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Love Multiplied

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A Dream Interrupted

The Levine Family
PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON

As days lengthen and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day approach, Inside Press celebrates parents whose journeys to family were forged through resilience, hope, and unwavering love. For one Chappaqua family, the path to parenthood began with heartbreak but ultimately led to a life fuller than they ever imagined.

When a couple decides to begin a family, that dream is often filled with emotions from excitement to anxiety. For Melissa and Michael Levine, there was excitement mixed with the knowledge that she may have difficulty conceiving due to an earlier, adolescent diagnosis of PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS is a common hormonal imbalance affecting ovulation in an estimated 5-13% of women of reproductive age. Because of potential difficulty conceiving, she was prescribed medication, as are many women with a similar profile.

Melissa conceived quickly, but the first ultrasound revealed a corneal ectopic pregnancy, which means the fetus implanted partially in the fallopian tube and partially in her uterus, a life-threatening condition making termination mandatory. She was officially high-risk and began the grueling process of IVF.

Over two years, Melissa diligently saw various doctors and specialists, occasionally getting positive pregnancy results that did not develop. Throughout this process, her beloved mother-in-law discussed adoption possibilities, but finally Melissa was pregnant with twins. Closely monitored, the twins were developing beautifully.

Around 27 weeks, Melissa awoke with excruciating pain and drained of color. Michael took her to the ER immediately, where a scan showed her uterus had ruptured and she had been bleeding slowly. The twins had implanted along her scar tissue from the corneal ectopic pregnancy and had not survived the blood loss. On March 3, 2008, the twins, Eli and Samantha, were stillborn. Kept in the hospital over 2 weeks, Melissa underwent surgery, blood transfusions, and other types of critical care. Michael and her parents quietly handled legal and administration issues, death certificates, and cremation procedures. Prior to that, the babies were dressed and swaddled, and Melissa and Michael were allowed to hold and take pictures of their beautiful babies.

Paperwork, Prayers, & Patience

Shortly after grieving this heart wrenching loss, they began to pursue adoption via Kids First Adoption Agency in Indiana that worked with Teremok, a Russian orphanage. The agency worked closely matching children to families.

The process was rigorous and costly. Melissa immediately began filling out stacks of paperwork, and for over nine months, the agency sent social workers to inspect the home, interview them, and examine their financials. This all had to be translated, notarized, and then apostilled, akin to an internationally recognized notarization. They had to attend 60 hours of parenting classes and then wait.

On Thanksgiving 2008, they received an email stating there were twins they could potentially adopt. Melissa and Michael were not fixated on adopting infants and would have happily adopted a sibling grouping of up to three children. Along with their birth picture was a worrisome report concerning medical issues, but Melissa and Michael did not care. They sent the medical report to the International Adoption Clinic at Yale for review and input. Photos and videos were also sent for analysis.

The twins were 11 months old, and in the Jewish faith it is common to name children with either the name or initial of a deceased relative. Michael’s grandmothers were Marcia and Doris. The twins’ names were Masha and Dasha, now known as Meri and Dani. Melissa later learned that the twins were born December 29, 2007, kept in the hospital, then transferred to Teremok the same weekend their biological twins died. The signs were all there and, two weeks later, they traveled to Russia to meet the girls.

Love at First Sight

Upon arriving at Tver, a small town along the Volga River where few speak English, and the one hotel is more like a hostel, they dropped their bags, hired a translator, and headed to Teremok.

Levine in her Masha Dasha studio
PHOTO BY DAVID KAMINSKY

Melissa describes her twins, to this day, as opposites, not only physically but in their personalities and interests as well. Meri was tiny, skin and bones, like images shown in advertisements soliciting money to feed hungry children, with her fists seemingly permanently clenched. Among her diagnoses was the generic failure to thrive. In contrast, Dani had chubby cheeks, nearly unheard of in an orphanage, and was running around the room. “She was and still is an energetic spitfire full of life,” describes Melissa, and Dani has grown into a powerful athlete. Meri now is the chattier twin, with strong language skills and very intuitive.

