Author Archives: Erin

I’ve been stressed out today.  I follow a blog called the NieNie Dialogues.  Nie is such a good mom and she has perfect children.  Of course, she was horribly burned in a plane crash, but other than that, her life is perfect.  I want Nie’s life–without the burns. So like I said, I’m stressed out.Continue reading “A Short Respite From Stress”

Up until this afternoon, I thought my soon-to-be 14 year-old son Ben would do pretty much anything for money. Once, during a combined youth/adult sunday school class at church, I whispered in Ben’s ear that I would pay him $1000NT (about $30 U.S.) if he would raise his hand and make an intelligent comment.  ItContinue reading “What a Teenage Boy Will and Will Not Do for Money”

Two days ago, while making a left hand turn onto a busy boulevard, a scooter basically T-boned my van.  As you can imagine, it was horrible.  When I jumped out of my car, the first thing I saw was a smashed scooter and a young man lying on the road, covered in blood and convulsing.Continue reading “A Lesson in Compassion”

This is my oldest child Cecily.  She turns 16 next month.  When Cecily was 14 she faced a really big challenge.  Half way through her freshman year, she was uprooted from small-town Utah and dropped into a huge city in a foreign country.  She had no choice in the matter.  Given these circumstances, many teenagersContinue reading “My Oldest Child”

I’m missing the time when my babies were babies.  Back when I could hold them and cuddle with them and tickle their little hands and squeeze their chubby little thighs.  Now when I try to cuddle my boys, they karate chop me.  When I try to cuddle my girls, they look at me like I’mContinue reading “When My Babies Were Babies”

A is for Asian Architecture B is for Buddhist Temples. C is for Child Modeling and Chopsticks. D is for “Dude!  What the heck is that!?”  (And what would possess you to put it in your mouth?) (Something stomach related) (Something foot related) (Something head related) E is for Exhaustion. F is for Flowers …Continue reading “The ABC’s of Our Lives in Taiwan”

If you’re over 20, you probably remember the old Polaroid instant cameras.  You would take a picture and the photo would magically emerge from the camera.  At first the photo would be all white, but within a few seconds the image would begin to appear. I understand that Polaroid stopped making their instant cameras aContinue reading “Return of the Polaroid”