Fear

Throughout the last year, Matt and I have created several traditions to honor the memory of Isabelle. These traditions have been a source of comfort and are reminders that she will always be a part of our family. Among the... Continue reading →

A Year of Firsts

July 25th marks one year since my daughter was born. Like all new parents, this life-changing event brought with it a year of firsts. My firsts just don’t look like everyone else’s firsts. I remember the first time that I... Continue reading →

I Hate July

I’ve been throwing around blog post ideas for the last week or so, but nothing seemed to quite fit. With Isabelle’s birthday approaching, it occurred to me why: I just really hate July. I have been dreading July for months.... Continue reading →

The Gift of Friendship

Last weekend, my dear childhood friend and her four smiling children came for a visit. Her husband works for a university and was out of the country teaching for a while. We thought it would be a great opportunity to see... Continue reading →

Packing Boxes

For months, Isabelle’s nursery sat relatively untouched. In the fall, I only entered it a handful of times, typically to add cards or mementos to the growing stack on the floor in front of the crib. The thought of being... Continue reading →

My Husband Should Be Canonized

The last two weeks, a freak pre-summer plague descended upon my homeroom. Within a couple of days, seven kids were out sick, most with fevers. A dozen more were coughing up a storm in my classroom. This is not a... Continue reading →

Goodbye For Now

Today I received a graduation announcement in the mail from a student that I taught my very first year of teaching. Immediately I thought, “There is no way that the first class that I ever taught is graduating from high... Continue reading →

A Mother’s Day Kick

On Tuesday, Matt and I sat on the coach with huge grins on our faces as we felt the baby eagerly kick. A small piece of my heart began to once again glow with happiness. Sometimes when women become pregnant... Continue reading →

The Perfect Beach Weekend

Matt and I spent the weekend at the beach. Friday evening was cold. As we climbed the stairs to the beach house, the wind howled and stung our skin. The next morning, it was still chilly. However, as we prepared... Continue reading →

The Mask of a Grieving Parent

Grieving parents wear masks. Sometimes the face that you see is real, and other times it is not our face at all, but rather a mask. We wear masks because we fear that some people don’t want to know how... Continue reading →