Bringing Back the Red Tent

Would they have been better off if their father had never met me? The guilt of a stepmother.

Happy New Year! Kind of.

When we dropped our youngest off last weekend, Rich and I both felt this weird mix of doom and delight. As it was just after we’d dropped him off last year that the first shoe dropped, there was a natural gurgle of PTSD. Could everyone just be cool this year and…stay alive?

Clear(ish) Eyes, Full Heart

What’s that saying? You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t shove its head in for a drink?

At Some Point, Their Journey Becomes Their Journey.

At some point, the travel planning mantra goes, their vacation becomes their vacation. I'm learning that the same is true when raising children.

10 YEARS! The Vow Renewal

Getting married is easy. Staying married? So, so difficult!

The Feral Childhood

A sign that you had a feral childhood? You can get the blood out of anything. Anything.

Justice of the Peace? The Secret to an Epic Wedding.

As we approach the tenth anniversary of our 2015 nuptials, I’m reminded of the single most important thing we did when it came to preparing for our wedding. And, as I hear from many of my friends of anticipated spring engagements, I would be remiss if I didn’t pass this absolute pro-tip. Get Married Ahead … Continue reading Justice of the Peace? The Secret to an Epic Wedding. →

Sandwiched and Saying Goodbye

The Sandwich Generation. The joy of preparing our son for his next station in life collided with the devastation of preparing my mother for hers.

Ding Dong, The Witch is…Dead?

It wasn’t long after my mother-in-law died unexpectedly that my husband sat across the room from me and said, “I’m really surprised to see you sad. I don’t understand why you’re not dancing around and singing, “Ding-dong, the witch is dead.”” To be honest, I thought the same. He wasn’t the only one surprised by … Continue reading Ding Dong, The Witch is…Dead? →

Say This, Not That.

Is it just me or did January 2025 include an extra 437 days filled with special surprises? Special? Sure, let's say that.