Christmas looked a little different for us this year, and honestly, it was exactly what we needed. We celebrated my husband’s 60th birthday with a festive desert escape at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa, trading snow and sweaters for cactuses and canyon views. We kicked things off on our first night with a stroll […]
A Christmas Birthday Getaway in Arizona Read More »
Ten years have passed since that snowy Thanksgiving Day when my teenage son’s screams echoed through hospital hallways and tore through my heart. A decade since the oxygen masks, the spinal fractures, the collapsed lung, the immobilization, the narcotics, the despair, and the quiet fear I carried that maybe I wouldn’t get to hear his
A 10-Year Anniversary I Never Asked For, Yet I’m Grateful For Read More »
In the year following my mother’s passing, I traveled to Puerto Rico to help my siblings settle her estate. Part of that process was preparing the home I grew up in to sell. To keep the property in the family, my sister agreed to purchase it. It was both emotionally and physically exhausting. The most
On our way to Orlando for a conference, my husband and I decided to make a weekend stop in Tampa Bay to visit my stepson and his wife. Because our flight was delayed, we met up for a late-night drink at a local brewery. That first hug after being apart for so long always feels
Weekend Visit to Tampa, Florida Read More »
My mother passed away suddenly in May 2023, just two months before her 80th birthday. My siblings and I had been planning a celebration for her, imagining how much joy she would feel surrounded by the people who loved her most. Instead, we were left with profound sorrow, the kind that follows when someone you
My Mother’s Passing-Saying GoodBy Read More »
My husband and I traveled to Puerto Rico in 2023 to attend my niece’s wedding. The ceremony took place beneath an elegant gazebo overlooking the Caribbean Sea, an unforgettable backdrop for such a beautiful moment. When the Maid of Honor and Best Man began walking down the aisle, followed by the couple’s parents, it was
Wedding Trip to Puerto Rico Read More »
Caring for elderly parents from a distance can be deeply challenging. My mother currently lives in Puerto Rico while I’m in Colorado, and staying involved in her care requires more than phone calls or video chats. Since my father passed away twelve years ago, my 79-year-old mother has continued living in the home where I
Caring for Elderly Parents from a Distance Read More »
Losing a close family member is never easy. No matter what the relationship was like, the heart still breaks. During the first two weeks of 2022, I lost two family members: my maternal uncle and my father-in-law. It has been twelve years since I said goodbye to my father, and five years since we buried
Death of Loved Ones Read More »
The Coronavirus crisis has forced many of us to adjust to dramatic life changes and new family dynamics. To protect our loved ones and help prevent the spread of the virus, we’ve been asked to socially distance, even from the people we most want to be close to. Although we’ve found creative ways to stay
How to grow closer during Social Distancing-COVID-19 Pandemic Read More »
Relationships are hard, and they require constant effort. When a relationship is worth it, that effort is meaningful. But there are times when even the best intentions cannot save something that has long been gone. When you reach that point, whether you were the one to end it or not, you face a long road
Five Essential Steps After a Long-Term Breakup Read More »