This week as been nothing short of rough. I’m hoping through this blog I will come up with something inspiring. But the truth is sometimes life is just hard. For some reason, I’m not overly sure why, I just have been very stressed and emotional this week. Sometimes it just hits you really hard, the truth, and the reality of where you are and…
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We Can Do Better
This past Wednesday, July 13th, was the 5-year anniversary of my husband’s sudden death. Beginning on the first year anniversary, back in 2012, I started a campaign called “Pay it Forward for Don Shepherd.” I have run and organized this campaign / project on July 13th, every single year since he died. So, this is the 5th year of doing the…
I miss my someone
This week my sister turned 30. So we headed to Nashville to celebrate. It was an amazing trip. We had a blast. But as I looked around I noticed something I notice a lot, everyone with their “someone”. And it just makes me miss my someone. Over the course of this year I have become more comfortable being the single parent and the third wheel. It…
Fight Hate With Love
Orlando. Dallas. Alton Sterling. Philando Castile. So many others. So many lives. So much violence. So much racism. So much hate. Not enough listening. Not enough hearing. Not enough empathy. The words that follow here will not be ‘political” in nature, though I will be sharing my political opinions a bit. Despite this, I choose to see…
My Husband’s Son
I will never forget the morning I had to tell my children their daddy was gone. My five year old daughter took it the hardest. She understood the words I was saying, although she couldn’t comprehend the true meaning of it she knew death meant he wasn’t coming home. My four year old son did not understand it at, his response was “Ok can I go…
Visiting A Past I Never Knew
I’m on the road as a write this. Somewhere just past Birmingham on the way to the Great Smoky mountains. Mike, Shelby and I have been on a long road trip from Ohio to Texas, and now we’re meandering back on a longer, more scenic route.We visited so many friends and family while in Texas, traveled all across the state from Dallas to Padre Island…
The Tsunami of July
We all have one. Well, those of us who are widowed people. And most likely, anyone who has lost someone they love dearly, to death. However, since I am a widowed person, I can only speak from the widowed lense, and I can tell you with 1000% accuracy, that we all have one. For me, it’s July. We all have our month on the calendar. That month that…
Running through Grief
Two years ago my friend Sam convinced me to run the Warrior Dash; Joey, my husband decided he would do it too. I was very nervous. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to keep up or get through the obstacles. But whenever I did anything with Joey I always tried to keep up with him; I never wanted to let him down. So the first half we did together…
I Am Not What I Feel
A few days ago, I returned from Camp Widow San Diego, where I attended and gave my 10th comedic presentation. Since 2013, I have been a presenter at Camp Widow in all three locations; Tampa, San Diego, and Toronto. Last weekend was my 10th time standing in front of over a hundred widowed people, and hearing them laugh. It is truly one of my…
Something Sad
So I am suddenly on the mainland. My stepdaughter, the one with the three kids, called me the other day asking whether I could come if she flew me in to help her with the three kids while she managed their move to another state, my son-in-law having been suddenly called in to another job in yet another state this week, and of course, I was thrilled…
This Ugly World…but, oh, the Love~
It’s overwhelming, isn’t it? The ugliness of the world, I mean. At a time when we are trying to figure out our own smaller worlds, without our beloveds in our life. At a time when the world already seems so unsafe and so uncertain because that person, our person, is no longer here, and then…another big ugly thing happens.Chuck was…
Paper Bag
No idea what I want to say today. I am feeling so restless. Right this minute, this week, this year. In life. I have always been someone who knows what I want. Someone with specific goals and dreams, and a certain and roundabout way of getting there. I have always had a vision. Lately though, I’m having a lot of trouble seeing things.