February, the month that embraces Valentine’s Day, seems like a good time to reflect on how we show love and what we recognize as love, including the proofs of love we value. As a culture, Americans seem prone to...
It is said that in the beginning, Moses did not have a name. He was born to a woman who didn’t name him or know what to call him. It was his adopted mother who plucked him from amongst...
My husband works for the federal government. When mention of a government shutdown due to the inability of Congress to agree on a budget starts circulating, we pay close attention. News related to this event becomes monumentally important. We...
To write about love is ambitious. The topic has been explored through art and writing for arguably as long as humans have existed. Love is universally felt, standing the test of time and culture. From what is said to...
My husband Karl tells me that the first time his parents left him for a weekend away he stayed with his grandparents. He had such a great time that, according to his mother, when she met him at the...
When my husband and I brought our oldest son home from the hospital, I just wasn’t right. I didn't know at the time, but I was suffering from postpartum anxiety. People don’t talk about this enough, but I wish...
“It takes a village to raise a child.” While the origin of this proverb is up for discussion, the concept itself is a familiar one for most parents. The idea of an entire community taking part in nurturing and caring...
Dedicated to My Amazing Mother in Law. I love my mother-in-law and she loves me. (My husband jokes that she loves me more than him because I gave her grandchildren!) We actually enjoy spending time together and I am more...
Attention all those looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift for those special moms in your life; I know just what you’re looking for! While flowers are always appreciated, going out to dinner is a good bet, and homemade cards...
Honestly, I didn’t really think through the process of my teen son learning to drive and getting his license. Specifically, I completely ignored the fact that someone would have to give him driving lessons, and the reality that someone...

I am Insecure

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I am insecure. Not all the time, and not in all situations, but insecurity is not a foreign concept to me. It's not something I like to admit or am happy about, but I cannot deny its existence or its wounds. Can...
When Meghan Markle bravely declared on international news that she was, “Not okay,” after the birth of her first child, I found myself nodding along to the clip, recalling those first few weeks and months as a new mom,...
I often ask myself if I’ve been good enough or if we have enough to make it through the day. Was dinner good enough or did my lackluster cooking skills leave my children’s tummies begging for more? Did I do...
A popular saying goes that when couples marry, women think they will change their husbands and men think their wives will never change. Yeah… good luck with that, people. I heard that statement years ago, and it stuck in...

In + Around Vermont

Moving to the Vermont Gayborhood of Our Dreams

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My wife and I, with our then 2-year-old, moved to Vermont in 2021 from rural Missouri.  While we had great friends and community in Missouri,...
A featured image for a blog post about hating fall.

Why I HATE Fall… Y’all