Month: September 2019

September 2019

Peggy’s Voice

September 27, 2019 / NEXT: An Empowerment Series

“My name is Peggy. May I help you?” “Peggy,” I said, pausing for the surprise little lump in my throat “I really hope you can.” I was embarrassed by my emotion. Years ago I placed countless calls to cancel my husband’s name on accounts and remove it from many charity mailing lists. That was an understandable time for emotions. But a call to a customer service rep to get your bank password changed? I was on day three of a quest to solve a series of technological challenges. In my effort to live out my intention to “simplify in September”

Astonishing Anniversary

September 20, 2019 / NEXT: An Empowerment Series

I’d had a lot of conversations with Doug over the years. At times understanding his speech was a challenge for me. After a second ask that he repeat himself, I turned to Dave for interpretation. Dave and Kenny, who have been a committed couple for 40 years, are Doug’s home teachers. Doug has Down syndrome. I first met Doug when he was a little boy. We met at a local community center where, thanks to my junior high teacher Miss McCrae, I had my first introduction to volunteering. Doug is 56 now. He still has those big eyes and, as

Do NOT Do These 10 Things When You Divorce

September 17, 2019 / Divorce Made Simple, Divorce Tips

Divorce is a time of conflicting emotions — anger, sadness, and even relief. Typically, emotions are all over the place, which can make it difficult to make good decisions about issues that will likely have an impact on your life long after the divorce is over. The things you should be doing during a divorce — taking care of yourself and your children, planning for a new financial future, etc. — you probably already know about. But there are also some important things you should NOT be doing during a divorce that could harm your case. Here are 10 of

Social Media Missteps

September 12, 2019 / Doing Divorce

I will not likely ever forget the pit in my stomach. It was in the wee hours of the morning when sleep evaded me. After a recent break-up, my thoughts were not yet managed, nor healed. I rolled over in bed to open my laptop and before I knew it there he was in a tuxedo looking better than ever. A tear pricked and my stomach rolled as I tried to process something that I simply could not. How was he smiling a few weeks after our break up when I hadn’t even been able to attempt that feat? Where

Puppy Love and Loss

September 6, 2019 / NEXT: An Empowerment Series

“You wait here,” he said. I’m going to go get her.” Jack took off running. I sat on the concrete stoop of the veterinarian’s office, taking in the scenes of life in a small town just outside of Guadalajara. My son had flown from California and I from Nebraska to savor three precious days enjoying the palm trees, plazas, and pico de gallo of Mexico. We got more than we came for. In less than a half hour, Jack returned, dripping in sweat and cradling the little listless pup he’d wrapped in my sweater. He laid her on the glass