...decisions. I got entirely too used to Bret making most of the decisions for us, or at least very heavily weighing in when I had decisions to make for myself. It was no secret that he called all the shots. ...
Hot take incoming: Not long after Bret died, I became aware of something that gave me some pretty conflicted feelings. I'm still not sure how to feel about it, even seven+ years later. Bret had been a well-known guy with ...
During our 24 years of marriage, I never negotiated with the tradespeople who came to our house – the electricians, plumbers, septic guys, realtors. It was my husband, Jay, who spoke to them. I was polite, smiled, shook hands, signed ...
I remember that day in much more detail than I wish I could. Many folks who've gone through the same or similar traumas have often mentioned that they don't remember much about it; sadly, I remember way too much. I ...
Even though the term "Adrenal Fatigue" isn't a recognized medical term, I've known far too many people who are plagued by adrenal issues. I am amongst those people. While I have never had a concrete diagnosis, my medical care provider ...
My father’s favorite canned advice, whenever he found me floundering in my academics (which was often) – was “Why don’t you just be a golfer. Women can make good money that way.” I’d no interest in golfing, nor had I ...
It typically takes a butterfly 7-14 days to emerge from its chrysalis. I am past the seven-year mark now and still trying to hatch. Before I met Bret, I was a completely different person than I am now. And that's ...
We have a choice when it comes to our own grief. We can deny it, stifle the tears, stuff it down, cover it over, and try to bury it. Or we can cry a river, sob, wail, pound our pillow ...
The first time I heard this was when we were Skyping. We hadn’t met in person yet. He had such a wicked sense of humor! It’s something I often repeat because it was one of his most endearing and memorable ...
This is a question that I have heard many times. Others who have suffered a great loss likely have as well. Some get offended by it (honestly, rightfully so) but I've made my peace with it. I even opted to ...