Why estate planning is an act of love your family will thank you for I never imagined I’d spend so much time in probate court. But here I am—signing papers, chasing signatures, and sorting through legal mazes that feel more suited to a courtroom drama than real life. All because my parents didn’t have a will. If you’ve ever thought estate planning is just for the wealthy or the elderly—or something you can put off until “later”—please let me be the cautionary tale that says: Don’t wait. The Emotional Weight of “What Now?” When my parent passed, grief wasn’t...
What Happens When There’s No Will: Lessons from the Probate Trenches
August 4, 2025 in Uncategorized
Why estate planning is an act of love your family will thank you for I never imagined I’d spend so much time in probate court. But here I am—signing papers, chasing signatures, and sorting through legal mazes that feel more suited to a courtroom drama than real life. All because my parents didn’t have a will. If you’ve ever thought estate planning is just for the wealthy or the elderly—or something you can put off until “later”—please let me be the cautionary tale that says: Don’t wait. The Emotional Weight of “What Now?” When my parent passed, grief wasn’t...
When the Parent Becomes the Child: Loving Through Defiance and Entitlement
July 29, 2025 in Faith & Family Life, Faith & Heart, Family Life, Raising Parents, Uncategorized
There are some things I never imagined I’d say to my mother. “Because I said so.” “Stop yelling, or we’re leaving.” “No, you may not have dessert for dinner.” And yet, here I am—saying the kinds of things she once said to me, only now I’m saying them to her. When people talk about caring for aging parents, the stories tend to focus on the physical demands—medications, appointments, mobility. But what no one prepared me for was the emotional whiplash of parenting someone who once towered over me in strength, now lashing out like a tired toddler who skipped...
There wasn’t a lightning bolt. No dramatic moment or big medical emergency. It crept in quietly—like the way fall turns into winter. One day, I was running errands with my mom, and the next, I was coordinating her appointments and prescriptions and reminding her how to use her TV remote… again. But the moment it really hit me? It was a random weekday morning. I went about my day as usual. I hurried to get my youngest daughter to school while my oldest texted me about this and that, and then my phone rang. It was my dad. He...
I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore and diverting myself in now and then finding the smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me. ISAAC NEWTON Ever since I married into the military, I’ve dreamed of a close-knit community and connections like what were shown in Lifetime’s Army Wives. The whole show was a farce, as anybody who has spent more than a minute in the military world would soon inform you! Relationships are not something that simply happens. To be like...
There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds. ― Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral’s Kiss Depression is a liar. It conveys the message that we are unimportant, alone, and without value. Depression may be seductive, and its falsehoods can be difficult to get rid of, even though we know in our hearts that these things aren’t true. In the United States, depression is exceedingly prevalent and has become an epidemic. Although depression affects more than 7% of adults, the greatest incidence is seen in those between the ages of 12 and...
“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is an illusion.” Brennan Manning There seems to be an epidemic of identity crisis running rampant these days. By definition, an identity crisis is “a period of uncertainty and confusion in which a person’s sense of identity becomes insecure, typically due to a change in their expected aims or role in society.” Social media and nightly news are plastered with stories of individuals who are desperately trying to find themselves. It’s sad to see the lengths that some are willing to go...
Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun. ~ Pablo Picasso My daughter has a way of sparring a conversation, often leaving you asking more questions than those that were answered. The other day was no different! She’s had her own fair share of difficult times throughout her decade on earth. And this last bout really left her in a philosophical mood, I guess. She created the analogy of life being a canvas. You only get one canvas and are working on a nice painting. You like your painting....
“Meditation means letting go of our baggage, letting go of all the pre-rehearsed stories and inner-dialogue that we’ve grown so attached to.” – Andy Puddicombe It’s been hard for me to focus – and remain focused – since late spring. Since my hospital stay, I have felt overwhelmed, disoriented, disorganized, and chaotic. I had to force myself to stick with assignments as I finished up my MBA. My thoughts and ideas were all over the place. I tried to create a routine in order to cultivate some sense of structure in my life. In the scheme of things,...
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27, NKJV This year has not exactly been an easy one. I had the accident in late April, the surgery in May, and was medically given the “all clear” in August. Life was getting back to normal. I could physically do just about anything I wanted. My stamina was returning. And I could wear real shoes again! My dad had been diagnosed with lung cancer last year. He sought treatment at CARTI in Arkansas, which...
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. – Psalm 34:18 (KJV) It’s never easy to say goodbye to a parent. Last year my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. We fought the VA to get treatments. After urging him to see care elsewhere, he began receiving treatments. A few months ago, he was released as being “cancer free.” The cancer was in-check and the oncologist told him that they would continue to do checkups, but he had another 10 years. A few months ago he...