Never underestimate the power of words.  This is the speech that I gave with my late husband Kevin and our daughter Alina (both by my side) in 1995 at the Rilutek hearing in Washington, D.C. At the time, there were no drugs approved specifically for ALS.  Rilutek proves to extend… Read full post »

I have always been “open” to new things and ideas.  There’s no better way to appear strange as a kid then to be open. When growing up, most kids thought of fall as I time to kick leaves or jump in a mammoth leaf pile, while I observed the metaphor that/… Read full post »

The only time I rise before 6 AM better be for a good reason, and this was. My alarm buzzed annoyingly at three AM and I awoke, cheerful and giddy as if I had slept twelve hours instead of a mere two. It didn't matter though, because I was… Read full post »

Me, on right, with daughter Alina, whose shirt I pilfered....

Yup.  My kids say that I am weird.  They tease me for a number of reasons:

Positives:

My fondness for brussel sprouts and kale.

My need to do yoga, where and… Read full post »

My mother is a neat freak.  When you enter her small, tidy home, you are hit with the fragrances of spring potpourri and bleach.  Lots of bleach.  She bleaches the countertops, she bleaches the toilets, and she bleaches anything white that can fit in her washing machine without making/… Read full post »

On September 10, 2001, I was depressed.  I was thirty-four years old and a single mother to an adorable eight year old, Alina.

That night, after work, I did what I had done daily since February 21, 2001.  I read to my daughter Alina, tucked her into bed, and then… Read full post »

I am a prisoner of my body.

Yesterday, I was invincible and strong.  I walked two miles and did Pilates.  I felt twenty- something instead of my real age of forty-five. I had a kick in my step while running errands, almost dancing through the aisles of Shop Rite, to my… Read full post »

Have you seen the movie Breaking Away?  Well, if you haven’t, you need to.  The movie follows a young adult, Dave, who wants to be a professional cyclist.  He spends much of his time riding his bike and ignores, much to his father’s disappointment, his chores and task of ge… Read full post »

My mother called at 5:45 am this morning like it was normal.  It was, to her.  I was wide awake, another sleepless night for me.  Getting two kids back to college and one back to highschool has my brain working overtime.  Wish I got paid for those hours. 

"You sound… Read full post »

Motherhood is a gift that I always wanted to open.  As a little girl, I rocked dolls to sleep and hugged any baby, plastic or real, within my reach.  My sister Kate, thirteen years older, had her first child when I was seven years old.  I remember the night she and… Read full post »

It's December and I sit here thinking about all that I should be doing. My house still shows signs of Halloween - there's a witch flag out front and Thanksgiving- there's a turkey and some gourds on my dining room table. My girls will be home from college soon and will… Read full post »

Being raised in a large Italian family, meant every holiday was large too. And although I grew up in a small, choppy house, it was stuffed with people and mayhem every Thanksgiving. It was loud, it was busy, and it was filled with love and respect for my mother who was… Read full post »

Years ago, when my young husband Kevin was dying of ALS (or Lou Gehrig's Disease) a co-worker gave me a book, The Blessings Of Brokenness. It wasn't until Kevin had lost everything, his ability to walk, eat, hug, speak, etc.... that we turned to the book.

The book talks about how we… Read full post »

It's Thanksgiving and I have many reasons to be thankful.  My family.  My children. Vegetarian options on the T-Day table, oh and Target! This year though, my shoutout is going to Matt Damon.  Not only is he easy on the eyes, way easy, he's also an amazing actor.  I fell in… Read full post »