Three years ago, I typed 'I used to be a writer... even a wife.' Now, rain or shine, you'll find me on this white wicker loveseat every Tuesday. Some costumes get retired, others reclaimed. But writer? That one's not 'used to be' anymore—it's who I am.
Two Weeks of Pink Blooms and 155 Tuesday Nights: A Love Letter to What I’m Leaving
My Japanese magnolias bloom for exactly two weeks each March, shocking me even when I know they're coming. Like Nandy who died while I wrote last Tuesday—we just don't know how much time we have. This is my last March with these trees.
Learning to Surrender Control: What Surgery Taught Me About Trust
I thought I knew what it meant to lean into someone I loved. Then shoulder surgery forced me to discover the difference between fierce independence and genuine vulnerability.
Eight White Envelopes and One Ex-Husband’s Wedding Photo: Choosing What We See
Between mailing resumes to Virginia's top schools and finding my ex-husband's wedding photos at 2 AM, I learned that perception is everything. Do you see failure or faith? Because I'm choosing to see God in the white envelopes.
Turning 35 Single and Childless: Why I Wouldn’t Go Back to 19
I used to pity my divorced teacher with her mid-year name change. At 35, I became her. Here's why I wouldn't trade this broken, beautiful journey for the fearless girl I used to be.
Grief Without a Manual: Finding God in the Juxtaposition of Life and Death
When my grandmother passed, I discovered that grief doesn't follow neat stages. Sometimes it's an existential cloud that makes you question everything—including how to keep writing when words feel inadequate.
Converting VHS Memories While Grammy Dies: How Time Moves in Circles, Not Lines
My Grammy lies dying while I digitize her life—ninety-four years compressed into tapes that spin clockwise, just like the restaurant where Charming took me to help me see past the swirling chaos. Sometimes the monuments in the distance are the only things that stay in focus.
Snow Days Led to Wedding Dress Shopping—Then We Won the Honeymoon at OBX Wedding Expo
While school closures piled up, I finally got excited about wedding planning. Mom couldn't come dress shopping due to surgery, but Angel brought champagne and we Skyped her in. Then Charming and I collected nine stamps at the OBX expo and actually won the honeymoon drawing—after I'd just told him I never win anything.
Wedding Planning at Dunkin’—Two Divorced People Making #ANewThing
Hampton's snow trapped us for days, but at Dunkin' with Charming, we got stuck in wedding details. Two Type A Wheaton grads who've done this before, arguing over songs to avoid. Then we created #ANewThing—because that's what happens when God writes redemption stories with snow days and second chances.
Why I Skipped New Year’s Resolutions and Chose God’s New Thing Instead
Instead of making resolutions I'd already broken, I remembered my life verse from eighteen years ago. Here's what it means to trust God is doing something new when your future is uncharted territory.
Writer's Growth 