• Marjorie Brimley's daughter Claire does homework in their kitchen in DC
    Family & Friends

    Field Trips, Open Houses and Other Events I Can’t Attend Anymore

    The other day I was sorting through the kids’ paperwork after school and came across a permission slip for a field trip for Claire. I signed it, and then was putting it on my calendar when Claire came over to me. I asked her about what she thought she was going to do on the field trip, and she told me. Then she turned and looked at me with hopeful eyes and asked, “Can you chaperone my field trip, mama?” I sighed. There was no way I could take off. “I can’t, baby,” I said. I tried to keep my voice even. “I have to work full time now and…

  • Tommy Brimley Baptism in Washington DC church
    New Perspectives

    Peace Be With You

    Getting to church on time has proven to be very difficult in the past few months.  Hell, getting anywhere on time in the past few months has been tough.  So it was no surprise when I arrived to services halfway through the first reading with my three kids last Sunday.  Austin and Claire ran ahead and found Austin’s godparents, Josh and Becky.  They were sitting in a row with their own children and an elderly couple on the aisle.  My kids starting climbing over this couple to get to Josh and Becky.  They were making a huge racket and I embarrassingly sat down in an adjacent row with Tommy.  Becky gave…