On my last night in South Carolina before moving back to Virginia, Mama Sue helped me pack and gave me wisdom: 'You're purging the past to prepare for the future.' Here's why I'm packing light.
Life Lessons on the Ukulele: Four & Seven Strings
After the fireworks subsided last week, I sought out a new sound to fill the silence. Not live entertainment or even a date with a booming baritone, but a four-stringed, rosewood escape to paradise. And it was only right that I introduce my tropical instrument to my happy place, Fort Monroe, and play through the sunset last night. Just me and my ukulele.
Dating at 40: When You’re Still Holding Out for Fireworks
On Independence Day, I had a great first date but found myself wondering: am I holding out for chemistry that might never come again? Here's what I learned about being enough without the fireworks.
What My Yard Sale Taught Me About Letting Go of Everything
As I sorted through boxes and broken dreams, I discovered that decluttering your house is really about decluttering your heart. Some things are worth keeping; some aren't.
What I Learned Dating After Loss: Setting Boundaries Worth Keeping
After losing the love of my life, I returned to dating with new eyes. Here's what I discovered about self-worth, boundaries, and refusing to settle—lessons every woman deserves to know.
Growing Pains: How We Embrace Change and Growth
Growth and change are two of the most defining aspects of life. Whether it's a crab shedding its exoskeleton to make room for new growth or a human transitioning from one relationship to another, we all experience these shifts in our lives. Female crab shells litter Fort Monroe Beach’s shores. Alongside them are skeletons no one sees but me, phantom beach companions and even a charming proposal.
Finding Home in the Crawford House: Why I Write Other People’s Stories
Couch-surfing turned into a writing retreat when the Crawfords gave me their guest room and aqua desk. Writing about Evan, Chris, and Sue taught me that telling stories makes everyone feel seen, known, and acknowledged.
Summer Shift: When Teacher Becomes Storyteller
On Friday, I woke up a teacher for the last time in the foreseeable future. My classroom is now boxed in my carport storage, an easy fit. The question was what to do with my rolling teacher desk. My principal called it the Cadillac of carts, I called it my classroom on wheels, and my students called it fidget toy one-stop-shopping. I unpacked it in the carport, put the screws back in, looked around at the sea of green and blue country, heard the birds, felt the breeze, and realized I’d unlocked the greatest writing real estate.
What Teaching Troubled Kids Taught Me About My Own Story
For ten months, I chanted with my students: 'This is my life. This is my story. I will love it or regret it based on my daily choices.' It changed us all.
I Used to Be a Wife, a Writer, and 20 Other Things: The Night I Started Writing Again – Re-Post
It's been eight years since I started writing again. When I started this blog and posted for the first time, it was for an audience of two: my mom and God. Reflecting on my concluding thoughts at this point my journey is encouraging. Did it make me a writer? Kind of!
Writer's Growth 