This week I reached the final phase of cleaning out the clutter from my life: tackling boxes of photographs. When we first started out as a family, I kept our photos organized in albums. But soon that became impossible for me with raising kids and working-- so the pictures went into boxes. Over the years … Continue reading Life in Pictures: Looking Back while Moving Forward
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Divorce Mediation: Space to Recover
This week I advanced through The Gap and crossed over to the large rock that marks the pinnacle of the divorce process: Mediation. Everything in the preceding months of gathering financial papers and consulting with attorneys and financial advisors leads to that point. It was an all day affair of meeting in one room of … Continue reading Divorce Mediation: Space to Recover
Independence Day
Today our country celebrates Independence Day. It's not a typical year of the crowd-gathering festivals and celebrations, but there'll be plenty of backyard barbecues and meals with family and friends. We take time to remember how our country earned its freedom and recognize that many men and women have sacrificed to maintain the liberties we … Continue reading Independence Day
Solo Progressive Dinner: Finding Possibility
This week I stepped forward onto another rock across that stream that I've referred to in my recent posts as "The Gap." After getting a contract on our house, we knew there would be negotiations after the inspection. The Buyer's revised offer came on Tuesday evening right when I was getting ready for bed. It … Continue reading Solo Progressive Dinner: Finding Possibility
Gathering Energy for the Journey
This week I continued to navigate my life through The Gap--a period between the Ending of my life as I knew it and the Beginning that awaits. In looking at that stream pictured in last week's blog, I think that perhaps I need to spend some time sitting on one of those rocks. Crossing over … Continue reading Gathering Energy for the Journey
Released from Quarantine: Return to Joy
Last week I was able to come out of my fourteen-day quarantine that kept me from caring for my grandson, Baker. It resulted from being in the nursing home with my mother the last two days of her life. While she didn't have COVID-19, nor did any other residents, my son and daughter-in-law felt it … Continue reading Released from Quarantine: Return to Joy
Revisiting the Shifting Sands
Last year on this weekend, I was on my solo journey to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. That was a difficult trip because I knew while I was away, my husband would tell our sons that our marriage would be ending. But it was also a trip filled with beautiful sites, the salty breeze … Continue reading Revisiting the Shifting Sands
Strong Women: Answered Prayer
It's been a year now since my husband told me that he didn't want to remain in our marriage. The days after that were filled with shock and walking around in a state of disbelief. When the reality started sinking in, it hit me that my life would drastically change after almost forty-one years of … Continue reading Strong Women: Answered Prayer
A Life Like Hers: Paying Tribute to Mama
Late Thursday afternoon, I was honored to be with Mama as she passed from this life to her eternal home. It was that difficult and deep time of witnessing someone you love take their last breaths, while you watched that mystery unfolding, knowing this was a transition you couldn't experience with them. She was in … Continue reading A Life Like Hers: Paying Tribute to Mama
Keeping Our Hope
This past week, I'veĀ felt the impact of having been in this pandemic shut down for a month. While most of the time, I can find hope and write about that in my blog-- I struggle like everyone with sustaining hope. I work part-time with a research study that looks at the impact of mental illness … Continue reading Keeping Our Hope