In most orphanages, babies learn early to self-soothe, sensing nobody will pick them up when they cry, as personnel is limited. Russian orphanages are run similarly to a military schedule. Wake up at this time, eat at that time, and so forth. The good news for adoptive parents is that most babies come home ready to sleep when it is time to sleep and eat when it is time to eat. The issues Meri had were largely due to the structure of feeding time. With approximately 10 babies per adult, feeding was like an assembly line – a bite for you, a bite for you, and down the line. This type of feeding led to Meredith vomiting much of her food as it was not always delivered gently. There are no tiny, special coated baby spoons nor playful games like, “Open your mouth, here comes the choo-choo!” Thankfully, once in the US, she had accessed to many early intervention services. Eventually she was able to relax, unclench her fists, and thrive.

Generally Russian adoptions, which ceased two years after finding their girls, involved three trips. The first was to meet the babies and sign more paperwork, then go home and prepare for court in Russia. The second trip was to go to court. They spent two days in court as the judge interviewed them and assess their family’s plan. The third is to bring them home.

Despite the judge being a woman, she appreciated the fact that the girls would be raised in a “traditional” family, where Michael works and Melissa stays at home. They were approved, and finally ready to bring their girls home

A Full House

The girls bonded easily with Melissa and Michael, and one of the first signs was when they innately realized they did not need to self-soothe all the time. The recognition that loving arms were there to hold and comfort them deepened their bond, and they both thrived, physically and emotionally, with their new family. The girls have always known their history, and, amazingly, have a full, biological brother, 15 months younger from the same orphanage, and adopted by a single mom in Indiana through the same agency. The families agreed to meet and while the idea that this boy is their brother was abstract when they were young, the siblings are all in touch on social media, and they visited every year growing up. The girls graduate Greeley High School this June and look forward to college experiences.

As the girls grew up, Melissa was a very hands-on mom – active in the PTA, Girl Scout troop leader, and coordinating activities. She has a craft business, MashaDasha Designs, which thrived once the girls were in school full-time and she expanded her selections. Among her work are beautiful designs made from crayons, and the demand for gifts grows. She now shows at numerous seasonal craft markets, such as Crafts at Lyndhurst and Modern Makers in Bryant Park.

Nurturing is simply part of Melissa’s nature. For the past decade she has fostered dogs–something the girls also love–and she even considers fostering children in the future. “I provide the love they didn’t get,” she said. By speaking openly about experiences such as stillbirth and the often-complex path to adoption, Melissa hopes to remind others walking similar roads that they are not alone. In a home filled with compassion, resilience, and plenty of wagging tails, it’s clear that for this family, love truly has multiplied.

The Ups & Downs of being an “Empty Nester”

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Every time I enter my driveway, I pause at the lawn sign at my mailbox that reads “Proud Home of a Greeley Senior”. In truth, it makes me wistful and a little uneasy. My oldest child will be graduating this June and attending college. While I still have two younger children at home, I am acutely aware that he won’t be around this fall. And although I am very excited for what the college experience will be like for him, I am also nervous about many things.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the “empty nest” phase and while I have about five more years before entering it, I’m already trying to prepare. I’ve recently taken up tennis as a hobby as it will be a good social and healthy outlet and am hoping to do some amateur theater once my “Uber” driving days for afterschool activities are over. I, like many parents, realize that a lot of my identity currently is tied up with my children.

The concept of “empty nest” and what it means for the individual and the family differs for everybody. I interviewed two local recent “empty nesters” and one “empty nester-to-be” to see what’s in store for me in the coming years.

Tema Bomback, Chappaqua

The Bomback Family

Mount Kisco resident Tema Bomback has had her four children, Miles, Caroline, Annie and Phoebe go through the Chappaqua school system for the past 20 years. With her youngest daughter, Phoebe poised to graduate from Horace Greeley High School this spring, she has been very involved within the school district for a more than two-decade span. Currently serving two years at the high school as chair and vice chair of the PTA and a recent honoree at this year’s Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund dinner, Bomback knows the ins and the outs of the school district.

She has chaired many events and committees throughout the years but was reluctant to take a leadership role until Phoebe was the only one at home. In addition to being involved within the school system, Bomback is a volunteer at the JCCA’s Cottage School in Pleasantville and the New Castle Arts Committee.

Prior to having children, Bomback worked in film marketing and publicity but does not plan on returning to that field. “I’ve been out of the workforce for the past 20 years. The volunteer positions have taught me my strengths and also helped me figure out the next chapter a bit,” she says. She hopes to do something to combat food insecurity and plans to volunteer for Feeding Westchester or The Pantry in Mount Kisco.

