We had a lightbulb (and ceiling fan) moment

August 9, 2025

While I was away in Poland, my husband tackled one of the items that had been sitting on our “honey-do” list for far too long. He installed a new ceiling fan in our bedroom. Not just any fan — this one came with a light. Now, I know that might not sound like a big deal. But for us? It was. Our bedroom has never had a ceiling light. For nine years, we relied on our nightstand lamps (his and hers), a floor lamp tucked into the corner and whatever natural light trickled through the blinds. If I’m being generous, that setup gave us maybe 40% of the light a room actually needs. ...

Is traveling worth all the trouble that comes with it?

August 2, 2025

As you all know, I write from moments I’m in the thick of thoughts that bubble up from long-ago memories that choose to resurface at just the right — or wrong — time. This week’s piece? It comes to you from the comfort of my home, after what felt like a never-ending journey back from Poland. And not just any journey — a travel experience so chaotic, so layered in delays and detours, it begged the question: Is traveling still worth it? Let’s start at the beginning. My trip to Poland was daunting but meaningful. Leading and learning, pushing myself in ways I hadn’t before. ...

Just two more days until I’m back home

July 26, 2025

By the time you’re reading this, I’ll be home. No more countdowns, no more tallying hours and days in my head. I’ll be wrapped in that long-awaited hug from my husband, waking my boys up at 1:30 in the morning just so I can hold them, crying from that deep, full place in my chest where love lives. And yes — my dog will be smothered with the kind of cuddles only a mama who’s been gone too long can give. This is the last article I’ll be writing from Poland, and if I’m being honest, I’ve been mentally halfway on a plane since the moment I landed. This trip has been ...

Receiving the gift of strangers while traveling

July 19, 2025

As I write this, I’m sitting in an airport — again — waiting for the final flight of what has turned into a four-part flying series. My destination is finally within reach, but getting here? It’s been an adventure, and not just because of the travel itself. It’s been a journey in rediscovering the beautiful moments that can unfold when we stop clinging to control and simply let life happen, even in the chaos of customs lines and terminal dashes. Earlier today, I found myself in Brussels, inching forward in a customs line that moved at the pace of molasses. Each row ...

There is a certain feeling that never goes away

July 12, 2025

I will never, ever forget that feeling — the first time I held my son in my arms. Holy cow. The amount of love that poured into every crevice of my being was so full, so complete, it felt like it filled even the parts of me that no MRI or X-ray could ever detect. I didn’t even know those parts existed until that moment. And then, when I had my second son, that same wave of love came crashing in all over again — this deep, unexplainable, infinite kind of love. But alongside that all-consuming love, something else began to creep in. Fear. A fear so visceral and vivid that it ...

Figuring life out at 48 (and counting)

July 5, 2025

Let me tell you — figuring life out is not easy. I’m 48 years old. Yep. Forty-eight. Soon enough it’ll be 49, and then the inevitable and slightly horrifying gulp — 50. And I know, I know, I should be embracing it. Age comes with wisdom, experience and a whole lot of lessons. With each decade I’ve lived, I’ve gained a little more clarity on what’s actually significant and what’s just noise. I’ve learned when to lean in and when to throw up my hands and say, “Oh heck no, count me out.” That loud FOMO — fear of missing out — voice I had when I was younger? ...