Calm Before Me

Processing a Profound Loss: Remembering My Dear Uncle This week has been incredibly tough. Even two days later, I'm still trying to process a very hard loss in the family. My dear Uncle passed on to the next life , and I'm struggling to find the right words to express the depth of this pain. My uncle was so many things to so many people: a beloved son, brother, husband, father, uncle, and friend. He was loved by all who crossed his path, full of life, and deeply cherished his family, his faith, and his heritage. A Guiding Hand Through High School I'm eternally grateful for the time I spent living with him and my Auntie Jo from 2002-2003, when I was finishing high school. Education was incredibly important to him. He truly pushed me, making sure I would earn that high school diploma. I remember those endless nights working on school projects and essays, with him right there beside me, guiding the way. All that dedication paid off when I graduated with High Honors and a 3.9 ...

  Back to School Blues (and Joys!): Navigating the Unexpected Wow! A lot has happened in the past seven months, and now, it's a new school year! My baby... I mean, my big boy is officially off to the 3rd grade today. It's his first day, and he's one happy dude! A Rough Start: Bus Trouble and Speaking Out Yesterday, however, wasn't so lucky. He was pumped and ready for class, waiting at the bus stop like he normally would, until I got a text message: "Your child's bus is unassigned a driver!" Seriously? Are we starting the year like this? I had to break the news to him, and he was understandably unhappy. To see my little boy go from excited to crushed in a matter of seconds truly broke my heart. I let his teachers know, and they echoed, "This isn't our fault, it's the other hands at fault." So, I started calling Transportation, with no luck for the first two hours. Finally, around 9:30 AM, I got through to someone who, frankly, put her f...