Diary of a Rad Fat Woman

Tonight I met with the Centralia Junior Women's Club to evaluate the essays of local 5th graders who nominated who they thought deserved to be honored as "Parent of the Year"!  Everyone from sisters, cousins, aunts, grandparents, mothers, and fathers were covered!  As I read through my stack and the pile of finalists, it became abundantly and unfortunately clear to me that there are SO many children in the world who think that doing things like paying bills, buying food, and helping with homework are qualities that make their parent outstanding. I've tried, for hours now, to make sense of this.  Is it because they have so many friends who don't have this type of figure in their lives?  Is it because their parents haven't always been proficient in the parenting department?  Why, in 2016, is a parent doing a parent's job now defined as outstanding? Here are what I consider commonly understood obligations of a parent: 1.) Feeding your children 2.) Providi...

If I had to pick a period in my life that I identify as the absolute best time in my life, I'd say it had to be 2011- April of 2012!  When 2011 rolled in, I thought it was going to be the worst year of my life.  I had just lost and buried my Mommy, I was jobless, on the verge of being homeless, and all hope seemed to be lost.  As more of a joke than anything, I applied for this job that was OBVIOUSLY too good to be true and lo and behold, LANDED it!  I was on TOP!  I had a GREAT job that I loved with great benefits, quickly scored a great little apartment that was all mine,started attending a new Church that I fell quickly in love with, and made a fast circle of friends I affectionately call my Steel Magnolias!  I hate that it took me so long to take the leap, cross the street, and walk into the doors of that Church!  When I started attending in October, I had no idea that I would be leaving them months later in May, but they have continued to love on ...