At times, I still expect Timothy to burst through the front door, full of energy like he was just away on a long trip. A part of me thinks it's crazy after nearly five and a half years. But there are some things that the mind won't let go even with time, or maybe it's... Continue Reading →
Deck the Halls down Memory Lane in this Winter Wonderland
Each year like clockwork, Tim grumbles about having to lug all the Christmas decorations down from the attic the weekend after Thanksgiving. It has been our tradition to put the tree and all the decorations up on this day for at least the last 10 years. When my stepkids were younger, it was usually Taylor and... Continue Reading →
And then They Grow Up and have Babies of their Own. Where does the Time go?
Nearly 15 years after I first walked into my husband’s life, it is hard to fathom that my stepdaughter is now a mother of her own after giving birth to a beautiful baby girl this week. There are both perks and downfalls to being a stepmom. Over the years, I have tried to not over... Continue Reading →
From the Mouths of Babes, Our Tears are given Meaning and Purpose
There are literally hundreds of glow-in-the-dark stars of all shapes and sizes taped to my boys’ ceiling. When their light goes out for bedtime, their room still glows like the night sky at the request of both our boys. But what I didn’t know until recently is that the boys have given certain stars to... Continue Reading →
The Smallest Things can rekindle the Fondest Memories
The smell of my mom’s chili filled our entire house a few nights ago. And for a second, I felt like I was a little girl again with pigtails, sitting around the dinner table with my mom, pop and brother, eating chili mac, corn muffins and salad – a staple in our house in the fall.... Continue Reading →
Those Damn Life Events that Automatically Play on Repeat When We Least Expect Them
It was a beautiful Saturday evening in June, and Tim and I had decided to get out of the house for a little while. I remember that we were walking down Main Street in Collinsville when my phone rang. Tim was carrying Sweet Pea's pumpkin seat in one hand, holding my hand with the other... Continue Reading →
The Dead Parents to Cancer (DPC) Club… A club no one wants to join, but far too many of us have
When I was 25, I unwillingly said good-bye to my father after watching him suffer a horrible six-month battle with cancer that ended up riddling his entire body before he passed. It was then that I became a member of the Dead Parents to Cancer (DPC) Club. On July 6, 2001, my oldest niece was... Continue Reading →
A Little Piece of Happiness, Compassion and/or Meaning
Over the last 12 years, I've come to realize a few things after you lose someone close to your heart. All you look for day in and day out is just that little piece of hope, compassion and meaning in everything you do to help the days go by easier. Because now I've come to fully understand the truth about life... Continue Reading →