The unimaginable twist to my unanswered prayer.
Daryn's Blog, Parenting, The Hard Stuff

The Unimaginable Twist To My Unanswered Prayer

My daughter spotted it first. As kids are apt to do. Though, she probably didn’t realize exactly what she was seeing. Just how enormous it was. This is the story of how innocently standing in line at our favorite burrito joint, With nothing more than quacamole and a margarita on my brain, There it was. My unanswered prayer. My big, glaring, forever-wished-for lifetime prayer. If you had been watching us, you would’ve seen Daughter and me patiently inching forward. This

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How John Reilly, the self-described "Most Unromantic Man In America" made his wife burst into tears.
Daryn's Blog, Love Stories, Marriage, Uplifting Stories

How The Most Unromantic Man In America Made His Wife Burst Into Tears

Don’t take my word for it. John Reilly will tell you he is “The Most Unromantic Man in America.” “I’m a chronic and habitual underachiever when it comes to birthday/Christmas/anniversary gifts for my wonderful wife,” he confessed to me in an email this week. As people do. They like to tell me stuff. Like giving a vacuum cleaner for Christmas? “Oh, I’ve done that,” John told me over the phone. It’s not that wife, Carol, didn’t make suggestions over the

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About that time my puppy almost flunked out of obedience school.
Animals, Daryn's Blog, Dogs, Dogs, Pets

About That Time My Puppy Threatened To Flunk Obedience School

It’s that performance anxiety dream. The one where you’re in class and you haven’t done all the work. You’re not going to graduate. You’ll be the laughing stock of the class. You’ve had that dream, Dear Reader? The good part is when you wake up realizing this was just a dream. Everything is fine. Oh, were it so. That was no dream. That was my real life. My real puppy. The real final exam at puppy obedience school. I apologize

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11-year-old Preston Sharp leads a campaign of honoring as many graves of veterans as possible across Northern California.
Family, Great Giving, Kids, Kindness, Uplifting Stories

Boy Covers Thousands Veterans’ Graves In Flags And Respect

11-year-old Preston Sharp is on a mission to cover the graves of veterans in flags, flowers and respect. His passion surfaced a couple years ago while visiting his grandfather’s grave. He became upset seeing not all the other markers had flags. His mother told him if something bothers him then he needs to do something about it. Little did she realize the movement she was unleashing in her son. CBS News’ Steve Hartman has the story. Preston has a GoFundMe

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What I wish I could tell the heart broken woman who popped up in my facebook memory.
Daryn's Blog, Life Lessons Took Me Long Time To Learn, The Hard Stuff

What I Wish I Could Tell That Broken-Hearted Woman Who Popped Up In My Facebook Memory

I wasn’t expecting this. My future to come screaming from my past this week. You know those reminders Facebook surprises you with on a regular basis? “Daryn! We thought you’d like to look back on this memory from seven years ago!” They can bring on a smile. They can also bring on pain, When someone who has passed, Or broken your heart shows up without warning. This one, The photo that popped up on my feed this week would be

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When a family member leaves a can of Coke Zero in our freezer and it explodes, I am left to find meaning in the mess.
Daryn's Blog, Family, Life Lessons Took Me Long Time To Learn, Overcoming Obstacles

Finding Meaning In The Aftermath Of An Exploded Soda Can

No one is claiming responsibility. It’s possible they were scared off by my rather loud verbal reaction when I came upon the scene of the crime. A crime, I admit, That probably started with a relatively good intention. Last weekend, someone, A mystery someone, Got the inspired idea to compensate for a lack of cold sodas in the fridge. Anonymous put a room temperature can of Coke Zero in the freezer. Which is a great idea. When you remember to

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Graduation day is here and I'm afraid my girl will not get her diploma.
Daryn's Blog, Pets

Graduation Fear Confession: My Girl Might Not Get Her Diploma

It’s possible I’m a terrible mother. As I have a crisis of confidence in my girl. She’s supposed to graduate this weekend. Between you and me- I’m not sure she’s going to make it. I scroll through Facebook seeing photo after photo of students boldly holding up their diplomas. “Look at what I’ve done!” Their smiles scream through my screen. As for our ceremony this weekend, The chances that my girl will come home with a diploma? Uh… It’s not

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when mother's day means having to let your mother and daughter go.
Daryn's Blog, Family, Life Lessons Took Me Long Time To Learn, Parenting, The Hard Stuff

When Mother’s Day Means Being The One Who Let’s Her Go

This is to be Mother’s Day? Sure doesn’t feel like it’s supposed to go down. I find myself thinking about that this week. A lot. I read countless posts about daughters celebrating with their mothers. About bountiful brunch feasts. About women so thankful to hold their children close. Then, I look around. At my holiday. This year. This Mother’s Day. The first without my mother who passed last August. There will be no celebrating with her, I tell myself. Over

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Getting naked to eat an orange in the shower to figure out what I'm missing out on.
Daryn's Blog, Food, Life Lessons Took Me Long Time To Learn

Why I Got Naked To Eat An Orange And Find Out What I’m Missing Out On

I got naked this week. I get naked every week, Every day, for that matter. This week, I did it for you. For this column. To test a trap I’ve fallen into since high school. The “I’m missing out,” trap. It started with that friend, Perhaps, you know her, too, Dear Reader. The one who always described every party, Every adventure, Every ordinary lunch, As, “Amazing! We had the best time!” As a teen, those breathless reports left me in

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What if you already have the tools you need to get through tough times?
Best Girlfriends Ever, Daryn's Blog, Friendship, Overcoming Obstacles, The Hard Stuff

What If You Have All The Tools You Need To Get Through Tough Times?

That was the easiest birthday gift ever. For the woman who has, Well, a lot. And, And, at the same time, Not the life she planned. She planned on spending the rest of her life with her college sweetheart. The one she’d been married to for 30 years. She planned on setting off on a new adventure with him. Empty nest style, as their youngest headed off to college. He planned on getting to know the company secretary. “Finding himself”

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