A while back, as I was thinking through some ideas in my head, I wondered, “Why do I write?” What is it in my being that compels me to put pen to paper? Why do I feel more myself when I’m writing regularly? I had a health scare not long after moving here. Most of …
I don’t watch golf. It’s one of those sports I don’t really understand (see also soccer and water polo). But I do watch the news. Don’t worry – I promise those two things are related. Earlier this week, I saw a news story about a golfer named Scottie Scheffler. Apparently, he’s a big deal. He’s …
Most of these words came to me last week in a flurry. I sat down with my journal, and they poured out of me onto the page. I don’t usually write long form in my journal – it’s more for the day-to-day happenings, or maybe a note I hope to flesh out later. When the …
Italy was our most recent overseas duty station. While it brought its own unique learning curve and challenges (as all duty stations do), it was an amazing place to spend three years. We learned a lot while we were there and grew our family by two. We were stationed in Northern Italy. Of course, there …
PCSing with kids is not for the faint of heart. There’s a lot that comes with moving with children. Both of our children were born in Italy. While we had done some European travel while living abroad, this PCS was our first big adventure with both children. With 14 hours of flight time and a …
It’s been a long road to get here, with blood, sweat, and tears (maybe literally). You’ve made lists, reservations, and flights. And today is a big box to check—moving day. Today, the movers arrive, armed with boxes and tape, ready to pack your whole life and send it across the country (or across the world). …
Our most recent OCONUS move was from Italy to the States in October 2024. At the time, my second child was about six months old and still nursing. I had quite the freezer stash of breastmilk and wrestled with whether or not to try to bring it with us. To be honest, this was one …
I married my husband when he was stationed in North Carolina. It wasn’t that far from where I was living, so it was easy enough to move down. Previously, I moved myself, with the help of family, into and out of college, then into my first apartment (and all subsequent apartments). A few carloads back …
The title of this post may be a bit deceiving. I’m not actually great at silencing the voice of guilt in motherhood or anywhere else. But I’m working on it. Maybe you feel the weight of mom guilt, too. I’ve been trying a few things lately – perhaps they’ll help you, too. Emotions have been …
When we first moved to Italy, I had a video chat with a friend. She and her husband recently relocated back to the States. They purchased a house and moved in after nearly two months of living in a hotel. During our chat, she told me about their home improvement projects—painting, electrical work, and landscaping. …
