My heart is shattered. Charlotte the Great moved to Heaven on Mother’s Day (5.12.19). (It’s a beautiful thing–my Grandpa passed on a Father’s Day many years ago.) This post will be long. My grandma was my best friend and my world. Charlotte the Great was born to Paul and Elsie Diefendorf on October 7, 1926 […]
Why I No Longer Tell My Child to Be Inclusive and Kind
I am the mom who told my daughter, “Be inclusive.” Then one day I got a call from her school. This is why I no longer tell my child to be inclusive and kind.
Today I Learned My Dad has Leukemia
My heart is so filled with sadness. I have cried all day. The kind of cry that creates giant snot bubbles and has you choking on the slimy saliva that heartbreak produces. I think about how fortunate I was to have had great-grandparents alive when I was born. For the most part, I was able […]
98 Years One Month Two Days: A Lifetime
98 years, one month, two days. A lifetime. A life well lived. He was almost a Canadian, but Rachel’s letter home with the good news of her pregnancy prompted a trip for her daddy, Joseph Brigham Meeks, to bring her back to the United States. On 2, February 1919 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania; Phil, the groundhog, […]
Why Grand-daddy Never Drank a Sip of Alcohol
We grew up listening to the stories my great-grandfather told. His name was Paul, but we all called him Grand-Daddy. He was a man of incredible character. When he was 86, we arrived at his house as he was leaving. He told us to make ourselves at home, he needed to deliver cheese to the […]