This weekend, I had the honor of attending the wedding of my daughter Kylee's longtime best friend, Danielle. Kylee is the matron of honor, just as Danielle stood beside her at her wedding five years ago as shown in this photo. I've watched these two girls, who are turning 30 this year, grow up together. From the days when they were in elementary school on the soccer field to the countless birthday parties and Halloween costumes, playdates and sleepovers. From summer vacation

The following song came on after a playlist, and I thought it was a great representation of what so many humans need with one caveat, think of the word love in this song as a relationship…to be taught how to love or more accurately, to be taught how to behave in healthy ways within a relationship whether it's again or, like me, for the very first time. Teach Me How To Love Again While the song is referring to a romantic relationship, the same lessons can be applied anytime be

“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.” Anna Freud As a healthcare administrator for more than 20 years, I am very aware of how a full moon can signal a bad, or at least a rather crazy night in an emergency department. So, after waking the morning of my birthday recently seeing there was a very crisp, clear full moon still shining brightly, I wasn't quite sure what to think. As the morning pro

This morning, I was reminded of how paralyzing fear can be. It's similar to a first glance of this photo, it looks like the pier will be a perfect place to go sit and admire the ocean but as you look more closely you can see it was damaged in the last hurricane and has yet to be repaired so walking too far out can be treacherous, even life threatening according to the sign's warning. And that reminded me of fear and the alarm signals that go off in our brains based on past pa

Dedicated to Gabriella Ann "Gabby" Collins , January 24, 2007-March 31, 2025, and Austin Hayes Waters , December 19, 1994-January 28, 2025, and all their family and friends who love them so dearly. Several years back, if I had read this blog, or virtually any other similar message, I would have disregarded it thinking, she doesn’t know my pain, she must not have challenges like I have, life must be easy for her, she doesn’t live in my brain, etc., etc., etc. I was a master at

I was out of town visiting my sister and her family and, on the way back, there was a slight detour because an overpass had been torn out...

This morning, I flew to Florida and as the captain announced he was beginning our descent, I looked out the window and saw this beautiful...

Grief has taught me To honor and acknowledge love With supreme gratitude and urgency, Whether that’s through new moments Or...

"If we're honest, we're always losing everyone all the time. And that's why to love anything is insane, right? Because to love anything...

As a parent, I wanted to believe that I could protect my child. I wanted to believe that I could make her life better, happier and safer...

After spending nearly a year in the process of writing my memoir without convenient access to a fitness center, needing to write as the...

When I noticed all of this in the sky at the same time while driving last week, I found a safe moment to grab a quick photo. It was as if...

Monday, October 21, I will officially share my Brave Enough To Be Bliss story with the world through my website ...

Those eyes. That face. OK, this Gigi is biased, but I think Cooper is just the sweetest and in May we celebrated his fifth birthday. And...

I do not for a moment take for granted the opportunity to be in this beautiful place writing my little heart out. My heart. That's one...

Chiefs Nation, this is our chance to stop and be an example to this country of what love can do, not only on Valentine’s Day, but every...

“We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.” Marcel Proust I...

This morning I'm feeling my fingers, and brain, need to warm up before digging into the book, so I decided a blog was in order....

This photo shows the full extent of my worldly possessions other than a carload of clothes and supplies I'm taking to Table Rock Lake...

About a year ago, my daughter and I started having what she coined "champagne dates." Basically, we schedule an afternoon that we are...