I can’t believe it’s been two years since I experienced the Listen to Your Mother show in Providence. I’m so proud of the women, my talented friends, who are co-producing this year’s show on April 30 at The Lincoln School, featuring original readings by local writers in celebration of motherhood. I have to give a virtual “Go girl” hug to my 2013 Listen to Your Mother sisters, Kirsten DiChiappari, Lauren Palizzolo Jordan, Brianne DeRosa and my blogging friend Chelley Martinka, who are all co-producers of the 2015 Providence Listen to Your Mother Show! (And another big-fellow-Texan-hug to my publisher and friend, Lane Buckman, for her LTYM performance in Austin, which I can’t wait to see on YouTube!)

Hats off to this year’s cast: Sarah Bouvier, Meri E. Brady, Bri DeRosa, Kirsten DiChiappari, Angela Flynn, Rebecca Ladd, Jay Potter, Allison Seed, Deborah Stoloff, Melissa Thompson and Anne Wert.

I’m so sad that I will miss the show this year due to an already planned trip, but I will be rooting them on the entire flight (as I skim through SkyMall and snack on pretzels).

To buy tickets and find out more about this year’s show on Thursday, April 30, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1365147 By the way, the national show is founded and directed by rock star Ann Imig, of http://annimig.com/.

You can find Kirsten at http://www.thequeenoftheearth.com/, Lauren at http://www.dontlickthetrashcan.com/, Brianne here http://www.redroundorgreen.com/ and Chelley Martinka at http://aisforadelaide.com/.

The bond formed with my Listen to Your Mother sisters in 2013 was real. It was special. And it was beyond words, yet it was all about the words we read aloud for the world to hear. The experience of being a part of this national show that gives Mother’s Day a microphone struck a chord within all of us, as we swallowed our butterflies, sweat and fears before taking the stage together.

I thought it would be fitting to re-post something I wrote about in the days following my experience in 2013:

I’m still trying to come down from the natural high of being a part of the Listen to Your Mother Providence 2013 show. I feel like a second-grader waving goodbye as the last guest leaves my birthday party. There’s nothing left but deflated balloons, dented ribbons and a half-devoured birthday cake.

And a heart that burns.

Not from too much cake, but for the party to last a little longer.

Not for the presents, but for the present, to last…just a little bit longer.

I’m still reeling from the entire experience. Thirteen amazing women. All with a story to share. Original stories shared in celebration of motherhood. Of its struggles. Its highs, its lows, and everything in between. My mom and dad were so sweet, they flew in for the show! An early Mother’s Day gift!

And I got to see a ton of familiar faces, from my family to Rhody Blogger friends (Tera Norberg, Carina Aggor, Melissa Pezza, Jen Senecal, Chelley Martinka, Jodi Williston to name a few). I’m so grateful.

Today, I feel so sad to say goodbye to my show sistahs.

Together, we giggled. We cried. We laughed until we almost peed. From auditions to rehearsals, we shared our insecurities. Our worries. Funny vents. Silly side stories. Then show day, the butterflies. Natural remedies. The fears. The hairspray. And oh so much more. We gave motherhood a microphone.

We are friends 4-eva. We are LTYM sisters.

We got to be a part of something that was simply magical.

You know the saying, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”?

When I think about the Listen to Your Mother show, this old (and not quite accurate saying) couldn’t be more true. (And yes, Kirsten, this made me think of you and your piece!)

The whole experience, from audition to final show, was so much greater than the sum of the parts. And each cast member, although amazingly talented on their own, shined a little brighter when we performed as a group. One presenter flowed to the next, sharing something different. Something special. A part of themselves. Even people from the audience could tell you that there was something wonderful…a roller-coaster of emotions (in a good way)…going on in that auditorium.

I just have to say a special thank you to all my show sisters, for their courage and tenacity. Their wisdom and words.

Thank you, (in no particular order) Kelly Baraf,  Jennifer Ciplet, Laura Rossi, Jessica Severson, Carla Molina, Alicia Kamm, Kirsten DiChiappari, Lauren Jordan, Stephanie Lazenby, Brianne DeRosa, Lexi Magnusson, Phyllis Kim Myung, and the poetic queen, Marian Kent.

