Where do I begin? Six years ago I woke up a wife and when I finally dropped into bed 23 hours later, it was as a widow. I was 28,...

For most of my adult life, I’ve had a husband. I moved out at 20 on my wedding day and lived with my husband Chris until he died… eight...

I was driving my youngest, Aurora, to pre-k this morning when she said, “Mama, I know why there are traffic lights.” “You do?” I asked. ...

(Don and me- April 2019) In two months, I’m getting married for the second time. This means my household will be growing by two on...

(Chris tasting the rainbow at Victoria Falls, 8/2006) A few evenings back I looked out my kitchen window and saw one of the biggest, most...

I envy the ones who can hear the words “car wreck” Without an increase in heart rate Without electricity going up their spines Without...

(PC: Joanna Samples, 4/2014) It boggles my mind that there is a negative judgment by some individuals surrounding widows who receive life...

It's no wonder I'm into beards. The first man I ever loved had one in my earliest years and the story goes that baby Aimee would grab...

A ridiculous lie was spoken in my mind tonight. "You’re not even a “real widow”, Aimee. You didn’t lose everything. You didn’t go into...

Today is a special guest post from a friend of mine, another young widow. She asked that I post without her name, but the following are...

(Alstroemeria/my favorite. 3/2018) Today marks four months since a blind date with the wonderful man I now call boyfriend. It has flown...

(Spring 2014/Photo credit Joanna Samples) Four years ago today I woke up a wife and when I finally dropped into a bed that wasn’t mine...

(Chris and my dad, Father's Day 2010) I wasn’t anticipating all the emotions I’m feeling right now. As I was putting the girls to bed my...

When Chris and I bought a house in 2012, we started buying eclectic geeky housewares. He got me a pizza cutter shaped like the USS...

Growing up, education was always a valued thing in our household. My mother held a master’s degree in education and my father, when I was...

Early yesterday morning I woke from a terrible nightmare. In my sleeping mind I was coming upon a car wreck. I managed to wake myself...

I enter the bookstore in my hometown and I’m here to buy birthday gifts. You wouldn’t think this simple task could flood me with so much...

Valentine’s Day, 2004: I was seventeen and my boyfriend was eighteen. We’d been dating seven months and for the commercialized greeting...

In 2010 I attended a hybrid online RN program. I was also working 40 hours a week as an LPN and was the breadwinner in our home. I was a...

Earlier today I was giving the car seat latch a piece of my mind; having a mini-meltdown because it would not install properly in the...