Last Wednesday evening, a double rainbow popped up across the road. We’d had rain to some extent every afternoon and night. The rainbow provided a beautiful bit of calm and was, we hoped, a sign that the rain would be easing up. It turned out to be the calm…
We’re Not in Kansas Anymore
— Helen Baldwin
Helen Baldwin lives in Jefferson, North Carolina, with her husband, Randy plus their two dogs, a cat, and untold wild critters outside. Their firstborn’s family, including two delightful children, lives just down the road, so she enjoys lots of MomMom time. Helen and Randy have a rental cabin and bees, among numerous other endeavors, so they’ll never be bored. Life took a drastic twist in 1997 when their third baby, Jeffrey, was diagnosed with SMA type 1. Although their active stint with SMA was brief, Helen hopes that sharing and connecting experiences after Jeffrey’s death, usually with optimism, helps others endure the unpredictability of loss and recovery.
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A generous neighbor recently urged me to pick tomatoes from his garden during his extended absence. Last Thursday, I obliged. Helen Baldwin plays “sorta farmer” after picking tomatoes at a neighbor’s farm. (Photo by Helen Baldwin) I shared some with a friend whose own tomatoes were a…
Ready or not, we’re about to say “Adios!” to another month. Our daughter, Katie, and son-in-law, Paul, arrive today for a whirlwind visit, sending July packing with a bang. A few hours after Katie and Paul depart for their next destination, the rest of the family will be hurled into…
My husband, Randy, and I moved to the North Carolina mountains in the closing hours of 1995. Although our children, Matthew and Katie, who at the time were 10 and 7, respectively, were initially unenthusiastic about changing schools, they promptly developed new friendships and an appreciation for the plethora of…
My mother told me I had fallen while climbing out of my baby bed as a toddler, ending up with a scar that resembled a tiny wad of chewing gum on my elbow. I don’t remember which elbow it was, nor can I tell, as I now boast an impressive…
It’s been almost four months since my husband, Randy, and I made a hasty run to Charleston, South Carolina. Our mission was to adopt a dog our daughter, Katie, had found at a nearby rescue. This frequent mama dog named Ellie piqued the spark missing since the loss of…
I sometimes experience an unexpected blast into the past. For example, if the weather has just the right balance of sunshine and crispness, I’m back in elementary school, around Thanksgiving, playing chase with my brother and our visiting cousins around the schoolyard across the street or the alley next door,…
Three months ago, my husband, Randy, and I adopted Ellie, a mama dog who had been at the rescue for four months. She arrived with six puppies, tending to another litter after hers were adopted. “Tending” might be a stretch. When we saw Ellie, her interim miniature charges…
On a recent Saturday morning, the dryer wouldn’t turn on. The washer held a big load of washed towels. As our recently adopted dog, Ellie, was still in unexpected heat, laundry duty was steady. I couldn’t summon the repairman until Monday. Later that morning, the ceiling fan in the…
The spring of 1997 arrived with a bang. Initially stunned at the revelation of an unplanned pregnancy, my husband, Randy, and I warmed up quickly to the baby idea and considered ourselves as prepared as possible. Our son, Matthew, who was 10 years old, knew enough about the birds and…
March seems to stretch to infinity, but one bright spot is the promise of spring. It’s also National Reading Month, in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Our daughter-in-law, Jill, is a literacy specialist at our elementary school. She’s always involved with school projects, voluntarily or otherwise. During a…
As a college freshman pursuing a degree in special education, I assisted in two nearby elementary classrooms. The students all had moderate cognitive challenges. I remember a few even now: Roger, with his suspenders and his family’s pigs (Fred and Ethel), and Tina and Richard, adorable twins. All three had…
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