I remarked the other

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Family, The Hard Stuff

The Party I Never Wanted To Cancel

It is one of the most formidable values I was raised with. Right up there with The Ten Commandments and not running with scissors. Simply, I am to never cancel a party or joyous occasion. No. Matter. What. The thinking is, life has so many challenges, that when joy is on the calendar, you must embrace, cherish and protect it. Do you get that, Dear Reader? Just how seriously do we take this in my family? When my mom became

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The Hard Stuff

One Stupid Thing To Stop Saying About Cancer

Of all the cliché news phrases that drive me nuts, and trust me, there are more than a few— You can put up at the top of the list, “He lost his battle with cancer.” Please. We need to stop. Just stop saying this. Dear Reader, if your email to me is any indication, you get it. Ever since I began to share my mom’s journey of her recent diagnosis with lymphoma you have avalanched me with your story. With your

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Marriage

Four Reasons I’m Against Gay Marriage

Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial -I’m against gay marriage, because to me, there is no such thing. It is simply, er, marriage. -I’m against gay marriage, because I would never want to be married to a gay man. I imagine our love life wouldn’t be all that great. Oh, and I’m already married. To a straight man. A wonderful straight man. There’s that. -I’m against the gay marriage ban. Oh, that’s it. That’s what I’m really against. Gay marriage

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Best Girlfriends Ever, Family, Marriage

My Husband Wants Me To Start Dating

My husband wants me to start dating. Wait, it gets better. He wants me to start dating women. If this isn’t among his sweetest, most endearing qualities, I don’t know what is. See, we’re not that wild, exciting swinging couple you might be imagining. About as far from that as possible. Look “Boring” up in the dictionary and there are our contented, smiling faces. The deal is Husband is worried about one of the greatest treasures of my life: my

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Family, Parenting

My Terrible Singing Makes For One Lonely Couch

Talk about a potential movie moment gone bust! The “Woe is me” moment brought on, by all things, by the recent “Sound of Music” Sing-A-Long on TV. Did you happen to catch it, Dear Reader? Did you sing along? As Julie Andrews sings, “Let’s start at the very beginning….” Of coming across the movie on TV, of looking to my family and saying, “Yes, Family let’s sing!” Here’s the thing—I didn’t get as far as a “deer, a female deer,” before my family turned this

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Family, The Hard Stuff

I Took My Mother For A Dose of Poison

I took my mother for a large dose of poison last week. Sound crazy? It gets crazier. I actually did it two days in a row. That double dose of poison is a gift. I’m so thankful to have access to pump it throughout her body. What kind of daughter does such a thing? The kind that’s hoping to save her mother’s life. I shared last week, Dear Reader, how my mother has been diagnosed with lymphoma. The poison I’m

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