I woke up this morning to the sound of my grandchildren whispering, their bare feet padding across wood floors, stopping just short of the bedroom I was in. I’ve landed at Ashley and Micah’s house, my oldest daughter and son-in-law. ...
Curt died unexpectedly. I was the one assigned to give Sheryl the news soon after. I did what their pastor and neighbors asked me to do. They thought it best if the news came from me. So, I took ...
Today is our 4th wedding anniversary. I should be waking up today to your snores. I should be reaching over and kissing you on the cheek like I did when you were sleeping and you had no idea. I should ...
I missed getting to write my posts here for several months because I was caring for an 88-year-old with memory issues and declining health. As her struggles grew more severe, and my time and energy was consumed with her care, ...
Dear Bret, It's been a while since I wrote you a letter, and after I made the suggestion for other widows to write letters to their late partners, I decided to do the same. You've been gone now for over ...
One of the Hope for Widows sisters used the word “bittersweet” to describe what she was feeling. I hate labels. I always have. I dislike being called “a widow.” I live with it because it is a fact. I still ...
Widows can feel like a novice in our new life… one so drastically different from what we knew. Where we once felt confident and strong, we can suddenly find ourself questioning everything. Our mind is in a fog and the ...
I opened the door on the second knock and extended a practiced, firm handshake. My hair was pulled back plainly, clothes were modest, and my face was void of both makeup and smiles. I was ready. “Keith Allen, KO Insulation” ...
A few years ago, a thought occurred to me that prompted me to sit down and think deeply. Not long after Bret ended his life, I joined multiple support groups that I had found on social media. I don't recall ...
There was a time when I had mapped out my life. I pretty much knew what I was going to do, where I was going to be and who I was going to be with. That of course, was an ...