Faith Hunter Brantley

Lamenting on Lemons

Lamenting on Lemons There is a lemon tree in our backyard. Two, in fact. Last year I had enough to make A dozen jars of Lemon-Basil marmalade And give them as gifts for Christmas. Because when Life gives you lemons, You make marmalade. This year, there was supposed to be more money SoContinue reading “Lamenting on Lemons”

Because April is the cruelest month

Teachers know. April is the cruellest month Houston doesn’t really have much of a spring. Can you even call it spring when there wasn’t really a winter? No. April is early summer. Temperatures in the upper 70s, low 80s. Longer days. Sun. Thunderstorms. The weather itself mocks both teacher and student. It feels like summer.Continue reading “Because April is the cruelest month”

End-of-Summer Musings

Summer break 2016 has come to an end, and I feel…a lot. I sit here in the bed, showered but unpacked, ready for tomorrow, and not, watching Maya in the baby monitor. My last baby. Such a little character! I wonder where she gets it. I’ve relished the last few weeks being home with herContinue reading “End-of-Summer Musings”

So the year-long “optimism in the face of ignorance” experiment ended about 3 years ago. Then I got pregnant and the blog became about that. See The Vault. The verdict: People! Ugh! Eff ’em. (i.e. this whole Trump thing, the Stanford rapist, cable companies, bathroom fear-mongering, institutionalized racism, etc.) NOW this blog is about honesty. Being real.Continue reading “You Are Here”

I Am Not Black

If black is the absence of color, If black is what happens when all light is absorbed, None reaching the eye, Lacking in hue and brightness, Then I am not black. No. I am not black. I am color. Feisty and flawed and fabulous. I don’t just absorb light. I refract it. TakingContinue reading “I Am Not Black”

How to have a baby in 3 hours or less – Maya’s Birth Story

Step 1 Be shocked even though you KNOW you’re 9 months pregnant and can go into labor at any time. Then rush to the hospital in a controlled panic. 10:27 pm My water breaks. I lie there for a few seconds in disbelief. But it’s unmistakable. “Babe, my water just broke.” “Are you sure?” “Umm..yes.Continue reading “How to have a baby in 3 hours or less – Maya’s Birth Story”

How to have a baby in 3 hours or less – the prologue

I had a baby in less than 3 hours. Here’s how it happened. Thursday, September 25, 2014 was my grandmother’s 89th birthday, the grandmother after whom Maya Seneva is named. The day before, I’d actually whispered a little prayer humbly asking that the baby be born on the 25th. I also prayed for a volunteerContinue reading “How to have a baby in 3 hours or less – the prologue”

How to Appreciate New Mom-ness or “Dear Damn Baby”

I’ve had precious little time to write about my experiences as a new mom. That’s because time to myself, moments to write, are few and far between. Maya is almost 6 weeks old. Her schedule is not regular yet. I don’t really know how long she’ll be awake, or how long she will sleep. IContinue reading “How to Appreciate New Mom-ness or “Dear Damn Baby””

Weight-listed

I had a doctor’s appointment this past Thursday. It’s the one where you have to drink the nasty sugar drink, wait an hour and then have your blood drawn to see if you have diabetes. I suspect that I do have some blood sugar issues (since I’ve had more than a few episodes of hypoglycemiaContinue reading “Weight-listed”