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When Marriage Means Learning To Love The Ugly

Please catch my newspaper column each week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Dayton Daily News and other newspapers across Ohio.  Here’s this week’s column: I did something this week I swore I would never do, managing to break not one, but two vows in the process. And it’s all part of the journey I share with you on a regular basis—what many of you have figured out before me—compromises you make as a wife and mother. For this broken vow story, you and

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Why Can’t My Husband & I Find Direction?

Please catch my newspaper column each week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Dayton Daily News and other newspapers across Ohio.  Here’s this week’s column: My husband and I are struggling to find direction. I don’t mean direction like agreeing on common values for our family, how we raise our kids, or where we will retire. No, this struggle is far more immediate and somehow more challenging than that. When I say we’re struggling to find direction, I mean just that, or rather, find

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Oh Yes, I Did: Open Mouth, Insert Foot

Please catch my newspaper column each week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Dayton Daily News and other newspapers across Ohio.  Here’s this week’s column:     Oh yes, I did.      Does it count that my intentions were good as a clearly pregnant woman and her husband sat next to me on a long cross country flight last week?      I got up from my aisle seat so that they could make it to their seats in the middle and by the window.     

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Here’s My Absence Slip

“So, where have you been, young lady?” No matter how old we get, there still is some splainin’ to do when you’ve been gone for awhile. I’ve shared before how my husband has this crazy hobby of collecting millions of frequent flyer miles without traveling.  Most days of the year, it drives us crazy because he refuses to let us ever use cash. But it does allow us to go on some pretty remarkable trips.  We’re just back from taking

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When A Cat With Less Is More Than A Cat

 Please catch my newspaper column each week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Dayton Daily News and other newspapers across Ohio.  Here’s this week’s column:   I told a friend this week to cut off her cat’s leg. Hold on, before you get PETA or mental health officials on your speed dial, let me explain. My friend’s kitty, Eloise, was injured by a dog or some critter who had chomped down on the sweet girl’s back right leg. I certainly wasn’t suggesting my friend

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My Best Efforts To Avoid My Big Dream–What’s Your Best Excuse?

            Please catch my newspaper column each week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Dayton Daily News and other newspapers across Ohio.  Here’s this week’s column:             I need to go walk my pet chicken.             Shoot, I only checked Facebook 12 times today. Better check in, just in case I missed someone’s fascinating update.             I wonder if there are any new recipes posted on the cooking blogs I follow?             There you have just a few of my

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Family, Parenting One comment

Why Didn’t Anyone Warn Me Before I Adopted My Daughter?

  If I’d only known. Somehow, I thought by adopting a full-sized kid I would avoid biological changes to my body. Silly me. I met my daughter when she was 11. We finalized the adoption earlier this year. No, there were no post-pregnancy pounds to lose, as I had my figure back within minutes of signing those papers. I can’t blame any stretch marks on my body on pregnancy. Those were of my own making. But there is one key

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Could I Blame My Mother-in-Law?

Please catch my newspaper column each week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Dayton Daily News and other newspapers across Ohio.  Here’s this week’s column: It would’ve been so easy to blame all this on my mother-in-law. It was, after all, her chocolate pie recipe that reduced me to tears this week. Looking back, the true challenge was feeling worthy and getting caught up in trying to impress.  Maybe you can relate? This started with our neighborhood’s upcoming first ever block party. Our house

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Cancer Makes You Do Crazy Things

Please catch my newspaper column each week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Dayton Daily News and other newspapers across Ohio.  Here’s this week’s column: 10 years later I still can’t believe I did this. But, I guess when your mother catches you keeping one of the biggest secrets of your life, you do as you’re told. Rewind the tape to 2003 when President George W. Bush had declared the US would invade Iraq. If you remember correctly, he just didn’t say exactly when,

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Still Not Easy Learning To Share

Please catch my newspaper column each week in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Dayton Daily News and other newspapers across Ohio.  Here’s this week’s column: My parents’ chiding still rings in my head. “Daryn, you need to learn to share your favorite doll and toys with your little sister.” Ah, memories of being 8 years old and being taught to share. Now as an adult, it seems to me of all the absurd things we try to teach and expect kids to do with

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