A week of chaos, ranging from expired passports, weekday graduations, skin scans, and no-contact children. Can I get an amen? No? How about a margarita?
Skin Scans, Schedule Chaos, & Travel Fails.
Unpacking my Suitcase, Urn included.
“Did you bring your mom?” “Yes! She's right here!” I said as I pulled a tiny urn from my pocket for all to see. ALL. All six-hundred attendees of the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. All who giggled and clapped as I held up the Tiny Traveling Urn that brought me to the Dayton stage.
Go in with Delusion
On one hand, I tend to do everything with intention, very thoughtfully planned out. On the other hand, I dive in without looking back. Why? Delusion.
Message Received: The Erma Story
As I left the Richmond airport, two weeks ago, my phone pinged announcing a voicemail that had been received while I was in the air. I was returning from a second attempt to avoid the feelings surrounding the first anniversary of my mother’s death, arriving home on that very first anniversary date. Because I was … Continue reading Message Received: The Erma Story
Navigating Grief: One Year Later
Today marks one year since losing my mom. It’s been both the longest and shortest year, during which I learned a hell of a lot more about grief than I ever wanted to. For instance, did you know there is no trophy for Best at Grieving?
Doggy Style: The Luge
As I was shitting my pants, I was praying that our dog missed all the trees in her sledding path (she did) and remained upright (she did).
A Handmade Goodbye
It really wasn’t that hard, except for the tears that kept filling my eyes as I pushed the needle through the quilt's sturdy fabric to form the words, "Love, Judy."
Wave Season? Tsunami, Actually.
January's tsunami has not mixed well with a quiet morning, a cup of coffee within arm's reach, and a few hours dedicated to mapping out my Monday morning epiphany.
An Unexpected Reminder of My “Why”.
In the land of travel planning, not every booking is a big one, but sometimes, the smallest booking of all is the one that offers the biggest reward. Sometimes, that means an early drive to the airport on a day that I'm not going anywhere at all.
Looking Both Ways: 2026 Edition
I think the most important thing I learned was that having grace for oneself is a gift. Make sure you give yourself that gift, too, okay?