ClaireMolineaux.com

Life is messy. Sticky. Goopy. Some days, I feel I could run a cleaning business. Based on the number of hours spent washing, changing, tidying, scrubbing, folding, and wiping, I often feel that parenting is just one giant exercise in cleaning up. Before I had kids, my house was fairly clean. My car smelled fairly nice. My schedule was fairly organized. My life was – for the most part – under control. And control was the key. Control allowed me to manage my responsibilities. Control gave me the power to change my circumstances. I liked control. Actually, I loved control. As an ENTJ (the Meyers-Briggs personality assessment is spot on for me), it felt fulfilling to have a sense of control in my life. That’s why parenting was such a major adjustment. I suddenly lost control of so many variables – my time, my space, and even my feelings (Okay, why do Subaru commercials have to be so emotional? I think I cried at every single one of them when I was pregnant). In the early years of parent...

September 6, 2015 Dear Julia, Today was a full day. We went to church this morning, went shopping, attended a birthday party this afternoon, then came home to a messy house with loads of laundry needing to be done. We opted to play outside with bubbles and sidewalk chalk. The laundry can wait. After bath time, you brushed your teeth while I brushed your long brown curly hair. Although you’re five years old, you haven’t had a haircut yet – maybe because I know those ringlet curls won’t come back after your first haircut. I kneeled down next to your bed to tuck you in. As I kissed your forehead, I noticed your face wasn’t as happy as usual, so I asked what was wrong. You said, “My tummy hurts.” I asked, “What would help it feel better?” “Toasted bagels with cream cheese.” You didn’t even have to think twice about that. You said you were still hungry even though you ate plenty for dinner. Here’s one of those tough choices that moms face: 1.) Should I say tha...

Digital media consumption is at an all-time high. Millenials no longer rely on traditional and mainstream media producers for the latest news and information. Social media is literally revolutionizing the way people do research and engage with the world. When consumers are formulating opinions about a brand, they rely on peer-to-peer reviews more than high-budget advertising. And they can go directly to social media to get a feel for a brand's true colors before investing in its products or services. With so much information competing for attention on social media, how can you develop a keen strategy for reaching consumers with relevant content? Here are 4 tips: Be succinct.  You have exactly 2 seconds to engage your audience. Make your point and make it fast. Save the fine print and flowery details for later. Use imagery.  Social media posts with photos capture more engagement than posts without pictures. Your photos should be relevant to your content, and prefe...

December 19, 2014 Dear Julia, Earlier this week, you and I had a conversation that I’ll never forget. You’re 4-and-a-half (although I feel like I just brought you home from the hospital… I swear I only blinked). You’re so full of life. Your energy and enthusiasm make me smile every day! We needed groceries. Badly. So we hopped in the car and drove to Sam’s Club. It was one of those evenings when I didn’t have much time after work to make dinner, so we opted for pizza at Sam’s. After ordering a few slices of pepperoni pizza (you may only weigh 31 pounds, but you can put away an entire slice of Sam’s pizza by yourself), I sat down across from you and began cutting your pizza into little bite-size pieces. You asked me how my day at work went. By the way, that’s not typical for a preschooler. Most 4-year-olds are only interested in Dora the Explorer. Not you. You like to ask questions. You’re a relationship builder. You care about people’s thoughts and ideas, and yo...

Matthew 6:25-27, 31-34   “Therefore I tell you, do not worry   about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?   Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.   Are you not much more valuable than they?   Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’   For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.   But seek first his kingdom   and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.   Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Last week I was driving to work, sitting in traffic on US 29, when a lady going 50-60 mp...

This story really messed me up.  Rarely do I question God’s goodness. Rarely am I moved to tears by the circumstances of a complete stranger. But reading the story of Ben Sauer has me completely baffled and broken. ·          How could a loving, compassionate God allow a sweet 5-year-old boy to suffer and die from a cancerous brain tumor? ·          In light of the support from his New York community and media coverage around the world, wouldn’t it have been better for God to miraculously heal this little boy, and show Himself strong on the child’s behalf? ·          How do Ben’s parents find such strength? If my child was battling brain cancer, I’d be a complete basket case. But the Sauer family seems to be a pinnacle of grace. In February 2014, Ben was diagnosed with a rare, inoperable brain tumor. Its growth would eventually impair hi...

