This week’s quote of the week is a small soft spot in a sea of fear and anger and sadness. There’s been so much hateful dialogue across the internet this week in the wake of the terrible tragedy and heartbreak in Paris and other, less reported parts of the world. When I wrote about my husband’s story as a refugee and why I think it’s our responsibility as fellow humans to help others in times of crisis, I was genuinely…
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My husband is a refugee. A refugee whose family sought political asylum in the United States in the 1980’s in the face of the stuff of nightmares. The details are personal, but the bottom line is this: my husband’s life, and the lives of his family were in imminent danger; fleeing the country was the only option. They had two choices: America or Libya. They chose America, and the difference in that choice turned out to be everything. It’s interesting,…
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It’s Quote of the Week time! This one has been on our DIY chalkboard for a few months, because we all need a little reminder everyday. A reminder that the universe is bigger than us, and that at the very same time, we’re all a part of it. That within every one of us is something huge and important, and special. Carl Sagan was a wise one, and I love looking at these words every day and feeling both critical…
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It’s time for the Petit Elefant Quote of the Week! I love this part of the week, don’t you? I think a good quote, some really brilliant writing, has the ability to turn things around when life is tricky. So this week I’m sharing some words from the extremely talented contemporary writer, Nick Hornby. Petit Elefant Quote of the Week Hard is trying to rebuild yourself, piece by piece, with no instruction book, and no clue as to where…
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Life is hard sometimes, you know? Sometimes it’s messy and downright ugly, which is why the beautiful stuff is so great when it shows up. But sometimes the beautiful stuff takes an awful long time to get to your door, and when that happens, you have to make your own beauty. Which I think is the very best kind. I’ve been pretty sick lately. In fact, as I write this, I’m in my pajamas, wearing a foxy orthopedic wrist brace. …
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It’s Quote Of The Week time! This week’s quote comes from one of my favorite authors, John Green, a young adult author most prominently known for his book turned movie, The Fault in Our Stars. First of all, if you’re not reading YA you’re missing out on some of the best authors in print, and John Green is no exception. His work is ethereal and wise, and the writing in The Fault in Our Stars is so beautiful I weep…
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It’s quote of the week time! If you’re just joining us, once a week I’m doing a quote of the week to inspire me and whomever else needs it. Something that speaks to me in particular for that week, something I think maybe everyone else needs to hear. This week’s Quote of the Week is from one of my favorite smart funny girls, Amy Poehler. I just finished reading her book, ‘Yes, Please’ and there were so many good quotable…
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I sort of disappeared from Petit Elefant around the beginning of June. Not intentionally. I thought I’d roll into another summer the way I have since 2007, when I started this blog. I’d have a lot of kids underfoot, out for summer vacation, all sand and noise and sweat and activities, but I thought I’d still pull out the laptop when I had a chance to make sure I stayed on top of the blog. Except not so much. A…
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My little guy turned 11 today. He’s not so little anymore. It’s hard to know how to feel about this, but I can tell you that the two prevailing emotions are pride and a bittersweet nostalgia. photo by Ashley Thalman Photography This son of mine was so hard to come by and is such an impossibly perfect outcome of a terrible medical situation; sometimes the closeness of it all just takes my breath away. During my a nightmare…
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