ButterTree & Biscuits

My brother Jon and I were never the kinds of siblings who tattled on each other. We were a team (for the most part). We had the same friends — kids of varying ages who lived in our neighborhood — so we played together a lot. 

It was the beginning of April. The snow had almost completely melted. The world was coming alive around me. There were buds on the trees and the air smelled dewy (if you know what I mean). I had these pink rubber boots I loved that I hadn’t had the opportunity to wear.

My wife and I thought having fish would be a good way to teach our kids responsibility. We used to have about fourteen. Every night—conveniently right around bedtime—the kids would suddenly get very interested in watching them. 

I worked in a school for eight years, so I had the privilege of working with all sorts of amazing kids. Whether it’s your own child, your niece or your nephew, or the child of a family friend . . . children bring a little magic to daily experiences. So here’s a list of why I love kids!

The absence of in-person time with our loved ones might be something we can all relate to nowadays. My boyfriend and I video chat daily, but it’s difficult not being a part of each other’s routines. We try and offset that by having morning and nightly chats, and we’ve both gotten very good at finding ways to send each other little gifts. 

 The reason I want to talk about self-care today is because of a realization I made in July of 2021 that changed my perspective for the better.  Now I know this topic has probably been talked about to death and that even the term self-care has lost its meaning, but I wanted to share my experience. Sometimes a novel thought after a good cry can send you on a new path forever.

It’s not always easy to create spaces for connection. Even when we’re under the same roof, we sometimes get sucked into our devices and forget to appreciate the small moments. And if you don’t make time for a true connection, it can feel like you’re sleepwalking through life.