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Life

3 things that help with chronic pain

I have written about chronic pain before. It can be exhausting and feel never-ending, and there are times when all I can do is lay down and cry. But this week the pain has been more of a nuisance than an all out assault. More of a ball and chain than a bulldozer. And I’m learning a few things about how to find peace in the midst of pain. How…

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Let’s stop comparing birth stories

It was April 19, 2007 when I waddled into my third checkup in less than a week. At just under 39 weeks pregnant, my blood pressure was creeping up, and they wanted to keep an eye on it. I looked into the mirror and hardly recognized my pudgy cheeks and swollen eyes. Glancing down at my feet spilling out of a pair of Crocs, I pressed a thumb into my…

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Thankfulness Lately

I have had a rough few days health-wise. Autoimmune issues like to show up and kick my butt sometimes. And while my first instinct is to wallow and wail, I try hard not to get stuck in that pit for very long. I may not have control over the pain, but I do have control over my attitude. So today I lift my eyes and give thanks for the beauty…

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What is your default?

A friend recently commented that she hoped my time in Montana was as refreshing for me as it was last summer. So far it isn’t, and I keep wondering why. It finally hit me that I have been exchanging moments of rest and relaxation for moments in front of a tiny screen. It makes sense. I miss my friends, I miss adult interaction when Jeff is on the road or…

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36 on my 36th

For my 36th birthday, I’m sharing 36 things about me. Here is everything you never wanted to know. 1. For the better part of this past year, I thought I was already 36. So I guess that makes this a bonus year? 2. I love to eat breakfast, but I hate to make breakfast. In the movies, people are always sitting down to a table with a carafe of orange…

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Now what?

This past week I have felt tethered to my social media feeds. I couldn’t stop myself from reading and reading, side-eyeing, and reading… Opinions were flung, hope was hollered, lines were drawn in the proverbial sand. And now? What? The great (and sometimes horrible) thing about social media is that we can type anything we want, press enter, and reach hundreds, maybe thousands of people in a single moment. Maybe…

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Why I love being out of the baby stage

Certain moments in the lives of my children have turned me into a weepy mess. The last nursing session, the first haircut (he looks so grown up!), the last day of preschool, the first loose tooth (and the first GIGANTIC adult tooth). These are the moments when Jeff and I look at each other, sigh, and say, “Our babies aren’t babies anymore.” But if I’m being completely honest, after the…

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