“Mom, I got asked to be someone’s roommate!” My soon-to-be-college-freshman daughter’s voice beamed. It was as if I’d been catapulted ten years into the future and she’d just received a marriage proposal. I reined in my excitement, nodding rather than speaking, while reminding myself that this was just college. “She loves blue, like me,” my daughter… The post Will You Be My College Roommate? The Age of the ‘Dormposal’ appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

I’m waiting for the pocket square holder to be delivered. Two days ago, I had no idea what a pocket square holder was, and now Amazon is telling me that the package containing it will be delayed. Junior prom is this Friday and there’s no time for delays so I ordered another one, with the… The post The One Item for Prom You Didn’t Know Your Son Needed appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

One year when my kids were little, my son asked me to drive him to the store a day before Mother’s Day. He brought his velcro SpongeBob wallet and wanted to get me a gift. I was touched.  We both loved Reese’s peanut butter cups, and I watched as he carefully counted out his money… The post Why I Don’t Wait for My Kids to Call Me on Mother’s Day appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

A perfect afternoon to me at 56 is sitting in my backyard with a good book, listening to the windchimes and watching the birds. I’m not expecting anyone to drive up from school or ask what’s for dinner. And dinner can be a bag of popcorn or three frozen eggrolls I pop into the microwave… The post Six Ways My World Relaxed When I Became An Empty Nester appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

I vividly remember standing in my kitchen, making lunch for my young children, and realizing I was singing Victor Vito as I stirred the pasta sauce. It struck me at that moment. I’m the mama. I’m THE mama! How can that be? How did I get here?   My children were probably around one and three… The post 9 Essential Truths About Being a Grandmother That I Learned from My Own Mom appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

After several years of parenting teens and many emotional conflicts along the way, I made a decision. I would no longer argue with my teens. Why? Because, they would always win.  Arguments were once common in our house. I noticed that our teens were willing to prove a point with ruthless and harsh words, but… The post Here’s Why I Don’t Waste Time Arguing With My Teens Anymore appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

I arrived at my house from the funeral home and went straight to bed. I’d been awake for nearly 36 hours, the final hours of my mom’s life. While saying my last goodbye, I was told by the hospital that we had 24 hours from her time of death to have my mother’s body picked… The post My Friend Ghosted Me When My Mother Died and It Still Hurts appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

I grew up with two brothers, and between us we played every sport offered at our school and park league. While I was a good athlete, I was outstanding at nothing in particular, but I loved sports for the feeling it gave me of being part of a team, something bigger than myself. I’m watching… The post What Caitlin Clark is Doing for Our Sons…and Our Daughters appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

I waited until the taxi pulled out of his sight to let the tears fall. I cried for lost time-a la recherche du temps perdu. Past and future. My first grandchild was born in August of 2005. Now he is in first year of college halfway around the world. For the first five years of… The post I’m a Grandmother and It’s STILL Hard to Let Go appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more

Dear Daughter,  On your 18th birthday, I wrote you a love letter that contained all the most important life lessons I knew at the time. Five years later, we have both grown and learned, sometimes the hard way. As you prepare to graduate from college and enter the next phase of your life, I am excited to… The post Dear Daughter, This is What I Wrote You at 18, Here’s What I Need You to Know Now appeared first on Grown and Flown ..read more