Jenna
Jenna lives in Midtown with her husband and two kids (ages 6 and 4). She has an M.A. in English and too many overdue books at the library. She has been working with writers for over a decade, as a high school teacher, college instructor, and writing coach. She loves good coffee, serious conversation, and not-too-serious fiction.
What Hospitality Looks Like as a Mom
Hospitality.
This is such a great word. For one, the word just sounds pretty (it's especially fun to say in a British accent – go ahead and give it a try!), and it also...
Sleep Deprived for the Holidays
Last year was my first holiday season as a mom. It was magical in many ways – getting to include my baby in family traditions, taking those baby-in-a-Santa-hat pictures, and simply being thankful for...
Writing Skills for Little Ones
We know that exposure to language-rich environments in infancy and toddlerhood sets the stage for a lifetime of literacy learning. Therefore, reading with our kids is one of the most important things we can...
When You Fail Your Glucose Test: Surviving Gestational Diabetes
THE GLUCOSE TEST. For many pregnant women, it’s simply a hoop through which to jump. For the rest of us – those who have failed this test – it marks a sad moment: the...
One Care Package Becomes Hundreds: The Story Behind Courage Kits of Kansas City
Only two days after her 35th birthday, while driving to a play date with her two-year-old twin boys in the backseat, Heather received the news that she had breast cancer.
A young, active, and healthy...
Every Pink Ribbon Tells a Story
For some people, Breast Cancer Awareness Month may be merely about wearing pink ribbons. But for one Kansas City survivor, Breast Cancer Awareness Month may have saved her life.
In October of 2010, Kim, age...
When Does Motherhood Begin?
This post has been written in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
Everything about the timing of my first pregnancy seemed perfect. I had just completed grad school, we had recently moved out...
What Does Breast Cancer Awareness Look Like?
Breast cancer awareness once felt to me like a hazy, distant idea.
Then, my own mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. In just one day, breast cancer became a part of our family - taking...
Motherhood as Storytelling, Part Two: Beyond the Baby Book
This is a picture of my son’s baby book with a sweet, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy on the cover:
Unfortunately, that’s not MY sweet, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy – though I do have one! After 14 months,...
Motherhood as Storytelling
While attempting to scrub the layer of filth off my kitchen floor one day, I found myself in a mom-loathing moment. Perhaps you know the feeling: as I lamented that I could not keep...
KC Kid-Friendly City Walks (with a view!)
My son started walking this summer, and what I’ve noticed most in this early toddler phase (besides his ability to place himself in danger every 0.2 seconds) is how happy walking makes him. He’s...
5 Tips for Taking Your Kids to a Royals Game
Summer just doesn’t feel right until I’ve attended a Kansas City Royals game at The K (Kauffman Stadium). Sitting in the breeze on a warm night, watching the game with a hot dog in...
