Many many years ago, Ben and I were going through a particularly rough time. If I recall correctly, we had a flat tire, one of our small children was sick, and somehow the drain in our basement backed up and flooded our washing machine and basement bathroom with sewage. At the time, it seemed like… Continue reading Lessons from Job and Pressure Cookers
How Lucky Am I…
A friend recently shared a quote from Winnie the Pooh that said, "How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?" And I am the luckiest girl in the whole world! It breaks my heart to share with you that Ben's condition is changing, and he is starting to transition to… Continue reading How Lucky Am I…
A little trip to Philly and the H word
Not gonna lie. Life is hard and I feel a bit like Atlas in the trials department, constantly pushing through challenge after challenge. However, I am fortunate to be surrounded by a group of fabulous women who are amazing warriors, comforters, healers, and friends. They have waited patiently for me to write this post and… Continue reading A little trip to Philly and the H word
The Great In-Between
Several evenings ago, I sat in the grocery store parking lot and had a good cry. Truthfully, it's not an uncommon occurrence. It is a safe space to process emotions. My car windows are tinted so folks can't really see my ugly tears; I'm not at-risk for having one of my children witness these deeply… Continue reading The Great In-Between
The Gall…
The definition of gall is “bold and impudent behavior.” And that’s exactly what the last few days have felt like - atleast where Ben’s gall bladder is concerned. A little over a week ago, Ben started experiencing some pretty uncomfortable digestive symptoms which progressed to intense pain on Wednesday night. We made a trip to… Continue reading The Gall…
12 Days of Christmas for Ben: THANK YOU
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone for participating in the 12 Days of Christmas for Ben. It has been a beautiful experience for all of us, especially Ben. He felt your love and it moved all of us in so many ways. THANK YOU! Here is a quick recap:… Continue reading 12 Days of Christmas for Ben: THANK YOU
12 Days of Christmas for Ben: DAY 12
I love traditions. When Ben and I first married, we really tried to create meaningful traditions with our children that they would enjoy, even when they were adults and had families of their own. Christmas caroling on Christmas Eve in our pajamas is one of our most cherished. For the past 24 years, we have… Continue reading 12 Days of Christmas for Ben: DAY 12
12 Days of Christmas for Ben: DAY 11
Recently, I had a conversation with a dear and treasured friend who said that he was having a tough time coming over to the house to visit Ben. I didn't understand at first until he shared his innermost feelings of loss and grief at seeing Ben's decline in person. I wish I could have wrapped… Continue reading 12 Days of Christmas for Ben: DAY 11
12 Days of Christmas for Ben: DAY 10
Several years after we were married, my Nana said, "you chose wisely". She was referring to my choice in a marriage partner. I don't remember the context of the conversation or what had happened to make her say it on that particular day, but I do recall how good it felt and I have been… Continue reading 12 Days of Christmas for Ben: DAY 10
12 Days of Christmas for Ben: DAY 9
Ben turned 46 this year. He's young. We had plans. We wanted to visit the majority of the 30 plus exchange students we have hosted from around the world. We wanted to buy an RV when our kids were all grown and take time to travel from each of their homes to visit them and… Continue reading 12 Days of Christmas for Ben: DAY 9
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