Column

Real-Life Mom appears the second Thursday of the month in The Oregonian’s SW Weekly section (published in West Linn, Wilsonville and Lake Oswego). You can also find it online at www.oregonlive.com for two weeks after publication.

I chose Real-Life Mom for the title of my current column because I like to be real in writing about motherhood -- there are enough books out there on how to be the perfect Hollywood parent. I love being a mom yet there are days I admit I cannot wait to get away for a moment of solitude. There are times when I know what I am doing as a parent and other days when I feel like I am floundering in my steps, making my way through the fog with only a prayer. I find this a universal experience, as moms share with me, “I can relate to that,” or “I thought I was the only one that felt that way.” Sometimes our parenting journey is about sheer gut instincts along with wisdom collected along the way, and kids need to know we utterly, fully, completely, whole-heartedly adore them, yet that we are not perfect. I am sorry goes a long way.

This months's current column.

My message - motherhood is the most rewarding, wonderful, frustrating, heart-breaking, beautiful, life-long journey we will take.