Hospital Fluent: When the Hospital Starts Feeling Familiar

We’re on day (enter random number here because time moves quickly) of a hospital stay that won’t end for a few more days – and the hope is that my dear husband will be approved for rehab (fingers crossed), which means even more days in a care facility. I know that we’ve been here too […]

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Who He Was, Before

If you met us today, you might not know that my husband has a Masters Degree in Trombone Performance. If you met us today, you might not know that my husband lived and worked as a music teacher and band director in Michigan. If you met us today, you might not know that my husband […]

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So the Hard Days Aren’t All They Remember

One day, in the distant or not to distant future, our kids may decide to read through this blog. They know I’m a writer, they’ve observed me writing for the blog, and they’ve both scrolled through my images on IG and FB where I post links. Admittedly, I always try to write with them in […]

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I’m Here for a Good Time, What About You?

It’s been a while, huh? I wish I could say that I was back with some pep in my step, or flounce in my bounce – but the truth is that this (gestures broadly), living this caregiver life, has been difficult. I’ve been busy, distracted, and exhausted. What’s that saying – I’m here for a […]

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A ‘Healing’ and Comforting Chicken Soup

Illness hit our house before the Thanksgiving holiday this year. After a few days of moaning and groaning, our eldest spiked a fever and tested positive for Influenza A. Let me just take a minute here to brag on this 13 year old man child – the second his throat started bothering him, he started […]

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Practicing Gratitude is my Caregiver Bliss  

It’s true what “they” say – that for some, it takes a life-altering experience to connect with our sense of gratitude. Being thankful is surface-level appreciation. That’s not what I’m talking about.   I’m talking about the feeling of fervent appreciation for your still living parents, after attending the funeral of a friend’s mom or […]

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How We Reduce Expectant Disappointment

When we solidify plans to do something fun, our very first impulse is to share that information with our kids. More than anything, we love to see the joyfulness they exude when something delights them. We want to share every bit of happiness with them – because we adore them and they are at their […]

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How we try to mitigate the emotional toll of childhood caregiving

To say that I have the best children in the entire world is an understatement. Because I do. I think most parents have moments of clarity where we recognize that our children are incredible human beings, becoming who they are meant to be right before our eyes. You know, between the sleepless nights of babyhood […]

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A Global Pandemic, His Treatment, My Anxiety

I’m not sure about you, but I’ve been living in a constant state of blurriness over the last eight or nine weeks – I’ve completely lost count. It could be 12, but I’m going to probably keep saying eight or nine weeks for the next two or three weeks. That’s just where I’m at – […]

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Surviving “That Awkward Moment”

If we’re friends, you’re no stranger to the fact that I am basically a walking, awkward moment. Also – word nerd moment – did the person who invented the word “awkward” knowingly spell the word in the most awkward way possible, AND made sure that the word awkward also sounds awkward? I was an awkward […]

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