Was that coffee and breakfast pastry really worth $16.42? Yes. Yes it was. With a 5:29 a.m. flight, I needed it. Nevermind the captive-audience airport prices. I’m caffeinated and my blood-sugar is normalized. It was worth every penny. The roaring hum of the jet engine outside my window creates a soothing ambiance for reflection. The in-flight Wi-Fi doesn’t seem to have enough bandwidth for the planeful of passengers using it, so I’m closing the reports and turning to my creative outlet – writing. It’s funny how a little altitude can give you such perspective. It’s refreshing to get a birds-eye view of things as you fly over. Cities, rivers, mountains – even the Grand Canyon – seem so small from this height. Isn’t that just like our lives? Our mountains can seem so big when we’re on the ground – in the midst of our troubles – looking up at the enormous tasks that lie ahead. But when we’re above the clouds, over the mist and the fog, a clear perspective can chan...

January 29, 2014 Dear Rachel, Tonight you fell asleep on my shoulder. You're a strong, inquisitive, independent 2-year-old, and it's been too long since I felt the soft sighs of your restful breathing on my neck. I didn't want to disturb your slumber. I just wanted to treasure the moment and feel the warmth of my baby's trusting embrace. We had a fun-filled day, celebrating Aunt Hope's birthday at Walt Disney World. We ate dinner together at the Liberty Tea Tavern in the Magic Kingdom. You asked to go to the bathroom about 5 times during dinner, maybe because the bathrooms in this particular restaurant were upstairs, and it was quite entertaining to go up and down the stairs. As we descended the staircase after one such trip to the bathroom, you insisted on walking down the steps all by yourself. You said, "No, I'm big girl" as you pushed away my hand. I kept my hand close to yours so I could offer assistance if you needed it. Yo...

No one cares about Justin Bieber's arrest. Or Jennifer Lawrence's wardrobe. Or Miley Cyrus's hair. At least, not in a deeply personal, life-altering way.  Ok, maybe some people do care that much.  But for most of us, while tabloids exploit the personal lives of these celebrities for sheer entertainment value, we move on with our lives as usual, because - quite frankly - the headlines just don't matter.  Really .  What difference does it make in my life? None.  Will pop culture impact my life for the better? Not likely.  Am I a better person for having kept up with celebrity gossip? Nope.  Let's be honest. The people who make the greatest impact on your life aren't famous. They're not drawing attention from the media. They're not delivering a political speech, playing in the Super Bowl, or posing for cameras on the red carpet. The people who make the greatest impact on your life are those who are closest to you.  The teacher who invests in you....

I write a lot of letters to my baby girls. If you're a parent and you haven't already adopted this practice, I highly recommend it.  Tell them stories. Tell them about their character.  Tell them what you've learned.  Tell them how much you love them.  Tell them. Hand write it, type it and print it, or just write an email to yourself and save it in a special folder. Someday, when they're graduating high school, getting married, or applying to graduate school, you'll be glad you did. I hope to make a little book for each of my kids with the letters I wrote them. Here is one such letter, written for Julia on the day she lost her first tooth: October 24, 2013 Dear Julia, Today you lost your first tooth. You're only 3 and a half. It was a shock to me, and something I wasn't expecting, but you handled it like a champ. You were climbing up the slide at the playground (in your usual ambitious spirit) and slipped over the side, landing face down, ...

We’ve all been there. That awkward moment when you find yourself doing exactly the thing you said you’d never do. Maybe it involved:   Eating something you said you’d never eat Visiting a place you said you’d never go Trying something you said you’d never do And you actually enjoyed it. Or maybe it was sad realizing that you broke your promise to yourself – or that you’d promised something so odd in the first place. Whether it’s big or small, we all make claims about our lives before we understand the long-term repercussions: “I’ll never go there again.” “I promise I’ll never do that.” “When I have kids, I’ll never let them behave like that. ”   We make pseudo-commitments to ourselves that preclude us from experiencing real life. What we don’t realize is that the way we live now is not the way we will always live. Life changes day to day, and the circumstances we find ourselves in will not always be exactly the same. I’ve eaten many of my...

