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I’ll never forget the Christmas my future mother-in-law gave me a generic candle set. The gift came from a clearance shelf, still in its packaging, clearly chosen at the last moment. Meanwhile, my fiancé’s sister received a beautiful necklace with a thoughtful note. The message was hard to miss: not fully part of the family … Read more
Ever feel like your family is loving you to death? I mean it in the truest sense. The nonstop closeness, no personal space, everyone involved in everyone else’s life constantly. Love feels incredible, yet love without limits drains energy. It’s curious how boundaries exist at work and with friends, but with family, even imagining them … Read more
I thought I knew everything about love when I got married at 25. I had watched enough movies, read enough books, and felt enough butterflies to think I understood love. Marriage came, followed by children, then the unexpected with divorce, and years later, remarriage. I realized I truly knew nothing. Not fully. Not the way … Read more
My daughter was fifteen when she told me she had a boyfriend. My first instinct? Panic. Lock her in her room. Ban all boys forever. My second instinct? Pretend it wasn’t happening. Maybe if I didn’t acknowledge it, it would go away. Neither response was helpful. Or realistic. Teens will be interested in dating regardless … Read more
We were six months into parenting when we had our first massive fight. It wasn’t about exhaustion or diapers. It was about something deeper, something we had never actually talked about.. I wanted our daughter in daycare so I could go back to work. He assumed I’d stay home. We never talked about it. Both … Read more
I stood in the bathroom at 10 p.m., door locked, craving a few minutes alone. My husband knocked and asked if I was okay. The kids were asleep, dishes still in the sink, laundry half-folded. We hadn’t had a real conversation in days. All I wanted was a moment where no one needed anything from … Read more
I spent my early 20s being the “cool girl.” I used to stay quiet, stay easy, and stay agreeable. I never wanted to look dramatic, so I brushed off things that hurt and pretended I was fine. I thought being low-maintenance would make me more desirable. Instead, it left me drained, frustrated, and choosing men … Read more
He said all the right things. Texted consistently. Made plans. Acted genuinely invested. Three months in, the question came: where is this going. The answer was the opposite of his behavior. Not ready for anything serious. The actions pointed one way. The words pointed another. That’s when I learned: don’t listen to what he does. … Read more
I was 23 when I made the worst dating decision of my life. He was charming. Funny. Said all the right things about faith. Went to church with me. But something was off. Small things. The way he talked about his ex. How he handled anger. His relationship with God felt more like performance than … Read more
I was doing everything right. Or so I thought. I’d cook his favorite meals. Keep the apartment clean. Handle errands without being asked. Pour effort into making his life easier. And he’d thank me, sure. But something felt off. Like I was giving everything I had and it wasn’t quite landing. Then one day, frustrated, … Read more