Cast of Characters

Family

I can’t really imagine writing much that doesn’t include my family. My identity and personhood is pretty wrapped up in my being a part of my sweet family. I am a daughter, a sister, a cousin, an aunt, A Mom.

I have 6 kids. I wrote about my life as their mom. I write about my life as a person who is their mom. I write about the fullness of my life.

Addy is 22 and she lives near me in Atlanta with her beau and her two tiny dogs, Arlo and Maeby. About once a week, I come home from school and she has cleaned my whole house and left me fresh flowers, Coke Zero and twizzlers. Her job is cool because she occasionally gets to meet famous people and I love to shop for vintage treasures at Kudzu.

Tuck is 21. He surfs and goes to school and works in Santa Cruz which is way too far away from his mama, but there are no waves in Atlanta. He has a heart of gold, swimming pool blue eyes, a cheeky gap between his teeth, and insatiable curiosity of the world and cultures.

BeBe is 19 and she goes to school in Georgia. She is a backbone kind of person. She keeps me standing up and flying right. The first day of first grade, her teacher told me that she would be an attorney one day. The second day, she said BeBe is going to be a Supreme Court Justice. For now, she wants to be a doctor.

George is 16 and he is my sweet love of a boy. He has many loves- maps, surfing, woodworking, Rubik Cubes, forestry, physics, constellations, soccer, running and botany. He watches an episode of Cheers most every night before bed and laughs an infectious gurgly laugh out loud.

Dolly is my 15 year old baby girl. She has an undeniable fierceness disguised by the hair of a mermaid. She is small and mighty with a deep love of horses and animals- especially the large ones. I’m so lucky because as the big kids move out and grow up, I can still snuggle Dolly and braid her hair.

Mim is 10 and all encompassing. She takes over our family with her adorable presence, her need for understanding, her intense melt downs and her irreplaceable love. On her best day she can roller skate, read my text messages, and take a long bubble bath.

Linus and Frida are our pups. He is a smart dachshund mix that soothes Mim’s soul and she is an untrainable lovable bulldog that destroys couch cushions.

I write about family because this is what I know- while being ever aware that the more I know, the less I understand.