This post is for my own analysis of the unimaginable journey my family has been on since early December. These are observations of events from my point of view, recounting how things happened, when they happened, and where we are now. My father is currently a patient at the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital
Category: Essays
Like many people, I suffer from unrealistic expectations during the holidays. I want Christmas to be perfect. I like to start the holidays early and perfectly time out my activities, baking, wrapping, and movie watching so that I can properly enjoy the season. As you can imagine that rarely, if ever, goes to plan. Adding
This post was originally written on December 2018. I grew up celebrating Christmas as both a secular and religious holiday; we attended church and I knew the historical reason for Christmas was the observation of the birth of Jesus Christ, but we also observed the traditions of Santa, reindeer, Christmas trees and gifts. Advent, however,
A disclaimer of sorts…although I have experienced loss in my life, I have been fortunate enough not to have lost a parent and I don’t presume to know the sorrow that my husband and some others with such a loss are feeling this season. I do hope that the words in my writing can bring
Our weekend trip to Branson, Missouri to kick off the Christmas season. This past weekend we went to Branson, Missouri for Silver Dollar City’s Old Time Christmas. Branson is only about a three hour drive from our home so it is an easy weekend destination. For those who may not know, Silver Dollar City is
originally posted on November 9, 2017 Autumn in Arkansas can be a remarkable sight. When the conditions are just right, the crisp cool air and the crystal blue sky provide a perfect backdrop for the artistry of colors that the maples, hickories, oaks and other trees display. Some autumns are better than other for fall
Sadly, the list of the departed seems to grown exponentially every year. And with the pandemic, there is oh so much loss. May we remember those we have lost, whether recent or many years ago. 11/1/20 Originally written on November 2, 2018. Having lost my mother-in-law this summer, and my friend Rhonda just last week,
Ingredients 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or use rotisserie) 1 stalk of celery, chopped 1/2 white onion, diced 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 cups low sodium chicken broth salt and pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon thyme 16 ounces potato gnocchi 2 cups half and half 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped Instructions Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, onions,
This post was originally written on October 20, 2017 after Sarah’s senior night at the high school football game. That date was also the one year anniversary of the death of my friend Vickie. Sadly, I have another friend who is in hospice at this time, also with a daughter Sarah’s age. Don’t take life
I originally wrote this two years ago on September 30, 2017. Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I did not give much thought to the pink ribbon or Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer terrified me, as I think it does most women, but having a month dedicated to “raising awareness” of cancer seemed