“This next chapter is bittersweet. I have loved parenting and having us all under one roof and the loud chaos and it’s sad to see this chapter come to an end. Transitions are hard and admitting this phase is over brings your own aging into focus,” explains Bomback.

Once her daughter Annie left for Northwestern University, Bomback had a lot of driving duties until Phoebe got her license. Bomback’s whole life has been structured around school schedules. “Figuring out a new schedule will be interesting. With Phoebe alone at home, I always want to be here for her in the morning and have coffee with her.” Bomback knows that this time together is precious and fleeting.

If Bomback had to choose one area of her house that epitomizes the various phases of parenthood, it would be the basement. When they bought the house, it was unfinished so they decided to finish it and make a playroom where the kids could make a mess and they wouldn’t worry. It then served as a backdrop for birthday parties and many sleepovers. Now it is used infrequently and mostly by her younger nieces and nephews.

Having lived in the community for many years, Bomback has many friends who are already empty nesters. She knows that next year she’ll have the freedom and flexibility for more hobbies like a weekly canasta night. “In the past, I have done that during the day and haven’t said yes to a weekly game night because of the kids.” She envisions taking care of items on the bottom of her to do list like photo albums and cleaning out closets.

For now, Bomback is going to take up to a year to figure out her next chapter once Phoebe goes to college, at Northwestern University this fall. For now, she plans on visiting Miles and Caroline, who works as a development coordinator at Haymarket East Content, once a week in the city for dinner along with her husband Mark who works from home as a screenwriter. And she is looking forward to a temporary nester coming back home this fall. Her son Miles will be doing a rotation in Stamford while at Columbia University Medical School and will live with them during that stint. “That really is a gift. But as a parent, you hope they [all the kids] are prepared to fly the nest,” she says.

Melissa Jacobs, Armonk

The Jacobs Family

Melissa Jacobs describes herself as a “nurturer”. A mom to three boys, her youngest son, Owen is a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin. She is a special education teacher working with local preschoolers on an individualized basis. She is also a trustee on the Board of Education for the Byram Hills School District.

It didn’t dawn on her immediately that she was an empty nester when her youngest went to college. “The fall semester is full of parents weekend activities, fall break, Thanksgiving break and then a long winter break,” notes Jacobs. “My moment of the enormity of being an empty nester hit me later. When our beloved family pet Oakley, a cockapoo, was sick and made it to Thanksgiving and the whole family was at my house. He gave us 13 years and it was a special goodbye and that hit me so hard. We not only lost our pet but then my nest was truly empty,” she recalls.

For Jacobs, the afternoon hours which were now a void was the hardest part about becoming an empty nester. “At 3 p.m., I’d be home to give Oakley his medicine and then I’d catch up with Owen about his day which was our real connecting time,” says Jacobs.

But even so Jacobs was preparing for the empty nest life years prior to it actually happening. In 2019 and during COVID, she obtained graduate certification online to become a Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT). She says she enjoys being beholden to the school schedule and waking up each day to work in local preschools. Between her job and her board position, Jacobs has made it a point to stay busy and connected to the community.

She has enjoyed some of the perks and freedom of being an empty nester too. Last summer her husband had a business trip to London and she tagged along and then they got to spend two weeks in the French countryside to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. “We wouldn’t have done it, if we had our kids at home,” she notes.

Jacobs describes the first year of bring an empty nester as bittersweet and an avalanche of emotions. She advises those who are soon to be empty nesters to embrace this period and be prepared for that whole range of emotions. She has several friends too who have recently become empty nesters and they prefer to reframe the experience more positively, describing themselves as “free birding”.

“I get satisfaction and happiness knowing that my kids are where they want to be. That is my purpose and the cycle of life,” she sums up.

Lynda Lederer-Natale, Pleasantville

The Lederer-Natale Family

A dental hygienist by trade, Lederer-Natale is very involved in many town activities. She sits on the board of the Chamber of Commerce and co-officiates the Dad’s Club of Pleasantville. Her only child, Nick entered Syracuse University as a freshman this fall.

When Lederer-Natale was initially thinking about her life as an empty nester, she thought that she would be a wreck but fortunately that hasn’t happened. Instead, she has been pleasantly surprised. “It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be because hearing his voice and knowing that he’s OK made me feel like I can do this,” says Lederer-Natale.

