While my students visited the Vatican, I found my great-great-great grandfather's legacy in a Waldensian church in Rome. Sometimes the best travel stories aren't about famous sights—they're about discovering who you really are.
My Laptop Died Over the Atlantic—But Seven Teen Girls Taught Me Italy Anyway
No plan survives first contact, Charming told me while I changed a flat tire in church heels. Now I'm on a Venice balcony at midnight, seven Disney-nicknamed students asleep, learning that the best Italy moments happen when plans fall apart.
When Students Stand on Desks: A Teacher’s Dead Poets Society Moment
My last day of school ended with students standing on their desks calling me 'O Captain, My Captain.' Sometimes the greatest lessons happen when you least expect them.
Understanding Yourself: Confessions of an ENFJ’s Journey to Self-Awareness
Taking the Myers-Briggs personality test in counseling revealed truths about myself I'd never fully understood. Here's what I learned about being an ENFJ and how it transformed my relationships.
Why I Keep Praying for Children When God Stays Silent
A disabled veteran's sermon about running from God hit me like a landmine. Here's what I learned about my own rebellion, biological clocks, and the prayer I'm afraid to stop praying.
True Beauty vs. Outward Appearance: A Teacher’s Heart for Her Students
When I see a stunning student using her beauty to manipulate rather than succeed, I'm reminded that real beauty comes from within. Here's why character matters more than appearance—for students and for myself.
Navigating Mother’s Day When Motherhood Feels Far Away
Mother's Day can be complicated when you're not a mother but desperately want to be. Here's how I learned to honor the day while honoring my own journey.
Spaghetti Brains and Family Trees: When Your Lineage Ends with You
My counselor says women's brains are like spaghetti—everything connects. While creating a tribute video for my brother's doctorate, I realized my line on the family tree ends with me.
The Counselor Who Taught Me That Writing Is My Best Therapy
When Charming and I needed couples counseling, I knew finding the right therapist would be like finding fertile soil. Here's what I learned about growth, vulnerability, and the tools we need to heal.
The Day Our Couples Counselor Fired Us
She said my "all-encompassing desire to be a wife and mother" made me too angry to help. But here's what rain and roller coasters taught me about timing and fear.
Writer's Growth 