BEGINNING AGAIN: A JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY AFTER LOSS
This is 40
In August, I turned 40. I went to Greece to celebrate and it was freaking spectacular. The food, the views, the company... it was truly...
Embracing Change
The word "change" can have different meetings for different people, depending on where they're at in their lives. On some days, change...
Joining the Widows Club
I became a member of the "Widows Club" on January 1, 2017. I vividly remember the moment when I realized I was a widow... the total shock...
Don't Ask Me How Fathers Day Was
Deep down, I know you mean well. I know you're not trying to be malicious with your question, and you're not intentionally trying to...
So Long, 2021
I know this post is a little delayed, but it’s still worth sharing because I believe I need to give myself a little recognition (this is...
A Letter to my Husband in Heaven
I’m coming up on the fifth anniversary of your passing and I think it’s safe to say this milestone anniversary is hitting me a bit...
Being both Mom and Dad
Fair warning… this post is raw. Raw with emotion. Because playing the role of both Mom and Dad is hard. Plain and simple. It is fucking...
Thank You, Mom
If you’ve ever met my mother, Kathy, you know she’s a freaking saint. She loves everyone like they’re her own. When you talk to her, she...
The Dad Tribe
All Dave wanted in life was to be a dad. After being honorably discharged from the Army, Dave went through a short string of 9-to-5-type...
7 Tips for Dating After Loss
Being thrown abruptly back into the dating pool, especially when I thought I was well beyond that stage of my life, has been…...
Losing a Parent
When I was a kid, I thought my parents were invincible. Even with each passing year, they always seemed healthy and so very young to me....
Being Unapologetically You
While 2020 may have been a dumpster fire of a year with more downs than ups than most of us would've liked, I’ve previously shared that...
Happy New Year
New Year’s feels typically hit a bit differently for me than they do for others. After all, it was on New Year’s Day 2017 that I found my...
Coping with Grief During the Holidays
For those of you who do not know, I attended an 8-week grief group workshop hosted by New Hope Center for Grief support – a nonprofit...
Thankful, Grateful, Blessed
Well, it's Thanksgiving 2020, and while this year's complete fuckery is causing everyone to celebrate a little bit differently (for some,...
Stapleton Strong
When I was little, I thought I was invincible. I thought that everyone lived to be a grandparent (back then, I was certain you had to at...
My Life Was Supposed to be Different
I realize the title of this blog post could be a little misleading, so let me be clear right off the bat – I am happy with my life and...
Happy Birthday to Me
In case you were wondering (or wanted to wish me a belated Happy Birthday, whatever’s clever), August 5 was my birthday. And yes, I am...