Although she has always worked fulltime, she never missed Nick’s baseball or football games. “I only get one shot at it, so it was important to be there. Nick always comes first.”

But now that Nick’s at college, Lederer-Natale has embraced the free time by taking two girls trips this fall and traveling more with my husband. “I took a four-day trip to London during high school football season. I never would have done that when Nick was around,” she explains.

Still there are moments of sadness and loneliness for her. She recalls crying after she saw a post from Break the Hold, a mental health organization dedicated to suicide awareness and prevention, which had a photo of Nick who was a speaker and scholarship recipient for the group. “I cried for my friend, Jolina who had lost her son and thought to myself their kid went off to college and never came home. As a mom, you worry about all sorts of things at college–drinking, your child’s mental health,” comments Lederer-Natale.

Not only did her and her husband have to adjust to becoming empty nesters, their dog Trooper cries outside Nick’s bedroom door sometimes and when Nick has had a school break, their reunions have been joyous.

Life changes once you are an empty nester in so many ways. “I’m not rushing to leave work early for football or baseball games. I have less laundry and less cooking. I’m not tripping over shoes in the mud room and there are no more empty water bottles or food packages lying on my kitchen counter.”

This past year, Lederer-Natale believes her son has matured. He now does his own laundry and she feels he understands the value of a dollar a bit more. He also really appreciates his time now when he comes home and doesn’t rush out to be with friends.

She feels that Nick has always been a good communicator and regularly texts with him when he is at school. “He’ll call while he’s walking across campus and the “I love you mom” texts are flying around a bit more,” she adds.

“At the end of the day as sad as I am that he isn’t waking up in my house everyday anymore, he’s happy and found his group of friends and I think as parents that is what we all want,” she explains.

She advises soon-to-be empty nesters to cherish these last few months, take plenty of photos and be honest and open about expectations. “Let them know that you are there for them no matter what even if they need to call you at 3 a.m.”

Three Generations; One Vision at Beecher Flooks

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Bill & Billy Flooks
PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER

The bond between father and son is one that is incredibly significant. What makes it even more so is the ability for the two to work together every day, helping members of their community during their greatest times of need. That’s how it is for father and son duo Bill and Billy Flooks of Beecher Flooks Funeral Home, Inc. in Pleasantville. A major facet of the community for almost 100 years, Beecher-Flooks has been in the Flooks family since 2004.

Founded in 1928 by Sam Beecher, Beecher Flooks is still an independently owned and operated funeral home. From the start, Beecher set his standards high, helping to create a strong bond with families–a tradition that continues today and one that sets Beecher Flooks apart from others. Bill Flooks grew up in the industry as his father was also a NYS licensed funeral director for 38 years, until his passing in 1988. Bill has over 40 years of experience and attributes his father for teaching him many valuable aspects of life and funeral services. In 2004, Bill purchased Beecher-Funeral and became only its third owner. In 2009, Bill’s son Billy joined as a licensed funeral director, becoming the third generation in the Flooks family. Speaking with father and son, it’s clear they have a passion for the business, helping their community and love being able to work alongside one another.

One family taking care of another in their greatest time of need is really what it’s all about at Beecher Flooks. As Bill says, “It’s great having my son there–it really carries on the family concept of the business which I think is important. Our family helping your family.” The two have a great working dynamic which makes things run smoothly. “It really works well – he really gets the business. I learned from my father and he learned from me. He knows what it takes to help people–having ties to the community and having him there day and out to fall back on”, says Bill.

Billy echoes these sentiments when it comes to working with his father. “Working alongside my father each day has been an incredibly rewarding experience. We share a built-in trust that allows us to make decisions efficiently, grounded in our shared values and strong work ethic. Through his many years of experience, he has taught me not only the intricacies of our profession but also what it takes to lead and sustain a successful business. One of the ongoing challenges is learning how to separate work from home life, but we are intentional about creating those boundaries. It is my hope that one day I will be able to carry on his legacy–not only within the funeral home, but also in serving and supporting our community.”