Thank you, co-producers and co-directors, Laura Rossi and Carla Molina, for creating an incredible ensemble and experience, and for performing such memorable pieces too. And for seeing the real me, quirks, fast-talking, self-deprecating, whisper-yells and all. Thank you for giving me a chance to say my piece (and my peace) on stage. I love you all!

Best Actress winner Julianne Moore was quoted at the 2015 Oscars for admitting, “My dogs are more work than my kids”.

Although I have been known to buy magazines just because this actress is on the cover, after she said this, it made me swoon over Julianne even Moore. (Have I mentioned that both Julianne and I have pale skin? Um, hello, we’re practically twins.)

OK, I get that kids are hard. But right now, aside from some emotional exhaustion, (mine and theirs), I have to say my children are at ideal ages right now. When your kids get older: They wipe their own boogers, bums and dishes (thankfully not in that order). When they’re past toddlerhood, take my advice: TRAVEL WITH THEM AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. Aside from being embarrassed by the fact that you’re singing Madonna’s “Holiday” while blocking the aisle, they still like you.

As Mommy Law has it, because motherhood has granted me a temporary pause from total (physical) mommy exhaustion, a new kind of paws has entered my life:

Two dogs.

Not just one. But two.

Both Goldens. After taking home a beautiful female English cream puppy, Maggie, a couple months ago, I have to say I’m in love.

And effing exhausted.

Yes, as a family, we get to snuggle two adorable dogs.

We love them very much.

I’m so proud …and pooped.

Did I mention that we now have two dogs?

Not just one, but two.

My oldest canine son, Marley, is a handsome (and he knows it) five-year-old Golden. If you come over, he will “greet” you by basically making out with your hand. He doesn’t bite. Just sucks on your palm, arm or sleeve. And when I’m on the phone, he barks at me.

So Maggie and Marley are buddies now. They nap together. Play together. Wrestle together (not like that!).

Buuuuutttt… I’m also dealing with two of everything now.

Twice the amount of pond-water drenched dog hair.

Twice the fur balls.

Twice the urine.

Twice the in-house bombs.

Twice the lawn poopsicles.

Twice the car trouble. As in, Maggie tends to cry in the car. Every time we drive somewhere. And she got a little nervous going to the groomers recently and I don’t think my car will ever be smell the same.

And twice the “incidents”. Let’s just say we used to have 23 ducks in our front “huge puddle pond,” but now it’s deserted.

I haven’t slept well in I don’t know how many weeks, my eyes have turned to slits. And I have cleaned up so many messes while trying to house-train this puppy during the WORST WINTER EVER, my hands look like they belong on the “before” shot in a Palmolive commercial.

Hmmmm. This feels very familiar. All of this exhaustion reminds me of something. A certain time in my life when I thought I was going a little wacky.

Out-of-my-mind.

Ah, yes.

Toddlerhood.

So, in case you’re thinking about getting a second dog, I’ve created this little list for you. Just give it a little glance over. Give it a little pause. And hopefully I’ll have this puppy house-trained by Labor Day!

Why puppies are like toddlers:

• They whine.
• They pee.
• They poop.
• They get into everything.
• If they can’t reach, they FIND ways to get into everything.
• They get noisy when you’re on the phone.
• They make it impossible for you to leave the house.
• They misbehave when they want attention.
• They’re not afraid to test your patience.
• They leave stains on your clothes, rugs, couch, etc.
• They want to eat all the time.
• They ruin your furniture, pants, shoes and rugs.
• They drain every ounce of energy left in you.
• They keep you up at night.
• They help you justify cleaning up “doody” with your bare hands.
• Same thing goes for eye-snot.
• And runny noses too.
• No matter how many times you light a candle, you can still tell smell when they last went.
• They’re so cute, they make you forget what they just did.
• When they nap, it’s as if everything they do is erased.
• When they look up at you, and turn their little head to the side, you know you’re in big trouble.
• As soon as they’re fast asleep, you’re in love again.
• And ready to face another day of toddler mommy denial.