Yes, No, Maybe
November 1, 2005
Modern Bride
by Debra Marshall
Like many girls, I became a hopeless romantic at the age of twelve or thirteen. I could spend entire days imagining how I would meet my Prince Charming and the way our love would unfold. There were many different paths we might take to Happily Ever After, but I knew one thing for sure: however it happened it would be beautiful. Read more.
Another Baby? Maybe...
For as long as I can remember I have wanted to have a big family. Part of that desire comes, I'm sure, from the fact that I grew up in a pretty small family. I was always fascinated by stories of big, boisterous families and thought that I'd like to have one of my own one day. In my young teenage years I planned to have thirteen children when I grew up. There would be six boys and seven girls. I knew in which order they would come, I had their names all picked out, and I spent long hours imagining the homey, family fun that we would fill our days. I would teach the throng of them to bake bread and take them fishing and let them fill the house with pets, just the way my mom did with me and my brothers. In fact, my children's childhood would be much like mine had been, only with about four times as many kids. Four times the kids meant four times the fun, right? Read more.
What Part of "No" Don't You Understand?
by Amy Rutherford
Did you ever stop to think how much of our lives is controlled by prohibitions? One of the first words we learn as tiny little kids is "no," and our fate is sealed then and there. Right from the get-go someone is telling us what we can't do. No pinching, no fighting, no kicking, no biting, no cookies before dinner, no toys if you can't share, no TV until your room is clean, no riding the dog like a horse. No, no, no. Read more.
My Maybe Man
I am not a "maybe" person. I don't appreciate wishy-washy answers or unsure plans. That's not to say that I'm not spontaneous, because I definitely am, or that plans can't be changed, because that's half the fun of making them! Still, nobody I know would call me indecisive. So it never fails to amaze me how I ended up marrying a "maybe" man. Read more.
What Do You Mean By That?
by Jana Johnson
Yes/No/Maybe--these words are probably the most frustrating and misunderstood words in the English language. On the surface it may seem like their meaning is obvious. Any two-year-old will tell you that "no" means you can't, "yes" means you can and "maybe" means beg a little harder. Adults know well that these definitions are incorrect. How can I say such a thing? Well, I blame it the little-known region I grew up in. Eastern Washington state is a quirky area ... it's a place where people say things like "Warshington," "jockey box," and "they seen can peaches on sale at Safeways." It's a place where the words "friendly" and "friendship" have little connection. It's also an area where the words "yes," "no," and "maybe" have a whole new meaning. Read more.
About Face
All the years of hard work had finally paid off. Four years of college, two years of substitute teaching, numerous interviews and a move across the state had finally yielded the one thing I had always wanted: my own classroom. Read more.