Our family is spending this weekend in Franklin, Tennessee, where Annie is laid to rest. Today, August 24th, marks two years since her passing—our “Annie-versary.” Franklin is a special place for us: it holds both the ache of goodbye and memories of one of our...
Growing up in Washington, the Fourth of July always felt like the official kickoff of summer. The weather would finally turn consistently sunny and hot, and the kids didn’t have to go back to school until after Labor Day. Now that I live in Tennessee, July 4th seems...
The story of how I was born to be a mother is one my mom shares at every opportunity. It’s well-known that by age five, I could change a cloth diaper—pins and all—warm a bottle, and feed my baby brother. There are photos of me holding him as proof, and I believe her...
On September 1993, my husband and I stood at the bathroom counter for what seemed like an eternity, watching as the center of the test stick revealed a big plus. The first words out of my husband's mouth were, "Now, what do we do?" THE question we all ask. Oh, how we...
“Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays 'Cause no matter how far away you roam When you pine for the sunshine of a friendly gaze For the holidays, you can't beat home sweet home.” The lyrics to "Home for the Holidays" express the heart's deepest...
Those who have lost loved ones were right when they told me that emotions would ambush me like a wave. One minute, I can feel joy. A minute later, I'm hit by a wave of intense sadness. On January 13th, I wrote in my journal, "I feel like waves were crashing down on...
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