My Child’s Grief Gave Me Permission to Feel
My six-year-old daughter wouldn’t touch the food on her plate. I asked what was wrong, but she shook her head. After clearing the table, I asked her to follow me back to our bedroom. Kindergarten can really wear her out, and
Reacting to Fear in a Healthy Way
“The light’s green, you retard!” Stunned, I looked up from my computer into the street. A guy in a gold Chevy 4x4 with its windows down revved his engine again while waiting at the green light. Two political flags blazed from
Life Between Hurricanes
When we arrived on Monday, Orange Beach had just reopened after the intense cleanup following Hurricane Sally. On Tuesday, the Alabama governor declared a mandatory tourist evacuation due to Hurricane Delta churning toward the coast. I was too busy digging for
Ode to a Bygone Era
Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of extra money for vacations, so we would visit state parks, which were free. Our favorite was Lake Barkley in Cadiz, Kentucky. About four times a year we would rent a cabin for
I Am Not Afraid
At the beginning of Covid, people didn’t know what to do with their eyes. We would pass each other in the greenhouse or grocery store (six feet apart, of course), and we would look away as if eye contact alone
How Do We Help Our Children Thrive During Covid?
On the eve of my thirty-fourth birthday, I lay on my daughter’s twin mattress in the living room, surrounded by my three daughters, my best friend, and the little girl she is fostering, and marveled at this world that is
When Dreams Don’t Make Sense
A white-haired man walked into the coffee shop carrying a guitar case. A pretty woman in leather mule heels came in behind him. I couldn’t tell if she was his daughter or his wife. Unzipping the case, the musician exchanged
Our Anniversary Trip to Tennessee’s First Luxury Treehouse™
My husband and I had our 11th anniversary on September 27th. Over the years, we have celebrated everywhere from Pagosa Springs, Colorado, to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. We are at the stage of life, however, when we
Finding Treasure in the Depths of Parenting
My husband took a picture of me and our girls last night as we ate S’mores on a bench down by the creek. Afterward, I looked at it, then I looked at it again. Their long hair and legs, their
I Grew Up as a Caretaker’s Daughter
On Wednesday, my husband went to the doctor for an X-ray. When the results proved inconclusive, the doctor ordered a CAT scan. We texted back and forth while he waited. He told me it would be okay, but he had told