Today marks 7 years that I’ve been working in my position, doing marketing for higher education.  I am so blessed.  I love my job.  I love the people I work with.  And I love the mission to which I contribute every day I go to work. Over the past 7 years, I’ve been a part of many projects and processes, and through it all I’ve learned one very important thing: I have no idea what I’m doing. Don’t get me wrong – I sure do try, but so many days I’m left wondering what in the world my employer sees in me. ·      I am outpaced and outperformed by so many of my talented colleagues on a daily basis; but they keep me striving to achieve higher goals. ·          I am continually stumped by new problems that arise; but they give me an opportunity to expand my troubleshooting abilities. ·          I am dumbfounded by new systems and technologies that enter the m...

This morning as I opened my email and sorted through the various industry e-publications to which I subscribe, a headline caught my eye: "Top 40 Under 40 in Direct Marketing" As I read through the list of 20- and 30-somethings who have achieved great accolades in their various roles, I wondered how many countless others worked tirelessly to earn a position on this list, only to fall short - or to have their efforts go unnoticed. I'll be honest, I think it would be cool to be on this list someday. But let me take a step back for a moment. Don't these kind of lists set unrealistic expectations? Don't they highlight the early bloomers and ignore those who have labored their entire careers for such success? Why try to achieve so much so early? My entire life I've been labeled as a fast-burner, or a bit of an over-achiever. I finished high school at 16, consolidated a 4-year Bachelor's degree into 3 years, landed my dream job, bought a house, and ...

It was the most perfect July day. White clouds were aglow with silver light and heaven was brighter than I've ever seen it before. "Lord, thank you for giving us Muffin. She made our family so happy. We miss her, and we can't wait to see her on the other side." The words of my dad's graveside prayer echoed in my mind as I drove the stretch of highway back home, lit up by a breathtaking sunset. Muffin was 16 years old, and held on so cheerfully through declining health until yesterday, when she passed. What a full life she lived. I was 12 when we got Muffin as a puppy, and her sweet personality captured our hearts instantly. She loved everyone, and seemed to exude a warmth that was both welcoming and comforting. She used to sit by the door and whimper when we'd leave the house, then bark excitedly with plenty of tail-wagging when we returned. I know everybody says this about their own pet, but she really was the best dog. On the drive to Muffin'...

I had a moment of clarity in the Sam's Club parking lot today. As I approached my car with a shopping cart full of groceries and two toddlers in tow, I noticed a young woman unloading her groceries into the car next to mine. She was well-dressed, with a designer handbag, and seemed in a hurry. I waited for her to finish putting her groceries in the back seat so I could squeeze between the cars and put my kids in their carseats. After a moment, she closed her car door and began walking her empty shopping cart across the lot. I stepped forward and opened the door to my 15-year-old grocery getter to put the kids in, admiring the young woman's brand new luxury (and carseat-free) crossover. As I buckled in my 1-year-old, the woman returned and stood behind me, anxiously tapping her foot to announce her presence. I paused from buckling the baby, pulled the door in so she could pass by, and said, "Sorry about that." She responded by rolling her eyes, getting into her c...

You may think it’s old fashioned, but the handwritten thank-you note goes a long way in expressing appreciation.  It’s a lost art – and one that deserves to be revived for its pleasantry, and its power. Think about it.  When was the last time you received a handwritten thank-you note?  How did it make you feel?  What do you think about the person who wrote it? We just celebrated my daughter’s third birthday with several friends, where she received a generous sum of gifts and cards.  Tissue paper and gift wrap were thrown everywhere as dozens of kids huddled around to get a look at her presents.  While I assisted with the gift opening and attempted to keep things organized (not very successfully), my husband took notes about who gave what. That night, after the kids were asleep, worn out from a day full of birthday festivities, I sat down with the list of gifts and givers.  I was overwhelmed – not only by the generosity of each person – ...