Being located in the heart of the Pleasantville village is quite important to the duo as well. Bill is currently the President of the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce and member of the Lions Club and Billy lives in town with his family. “When I first bought the business, I knew I needed to be involved with the community. It’s nice already knowing members of the community so that the first time they have to talk to you isn’t at their worst time. Pleasantville is such a good community, and the people are nice and have a great respect for what we do–since it can be difficult at those times. It’s a good segue for meeting people in community”, says Bill.

Living in the same place in which you serve the community can be very rewarding. Says Billy, “Living and working in the same community is both a privilege and a profound responsibility. I’m not simply serving clients – I’m caring for my neighbors and friends. We were welcomed into Pleasantville with open arms, and we couldn’t be more grateful to be part of such an incredible village. Living here brings a heightened sense of accountability. My reputation extends far beyond business hours; it’s reflected in how I show up at community events and in everyday moments – whether at the grocery store or school drop-off. Being deeply rooted in the same community we serve allows for meaningful, long-term relationships to grow.” And that is what is at the heart of what the Beecher-Flooks team does day in and day out.

The funeral business is one that operates 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week and the team is there to provide compassion and understanding to each family they serve. Bill goes on to say, “Everyone takes turns being on call after hours, answering phones and responding to messages. It can be difficult on our families, but I’ve been married to my wife Debbie for 44 years and you learn to adapt. They get it and know that is has to be a partnership – not just Billy and I, but with our wives as well.” As for that family dynamic, it’s one that brings great joy to both father and son. “I see my grandkids every day”, says Bill. “We like to get together for holidays like Father’s Day and Mother’s Day and celebrate all together.”

Beecher Flooks Funeral Home continues to serve the Pleasantville community with the highest level of service and care that Sam Beecher first established in 1928. And it’s their connection to the community that creates a strong bond and trust with its members. “I just think Pleasantville is a great place for families. It’s an easy place to be in business and I’ve enjoyed my 22 years here”, Bill states. In a family’s time of need, the reward is knowing they were treated with compassion. “When all is said and done and the family says, ‘thank you – you’ve made things much easier that what they could have been.’ Our goal is to make a hard time as easy as possible – that is meaningful to us. People thank us and that is what makes our day.”

Chappaqua Dad: Ultra-endurance Athlete Eric Gelber Prepares for Local Fundraising Event

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PHOTO COURTESY OF GELBER

When Anita Sorrel, a close family friend was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer more than 20 years ago, Chappaqua resident Eric Gelber sprang into action. The former two pack a day smoker decided to challenge himself, quit smoking and train for the New York City marathon in 2006 while raising money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) to help fundraise to find a cure for Sorrel’s cancer, which develops in the plasma cells of bone marrow.

Gelber’s family first met Sorrel when he was a teen at a Club Med vacation. “She always stood behind me and encouraged me. I did that first marathon to support her and let her know that I was thinking of her.” Unfortunately, Sorrel passed away from multiple myeloma in 2012. Since then, the MMRF has been instrumental in helping patient survival rates from multiple myeloma increase from 3 years to 10.

He didn’t know it at the time, but that initial NYC marathon would grow into a 20 -year fundraising commitment dubbed “The Journey for a Cure” with unique athletic feats pursued by Gelber. Gelber’s journey started with just $5,000 raised from that first marathon but in subsequent years, his fundraising efforts have totaled more than 2.6 million dollars for the MMRF. Throughout the years, he has participated in many ultra-endurance events such as a 135-mile run called Badwater in Death Valley, California, the Lake Placid Ironman and ran 200 miles in Central Park in a weekend, an effort that was turned into a documentary titled “200 Miles” that was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017.

This fall, the Chappaqua Metro North station will be the latest venue for an endurance event and fundraising effort as Gelber attempts to row 100 miles and do 10,000 pushups in 36 hours on September 26th and 27th. The attempt will kick off on the same day as the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival and Gelber is hoping that the increased visibility of his endeavor will help raise awareness of multiple myeloma and encourage spectators to donate to MMRF. “The Town had a great response when I presented the idea to them and was appreciative of us doing a journey event here,” said Gelber. In addition, to his own stationary Erg rower, there will be two additional ones for the public to ride along with Gelber to show their support.

Gelber, an Executive Vice President at real estate company CBRE along with his wife, Tani have conceptualized new ways to hold fundraising events for MMRF throughout the years. They’ve held 12-hour relays and a music festival with a beer garden at Randall’s Island and even did it remotely during COVID. In recent years, they’ve held tennis and pickleball tournaments at Sea Colony in Bethany Beach, where the family vacations.

