The season of advent is always so enlightening to me. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but there are these weeks before that are dark and riddled with pain and inconveniences.

Pack only what is essential. These were the instructions I gave my kids last week as we packed up our home and filled our suitcases.

Today I have been married to Todd for nine years. I would sit here and write a bunch of really beautiful mushy things about this, but what I really need to tell you is how hard marriage is and why every day it is still worth it.

As much as I love the Fall, this blog is not about my favorite season. I started today with a lot of decisions to make –confusing and hard decisions. So I took a walk.

I sat down to write and really just didn’t know where to start. So I began just by taking a breath. A big long deep breath. And I reminded myself where I am now and what I had just been through – where WE are and what we have been through. It’s a miracle really.

Summer is kicking my butt. I am not complaining, because poolside umbrella drinks and fireflies on my courtyard patio are pretty fantastic. But for some reason I am not basking in rays of sunshine and frolicking in parks. Here’s why – there is no structure.

I cringe when I hear people say, "It's easy - just like riding a bike." I am 36 years old, and I just learned to ride a bike.

Often when I open Facebook I see blogs with the theme of something we should STOP doing. For example: What Not to Say to Adoptive Parents, What Not to Say to Parents who have children with Special Needs…

When I worked in the music business in my past life, one of my favorite things to do with my co-workers and friends (Thanks, Danny and Todd) was to come up with our faux album titles – because we are all stars in Nashville just waiting for our shot – might as well have our titles ready to go.

I cannot describe the amount of guilt and shame I have felt the past week.  After my last post about my “doctor mom” inadequacies, it all spiraled – his health, my shame, and our sanity.