The Gist of Life

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holiday cheer

motherhood

Does anybody else feel robbed by this seemingly very short Christmas season? Seriously, though. Thanksgiving JUST happened and now Christmas is literally next week. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but Christmas is a very close second, and more importantly, it’s the Christmas SEASON that is the close second. I love the build up; listening to…

the one with a baby

motherhood

Tonight = Harry Potter + Ace + Fireplace It is finally fall & I’m not mad about it. The school year has been in full force for over a month already; the weekends are a blur. & as the title says, there’s a baby on the way. I’m over halfway through my pregnancy & it…

summer happenings

wellness

It’s almost August. For real, where has time gone? In two weeks I’ll be back at school, helping kick off our 8th grade mentor program. TWO WEEKS. As fast as the school year went, summer has gone by even faster. Typically, my days look like the following: Wake up. Sip on a green smoothie while…

another summer break

the in-between

I know I say this every year, but I can’t believe it’s already summer break. This past school year went by faster than any other school year in my nine years of teaching. To quote one of my students, “You know it was a good year went it feels like we just started.” Wise words….

when you’re not a mom

motherhood

There are 16 days of school left until summer vacation. [I’m not counting, you’re counting!] It’s also been two days since Mother’s Day. This year, Mother’s Day hit me hard. If I’m being really honest, it hit me really hard. Let me back up, though. I had a nice day on Sunday. Tony Ace spoiled…

you’re not a test score

the in-between

Happy hump day, y’all. A little over a month isn’t as terrible. I thought it had been much longer since my last post. I’m not kiddin’ ya – each and every night I tell myself I’m going to write. And each and every night, I usually enjoy a good cuddle with Ace instead. But I…

one year out

cancer

Yesterday’s scan was a big one. My cancer has the highest recurrence rate in the first 18 months off of chemo. This first year of being scanned every three months has been nerve wrecking, to say the least. But, yesterday after being told my imaging and blood levels looked pristine, the elephant, that had been…

goodbye ’18

cancer

It’s 2019. A new year. A fresh start. A better list of resolutions. The ball drop each years seems to encourage people to reflect, goal set, and look ahead into the future with bright eyes and an ambitious heart. I am one of those people. Taking time to reflect is something I’ve learned to do…

staying present

cancer

It’s almost Christmas. Here I was, talkin’ so big that I’d be back to writing more, but again, time does it thing & I can’t seem to find it to sit down and write. I recently was given some encouragement to keep writing, [thanks, Kelly]; it warmed my heart. I love to write, but I’m…

the good in goodbyes

motherhood

Thank God I found the good in goodbyes – Beyonce After birthday month, October is a very close second in terms of favorite months. I love Octobers for many reasons: the leaves turn the air is crisp sweet tango & honey crisp apples are a dessert MEA break basically all things fall  October fell into…

32

cancer

I turned 32 last week. 32. I know it’s not old but to me, it sure feels ancient. I remember when I created my life to do list on my blog. It was one of the first pages I created. I was excited to take on the world, with the gift of time I had…

new routines, fresh starts

wellness

Every new school year brings a breath of fresh air. It’s a time for me to refocus, regroup, and as the title says: start fresh. I needed this new school year more than I can ever express in words. I’m currently waiting out some results that possibly link back to my latest loss [yes, the…

another loss

cancer

I officially have one week of summer left. This summer has been an interesting one. It’s brought family memories, warm, humid weather, and very few house projects. This summer also brought a new type of heartache and a strength I didn’t know I had. It has been one for the books – both one I…

more music baths, please

wellness

MUSIC BATH: a noun 1. the immersion of the mind with sound that expresses ideas & emotions in significant forms through elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color. 2. see also this post Isn’t it crazy how certain songs can flood your mind with memories/thoughts/allll the emotions but also bring you to your knees? When…

water

wellness

“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away…

summer reads

the in-between

It is officially summer; yesterday marking the longest day of the year. 2018’s longest day treated me with a summer cold/flu – seriously, who gets sick in the SUMMER? This is definitely marking a first for me, and let me tell you – it sucks. I’m not used to sitting inside, taking multiple naps a…