Al Jazeera: From the US to Afghanistan Rediscovering The Mother Who Left Me
Sharon, my mother, abandoned me when I was born, pursuing a career from which she never returned.
Associated Press: Inheriting the fine china? Many younger folks say no thanks
I cleaned out the house where my Grandma lived for 60 years. Every nook and cranny was filled with something. What should I do with boxes of fine China?
The Washington Post: What happened when my son's interests collided with my values
“Can you sign me up for Boy Scouts?” he asked. I recount how I approached my son when my interest collided with his.
Associated Press: To Whom it May Concern? Advice on addressing holiday cards
Every holiday season, I receive a handful of cards addressed to “Mr. and Mrs. Mark Peacock” — my husband’s name. And every year I’m flummoxed that some in our circle haven’t noticed that Mark and I have never shared a last name.
The Washington Post: Learning to appreciate the grandmother who raised me, almost too late
Understanding the immense sacrifice my Grandpa made in spending her retirement years raising a third child — her daughter’s child, the result of an affair with a married man two decades older.
The Week: How a DNA Test Revealed My Family's Dark Secrets
I found my absent and secret father with the help of an Ancestry DNA test. Millions of people take these at-home test kits every year. To be sure, they'll make lying about family secrets much harder.
The Washington Post: My Mother Abandoned Me as a Child. It Took Having Kids to Forgive Her
I reflect on the 25 years that has elapsed since my mother's death in Afghanistan. What's changed? Me.
The Washington Post: Attack on AP Journalists Rekindles a Daughter's Pain
This was the first of a series of essays I wrote examining my mother, Sharon Herbaugh and her role in my life.
Associated Press: This Cat is Torturing a Family. Can a Cat Whisperer help?
Asking the tough cat-related questions for AP.
Associated Press: Grab Your Bonnet, It's an 19th-Century Getaway
I stayed the night at Sturbridge Village, living like the Bixby family in 1820. It was no joke.
Associated Press: Traveling Abroad With Young Kids? Tips for an Easier Trip
Some ruminations on that time I took my kids to Europe, all alone.