Meet the mind behind the blog…

I’m Laura.  I grew up the middle child in a military family (Navy brat and proud of it, baby) which pretty much meant moving every three years or so.  Sure, it’s good cocktail party talk to say you were born in the Philippines and have lived on both coasts, but being the new kid in school over and over?  Not so great.

Imagine the first day of lunch in a middle school cafeteria – walking in with your tray or lunch bag, feeling like everyone’s staring at you, desperately searching for a friendly face.  Multiply that by a thousand days.  That’s being the new kid your whole childhood.  Good times.

It’s taken years to develop my finely honed snark skills, but I run with the big dogs now.  When your days are spent juggling sometimes-sassy kids with homework, a hectic household, and our two crazy dogs, some well-timed snark can be a lifesaver.

I have a finely tuned protective streak when it comes to my family and friends.  Given this, I’m well-versed in circling-the-wagons and pulling out the mama bear as needed.  I’ve been blessed with a sista-friend (you know who you are) I found late in life.  Thankful prayers have been sent up for someone who has just the right amount of multi-sarcasmic (shout out, DL) wit and snarkiness to be yin to my yang.

In my “real” life (because who counts those teenage jobs anyway) I’ve been a teacher (twice — it’s a long story), a receptionist, a customer service call rep (good times there), and now a stay-at-home mom.  For a while I got so caught up in being busy that I forgot the deepest part of myself, the part that’s been with me since middle school: the writer.  I’m determined to bring her out of hiding and into the light.

I like a great many things but have a few deep loves.

• My family.  Because we are for real and forever.
• Words.  And the art of stringing them together in just the right way so that your reader laughs or cries or spits out their coffee…that’s the best.
• More words, the ones that come in books.  Put me in a shaded lounge chair with a cool ocean breeze and a few good novels…mmmmm….
• Music, all kinds.  (Well, not really classical — sorry, I’m not that girl — but almost every genre out there.)  The very best kind may be the songs my daughter and I sing at the top of our lungs while in the car.
• Photography.  I love taking pictures, especially of my kids when they’re feeling big emotions and have no idea I’m catching them.
• My dogs.  Lord, I love these fur balls.  They are sweetness and comfort and unconditional love all the time.  Except for the times when my golden retriever is trying to kill me slowly by being a scamp; then she is the bane of my existence. Luckily, that feeling seems to fade no matter how many times she pushes my buttons.

Riddle from the Middle may touch on a lot of different areas, but I can promise that it will be real.  I don’t have much patience for painting shiny, happy pictures – I much prefer telling it like it is.

Thank you for letting me share.  Let’s go for a ride!

~ Laura