The bathtub is one of my happy places. That’s not true. The bathtub is my happy place. At the end of long day, more often than not, I find myself soaking in water so hot I can hardly stand it. Letting the pressures of the day be washed away. Sitting in the quiet and reflecting.…

Friday and Saturday I spent on the bleachers in a high school gym. Eli competed with his team at regional wrestling. He went one and one on Friday, which put him in a long climb up the back side of the bracket. He picked up two great wins Saturday morning but fell just short in…

I don’t know how it is after the first year, but the “special” days, they hit hard when they’re the firsts. February 14. The dreaded Valentine’s Day, when couples are supposed to show their love for each other. When Facebook posts are sappy. When date night is expected and maybe even a little grown ups…

A while back I was talking to a friend who had recently gone through a rough break-up with her significant other. While our stories are not the same, we both found ourselves unexpectedly partnerless and agreed on the sucky-ness of that. (I’m not sure that’s a word but I’m totally using it anyway.) In that…

I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life. Not a single puff. I think they’re gross. Trust me when I say that I have plenty of addictions and things I need to give up in my life. They’ve just never taken the form of nicotine products. Vance, on the other hand, struggled with this addiction…