Project Five — Melissa Read.

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A Read’s Tale:
Field notes from a working “outdoors-mom” on an endless quest to find the “why?”

O N E Y E A R // I cannot imagine this world without your sweetness. Happy one year, J Bird.

I saw a red leaf today.

Instantly, my heart fluttered a little. Through the thick August air I could have sworn I felt a chill. My mind swirled like autumn leaves in an October breeze. I took a deep breath and yearned for crisp, cool, lung cleansin

Their chests rise and fall, and the individual sounds of their full, heavy exhales fill the back seat of the car as we drive.

With each percussion like triple beat exhale, my soul fills with gratitude little by little. With peace. With hopefulness

THE SEQUEL //

I feel compelled to share a follow up to last year’s Christmas. You see…I was in a particular type of low and I wasn’t sure why. It all felt too stressful. Heavy. The magic of it all wasn’t quite fun. Something

Babies don’t come with a manual, but if they did this would be a page in ours.

•••

The baby (or parent/ toddler) is crying, and nothing is working:

1. GO OUTSIDE. (This is imperative and the only step that actually matters. Do

OAKLEIGH JUDITH // 8.26.24

Welcome to the world, my littlest love.

My eyes had been closed for the better part of an hour just to bear the pain. The pressure. The reality is it had only been an hour since we got to the hospital. With the end of eac

The beginning was hard. For both of us, I think. But somewhere between the blurred lines of years 1 and 2 we’ve mastered each other. As I reflect on the gaussian view of the entirety of your life though, it’s so clear now that you’v

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If the sun don’t rise
‘Til the summertime
Forgive my northern attitude
Oh, I was raised on little light

When I was a small girl I remember trying on my mom’s shoes and wanting nothing more than for them to fit. To be like her. To grow up.

I felt that way for a majority of my adolescence. I wanted more independence. I craved to make my own decis

At the point in my life where all your Christmas cards make me tear up. Imagine where a Christmas movie with two of my own perfect nuggets in my lap leaves me. 😭

But also holding space for anyone struggling through this season…I see you. Che

Here’s a riddle for you:

You know the kind of morning….A plate flew across the kitchen, there was some swearing (him - don’t ask where he learned it), decent amounts of yelling (me - clearly not my finest parenting moment), wrestl

Contact me:

mmread19@gmail.com