08/24/2026
Today would have been my parents' 53rd wedding anniversary.
Bittersweet doesn't even cover it.
My mom isn't here to celebrate it with my dad this year. And I'm sitting with that in a way that's hard to put into words.
I keep thinking about how grateful I am. Grateful I was born and raised by two incredible parents. Grateful my mom was here for so much more than I ever let myself expect. She got to watch me give life to my son. She helped me raise him. She got to see him grow into this amazing young boy he is today.
If I had waited. If I had kept holding out hope that the traditional path would eventually align the way I always pictured it. I don't know if she would have gotten to see any of that.
Life doesn't wait for our timelines. It doesn't ask if we're ready. It just happens. And her passing has reminded me of that in a way nothing else could.
I made the decision to move forward with becoming a Single Mom by Choice (many years ago) instead of waiting and hoping. And today, of all days, I'm reminded why that decision mattered so much and how short and precious this life really is.
I don't have a neat takeaway today. I just wanted to be honest with you, and let you see this part of the journey, too. The joy and the loss, existing in the same breath.
If you're navigating anything similar, holding a big loss while still showing up for motherhood or for yourself, I see you. You're not doing it wrong.