The Mergenthaler Family

At first, I called this post, "Midsummer Dump," but I don't like where my mind goes with the word Dump. Life with teens, eh? Anyway, it is a photo dump, as the kids say, but let's just call it a check-in instead. So, checking in, how's your summer going? Around here, we're just starting to get tired of the daily humdrum. We have worked out a good incentive system for getting chores done and keeping engaged in good things, but it really is only working for Gavin. Of course, I get stuff done and work hard every day, but I am tired of using up my brain space and energy looking for ways to motivate the kids. Maybe they will get so bored that they'll self-motivate. I keep hoping. Until then, we're looking forward to next week's trip to California and Utah. When we get home, we'll have a few weeks to prepare ourselves for the daily school grind, which I'm dreading because I really don't want to fight Sean to school every day. I was released a...

 Letters from the Nest https://lettersfromthenest.substack.com/p/my-legacy-stinks Lately, I have been asking you, “What will you do to make Sunday special?” This is me encouraging you in your worship without giving you a prescribed list of things to do. One thing I do differently on Sundays is that I read a Sunday book that’s “different” than the fiction I read during the week. Usually, it’s a religious book, but sometimes it’s an inspiring biography or narrative nonfiction with an uplifting theme. My Sunday book for the past few months has been “Both Things Are True,” by Kate Holbrook. This collection of essays explores a range of topics, including faith, forgiveness, women’s roles, trials, history, and more. Each chapter contains a dichotomy that fuels the discussion. For example, the chapter on forgiveness explores both the concepts of forgetting and remembering. Last Sunday, I began reading the chapter entitled "The Weight of Legacy," in which she discusses the dichotomy ...

 Letters From the Nest https://open.substack.com/pub/lettersfromthenest/p/fear-and-courage?r=48qui&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Within the last month, our family has had a new addition, and this sweet baby boy is the first in the next generation. Sometimes I feel too young to be a grandmother, especially since we still have young children at home. Other times, I feel very grandmotherly, like when I’m climbing the stairs and my joints pop and crackle more than a bowl of Rice Krispies. I felt very grateful to be a part of helping our oldest daughter welcome her firstborn into the world, but it was also surprisingly traumatic. I say, surprisingly, because when people talk about becoming grandparents, they’re full of joy and wonder. Rightly so. The miracle of birth is both joyful and wonderful, but it’s also incredibly difficult and scary. Why did I forget that? Bringing children into the world is not for the faint of heart. It’s demanding in every way you can think of--phy...

 Before I became Grandma B (still thinking about what I want to be called, but that sounds okay), our kids celebrated me being Mom. We had a good day. Rick reported to his family that he did a lot of dishes. I guess that's how Mother's Day is for him. I appreciated it because, of course, I battled a headache for a good part of the day (something about Sundays). After a nice nap outside, we gathered our smores, hammocks, and fire-starting supplies and headed for an adventure in the wilderness. It was a nice day after a difficult week trying to get Sean to school. There's a lot more to that story than I'll put here on the blog, but let's just say, the battle continues. Sean isn't the only child of our that presents challenges lately. And he provides just as many laughs and sincere compliments. Parenting is both ennobling and humbling, joyful and sorrowful, frustrating and empowering. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm doing okay. Other times, I know I'm not. We ha...