Like many midlife couples, as children marry and move farther from home, we’ve reached the moment when long-held traditions must bend. We will still be together—just not on Christmas Day. And as I look back on 2025, I see that this wasn’t an isolated change. It was a year marked by a difficult parting, unusual holidays, shifting rituals, and moments that felt almost unreal. It all began on Day One.
Read MoreFive years ago (during the heart of the pandemic) I wrote a piece that still makes me chuckle, and reminds me to keep things in perspective at this time of year. It’s a fresh take on the empty-nester’s holiday wish list, in which I reflect on the nostalgia we all feel at this time of year and the benefits of the slower-paced empty nest. I also outline my realistic holiday wish list with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor.
Read MoreAs World Diabetes Day (November 14) converges with skyrocketing health insurance premiums and the potential loss of marketplace subsidies, this story is a good reminder of the personal cost to many. Based on a quick Google search, it seems the need for affordable healthcare is something most Americans can agree on.
Read MoreA solar eclipse, star power, and other shining moments.
Read MoreWe’re all in the mood for a melody.
Read MoreA tiny taste of Lent through the Little Things, to whet your appetite.
Read MoreI have no regrets. At least seven bene-fits come to mind as I consider how semi-retirement fits my life today.
Read MoreA sneak peek at “semi-retirement,” while revisiting a favorite Thanksgiving post.
Read MoreMost young adults walk into the world of health insurance with no health issues, or perhaps one or two minor ones. That was the case with our older children who had made this transition. While there was some stress, it was not unlike other stressors in their new adventure of adulting.
But young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (or other major health issues) have additional struggles.
Read MoreHow many times have you asked for a recipe and then, when you pulled it from your files, forever connected it to the person who first shared it?
Read More“How did we get so lucky?” I asked my husband, as we took in the view. From the porch of our Minnesota cabin, “our lake” looked stunningly blue through the white birch and pine trees.
Our cabin on the lake was an unexpected dream come true at the end of last summer. And although it’s already given us many happy moments, and promises years of delight in the future, it hasn’t come without some pain and struggle.
Read MoreEllie was feeling the weariness of carrying another baby. With three little girls already, she hoped this fourth one would be the boy her husband so wanted to help carry on the farming someday. Of course, she wouldn’t trade her girls for anything, but it was common knowledge that a girl couldn’t become a farmer. Farmwife? Yes. But farming was a man’s job.
Read MoreBy the time we got to picture day, my anxiety had rubbed off on everyone. We were all uptight, cranky, and not in the mood to smile. My kids were unruly and mischievous. In response, I was impatient and irritable. The only thing that rose higher than the pitch of my voice was my blood pressure.
Read MoreBecause there were three full chicken coops on the farm, I spent my Saturdays gathering eggs. While my friends laughed about Saturday morning cartoons at school on Monday, I grumbled about the injustices of being a farmer’s daughter.
Read MoreHow was your week? Here's a rundown of mine, some recommended memoirs, and a story about work and rest.
Read MoreA story of seed-planting, bean-snapping, and tending to all that we love. When we realize our loved one's days are numbered, we’re reminded to tend to them with loving care.
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