Lisa Endlich's Blog, page 41

Nostalgia, Motherhood, Moving On and Closing Doors

I got rid of some old email addresses this month.     I was surprised how emotional it made me feel. That email I had acquired nearly 20 years ago in the early days after my divorce, the one I spent carefully setting up as I installed, for the first time, a modem all by myself, finally…

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Dementia Gave Me the Mother I Always Wanted

The summer before I turned 13, my mother dumped a macaroni-and-cheese casserole in my lap. Sizzling hot from the oven, it left an angry red mark in the shape of a spiral noodle on my thigh. This wasn’t an accident; my stepfather, Jack, had roused her ire by playing tennis after work, and I’d chimed…

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When I Knew It Was Time to Let Go of a Long Term Friendship

One of my closest friendships just ended. For a really long time, she was my person, my safe place, the one I’d go to when things got really hard and I needed to vent. I was always there for her too. Or at least that’s what she told me. We were thankful for each other…

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30 Amazing Gifts for Daughters-in-Law She’s Sure to Love

Welcoming a daughter-in-law into the family is a joyous occasion, and finding the perfect gift for her is a great way to express your love and to make her feel at home. However, picking the perfect gift might be a little stressful, especially if you haven’t had enough time to get to know her or…

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The 7 Best Reusable Water Bottles for School

As someone who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I pretty much only drank water when I was forced to. That’s all changed these days, though, when most kids are hip to the many benefits of staying hydrated. Now, every kid from preschool to college is toting around a water bottle at all times,…

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How My Love for My Son Sent Me Searching Through Trash

Do you know what three-day-old trash from a roller-skating rink smells like up close? I do. It smells like melted cherry and blue raspberry slushies, congealed yellow nacho cheese, old pizza, Dr. Pepper and love. Four days into my son’s winter break after his first semester of college things were feeling a little heavy. Nothing…

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6 Ways Parents Can Help College Freshmen Without Helicoptering

I have been working on and off as an adjunct Communications and Public Speaking instructor since 2007. I have taught both online and in-person courses. Every semester, I experience similar issues from freshman students and although there is no guide for parenting young adults in college, I often wish I could write a letter to…

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‘YES!’ When My Son Asks to Bring Friends Home From College

“Absolutely, yes.”  This is what I said when my oldest son, a college junior, asked if he could bring his friends home during  a three-day weekend. It was not the first time he’d asked to bring people home, and I am certain that it won’t be the last. I didn’t hesitate to say yes. “Come home, bring whoever, we…

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Remembering My Son on His 26th Birthday

It doesn’t matter how many years pass, each year as Elijah’s birthday approaches, I find myself moving closer to him. The body remembers and the mind is drawn to our beloveds who are gone even as our arms reach round to find them absent. This year, Elijah turns 26. I say turns because he feels…

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My Adult Kids Hate That I’m Protective Of Them

Sometime around their junior high years, my three kids told me (on different occasions) that I was overprotective. I didn’t let them go over to a friend’s house after school unless I talked to the parent and made sure it was okay with them and that an adult would be home. Of course, they were…

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