Description:
Elizabeth Krakow's Happy Mother's Daze is a heartfelt memoir that explores the chaotic and miraculous journey of motherhood. Krakow recounts her experiences raising two spirited children while grappling with exhaustion and loss. She writes candidly about her early resistance to marriage and kids, the lingering influence of her mother who died too young, and the comical disasters that defined her family life--from potty training mishaps and runaway toddlers to awkward in-law encounters. At its core, this book celebrates resilience, love, and the transformative power of family. Krakow's storytelling offers both comfort and comic relief, reminding readers that while parenthood may feel overwhelming, it is also life's greatest teacher.
Happy Mother's Daze brims with parenting foibles, love stories, and loss stories . . . always with an eye for the minor miracles that show God is alive and well in all the details. This is a love letter between generations, exposing how the circles of life can stretch us all out of shape and pull us back together again. It is a celebration of resilience, love, the messy, and the miraculous.
Brief description:
Liz Krakow is easily mortified and prefers to wear her invisibility cloak most of the time. She writes to try to make sense of life and because it is cheap therapy. She is not now, nor will she ever be, a grown-up. She never intended these words for publication, but her hot hubby--that is how he has programmed himself into her phone so now it's a well-rehearsed fact--had a bike accident that left him with way too much time on his hands, and he needed a project. She considers the fact that he finally fell in love with her one of her life's greatest achievements. Thanks go to him, Rog III, Lucy, Meredith, Andrew, and her extended family of friends who inspired these stories and taught her everything she ever wanted to know about love.
Liz lives happily ever after on a houseboat in northern California, which rocks her like a cradle daily and has robbed her of all ambition. Names and facts have been tweaked to protect privacy, but these stories really happened.
Review Quotes: "The author's engaging, conversational writing style offers an honest, down-to-earth approach to motherhood that will resonate with the millions of caregivers who struggles to live up to impossible social expectations."
--Kirkus Reviews"A huge and charming accomplishment sure to raise the spirits of so many harried parents. Honest, fun, and wise."
--Anne Lamott, author of Bird by Bird
"This is a serendipitous peek into the inner world of mother and author Liz Krakow's struggles with how to give her personal best to her children in the face of life's challenges, big and small. Whether you are a parent or not, you will laugh and cry as this mother labors to ensure her children will grow up to be their personal best."
--Dr. Melba Beals, civil rights icon, member of the Little Rock Nine, author of Warriors Don't Cry
"Elizabeth Krakow weaves together the beautiful chaos of motherhood, marriages, and the magic of rescue dogs. A memoir that will resonate with mothers at every stage--a celebration of raising children (and husbands) with heart, humor, and hope."
--Andrea Alban, author of Mother's Nature and The Happiness Tree
"There is nothing on earth more powerful and healing than laughter, except for love, and my dear friend Liz provides them both in spades. As with everything Liz touches, this book is heartfelt and true, told with an equal measure of humility, aplomb, humor, and wonder at the miracle of life itself."
--Heather Sandy Hebert, author of At Home in the Wine Country and California Coastal
"This book is food for a hungry heart, helping us feel how much we really do matter to others. Funny, honest, and inspiring, Liz Krakow's magical, sweet writing lifted my spirits and will lift yours as well."
--Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Buddha's Brain, Hardwiring Happiness, and Resilient
"Profoundly moving, this book captures the poignant and hilarious moments that make parenting the best (and most frustrating) job on the planet. Such a perfect gift for new mothers!"
--Pat Ravasio, author of The Girl from Spaceship Earth
"This book will make you smile, laugh, and think. It ultimately serves as a reminder that motherhood is hard work, filled with grace and unexpected miracles. Truthful and compelling, it is a gift for every mother and child seeking reassurance that they are not alone in their fears, struggles, triumphs, and joys, telling the story of a fantastic family through the perspective of a strong mother, a joyful wife, and a loving daughter. Happy Mother's Day!"
--Floyd Thompkins, pastor, author of Nobody Told Me the Road Would Be Easy