The Gelber Family
PHOTO BY KIMBERLY CORSO

Growing up Gelber played softball and did adventure races but he jokes that he “was not the epitome of health.” As training ramps up for his latest Journey event, Gelber is strategizing the best way to conduct the attempt. In 2021, he rowed 200 miles in Central Park which resulted in “a lot of butt pain”, he recalls with a laugh. Currently to avoid that, he is thinking of rowing a mile and then doing 100 push-ups (breaking it into sets of 20 every minute) and repeating it 100 times but is still tinkering with the best method.

Gelber, who turns 59 this spring , switched from running ultramarathons to rowing in recent years as it is less taxing on the body. Both activities require extreme discipline and endurance. When training ramps up for him this summer, he anticipates getting up at 4 am and then working out for 2-3 hours before work. He’s no stranger though to early mornings as he would sometimes get up at 3 am and then do 6 hour runs on the weekends when he was doing ultramarathons so that he could have breakfast with his three children, Jared, Kyle and Isla.

Just as his Central Park 200-mile event years ago had other supporters running alongside him for segments, he hopes the Chappaqua event inspires people to think outside the box, learn more about MMRF and donate to the cause. Support Chappaqua resident Eric Gelber as he pushes past limits to help the MMRF accelerate a cure. To donate and/or sign up for push-up and rowing slots go to themmrf.org/journey20.

Gelber admits that this event may be the last ultra-endurance one for him. But the cause is still near and dear to his family’s heart as his son Kyle will run the New York City marathon this fall for MMRF.

TikTok, Tick Tock …

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Deborah Goldman with her family

Over the most recent holiday break, one of my college-age daughters showed me a new TikTok where young women, seemingly in their twenties, not yet mothers, post themselves on social media immersed in some travel or adventure or significant life experience. The videos begin with an enthusiastic “Hey kids, it’s your mom,” a nod to this moment that one day they will hopefully show their future brood.

To my daughter’s dismay, I had to first go find my reading glasses but then proceeded to watch these videos over and over before they fled the screen just as quickly as they appeared. Each one really struck me. I felt a sense of wonder (and maybe a small pang of envy) for what these vibrant young women were doing in their “best highlight reels” before motherhood. But I think I was most struck by their self-awareness and desire to acknowledge themselves as mothers before they became one! Was this declaration a way to manifest their destiny to be a mom or was it a rebellion against motherhood‘s impending lifestyle, therefore relishing the adventure even more? I was also overwhelmed with their ability to mark the moment as a young person pre-motherhood, realizing age and the passage of time are beyond their control. To me, it felt like in that recognition, they were confirming proof of the present even as their future was unfolding.

The passage of time is a crazy thing and something I, and I think many others in midlife, ponder often. It is completely uncomfortable and out of our control. Sitting at my computer in mid-January 2026, after my nest had just emptied again post-winter college break, I easily recognized the long distance between me, a midlife woman with four grown children, and these young, adventurous women not yet even knowing what their future as a mother might look like. I do know that had a palm size video camera been velcroed to my hand when I was their age, I would have also wanted to have that documentation. “Hey Kids, It’s Your Mom…I did exist before you came into my life. I did adventure.” How beautiful to have the awareness that I would want them to see the “me” before our family became a “we.”

I find that at this stage of my life, similar to many of my friends, my emotions are constantly teetering on the brim of my cup, often spilling over with either an overwhelming feeling of fulfillment or of loss–an upending cycle that seems to be, not surprisingly, in sync with the home-from-college calendar. This revolving door often feels like an acceleration of time with an inevitable end, creating an urge within me to also document and mark moments–not necessarily with TikTok highlight reels, but rather with old fashioned words on the blank page that won’t disappear with a tap or a scroll.

So, “Hey Kids, It’s Your Mom” –

Not only to my own kids, but also to all of the young women hoping to be mothers one day, please know that although I, too, once paraglided off mountains in Switzerland before there was any way to have video proof (you will just have to believe me!) and I am old enough to remember when tick tock actually referred to the two literal hands moving between the minutes on a clock, I can confidently confirm in writing that being a mom is my greatest, most fulfilling adventure yet.

To be continued….TikTok, tick tock