The batter slaps a bouncer into the hole on the left side, just out of the reach of the third baseman. The shortstop, who almost always possesses the strongest arm in the infield, glides easily to his right and snatches the ball on its third hop, sets his feet and fires a bullet across the diamond. His accurate throw thuds into the first baseman’s waiting mitt, arriving at the … [Read more...]

For many of us, the dog is the “firstborn” of the household. That creature can do no wrong, despite the initial pee stains on the carpet, pairs of shoes destroyed or sleep-deprived nights trying to crate train. We learn what it means to love something unconditionally, to adjust our schedules and to be less selfish with our time. It’s an invaluable lesson in parenthood, before … [Read more...]

Adoptions come in all shapes and sizes — instate, out-of-state, international, fostered, closed, open, infant or older. On paper it seems like an endless amount of boxes to check. But there’s a difference between an adoption “on paper” and an adoption in real life. There are emotions and big life changes for everyone involved; there are beautiful moments, and there are … [Read more...]