Ruth Stoops

This year I witnessed a birth and a death.
My son’s first breath revitalized my hope in the world.  The newness of his frame refreshed us.  My eyes shed tears of gratefulness over the abundance of life.  It was the Beginning, and God was with us.
Grandpa’s last breath brought the gravity of death down hard on [...]

Landon LOVES his daddy.  Sure, he turns to me for food and comfort.  I am comfort food.  But Dad?  Dad inspires chubby leg kicks and silly grins.  Dad is exciting, funny, and strong.

Watching Layne grow into fatherhood has done just what I expected it would: made me crazier about him.  He’s patient when I’m frazzled, [...]

Curry.
Sweet Nepali tea.
Piles of shoes, barefeet inside.
Your home is my home.
Today we laughed and cried.
Mothers with missing children,
Our watery eyes see into each others souls.
Yet so much distance between us,
Much more than the bright yellow tablecloth.
I know you.
I think.
How often do I offend you?
Assumptions, so American.
Brassy, loud, uncareful.
This is my culture.
Did you know you have [...]

I haven’t really documented your life very thoroughly.  We don’t have a baby book, I don’t have a blog dedicated to each month of your life, and I didn’t even take a weekly picture of my growing belly while I was pregnant with you.  Do I feel a little guilty?  Of course.  But I trust [...]

Not from food, crazies!  I’m a nursing mother!  (And not very self-disciplined.)  No, this time we are fasting from TV.  Sadly, this is going to be very hard for me.  Which is precisely the reason that I need to cut back.  Nothing wrong with watching a little TV, but we want to make space in [...]

Is this it?  Steady contractions for over 12 hours, increasing in number and intensity….sounds like it might be.  I still have my doubts.  It might be another 3 weeks!  I can still talk through the tightening, they aren’t really consistent, no plug, show or water.  But in case this really is the beginning of the [...]

I married the most wonderful man.  Wonderful sense of humor, big biceps, and a huge heart.  He is a gifted counselor and is setting up a private practice.  It’s a big step - kind of scary, but I have never been more proud!  He set up his website this week and already received a call [...]

I can’t stop analyzing.  I am writing books in my head.  I am having theoretical debates with no one in particular.  My brain feels alive.  Who knew that motherhood would be a stimulant for my mind, rather than a suppressant?
I am fascinated at the shift of my interests toward all things pregnant and baby.  My [...]

Lately I have been trying to shove my days (at least from 7-5:30 weekdays) through time so that I can rush into the next phase of my life.  I have been waiting.  For the evening. For the house.  For my back to stop hurting.  For a new job.  For an upgrade in family size.  For [...]

So I don’t really know all the lyrics to that Feist song.  But I do know that Layne is like my moon for two reasons:
1.  In my dark times, he helps reflect goodness back to me.  I cannot count the many times he has “looked on the bright side” for me.  When I COULD not.
2.  [...]