To the Mothers Who Weren’t Our Mothers

Here’s to you, Moms We Knew Growing Up. You were the mothers who were not our own, but who were in our lives anyway—the friends of our moms, the moms of our friends, our aunts, neighbors, teachers, and coaches. You …

The Beauty in the Tragedy

I’ve been thinking lately about time. It’s been seven weeks since my mother-in-law was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. Seven weeks. We don’t know how many days or weeks we have left with her, but unless there’s a miracle …

This Weird Reality

I’ve been trying to write about motherhoody-type things, but it’s just not happening. I’ve always used this blog to write about my life, and right now that means writing about cancer. I feel like I should apologize for that, but …

And Then, Just Like That, Everything Changes

We’ve spent the better part of the past year-and-a-half making plans. (Clearly, putting all of your stuff into storage and traveling the country takes a lot of planning.) And amazingly, all of that planning came together splendidly. We’ve had very …

My Husband Doesn’t Buy Me Flowers

My husband used to buy me flowers. He rarely does that anymore. He doesn’t take me to fancy dinners these days, either. He never gives me greeting cards—not even for my birthday. And aside from my engagement ring, he’s never …

Ready for Steady

It’s 6:00 am and I am up before everyone, including the sun. This is good. I savor the sound of a silent house, the space to think clearly for a spell. I sit down at the dining table with my …