Jodi Rae

I watched a reel today about how losing a parent or sibling changes you. And I felt it. I've tried many times to explain how grief has changed me. Not my personality exactly. Not my beliefs. Not even the way I live my everyday life. Just... me. When my mom died, I felt completely out of sorts. She had always been there. She was the person I knew I could depend on if I needed anything. It probably took me three years to figure out who I was in a world where she wasn't physically here anymore....

Today I Used the Cup Today I took a coffee cup out of my cupboard and used it. That doesn't sound particularly brave. People use coffee cups every day. But I received this one in May of 2024, just a few days after Jacque died. Her girls, Taylor and Andi, gave Jolene and me each a bag. In true Jacque fashion, she had planned ahead. Before she died, she had already bought our Mother's Day gifts. That's who she was. One side of my cup says: "You are an amazing Mom." The other: "You have a...

Earlier this year, I wrote about the house I didn't buy. The one I loved but was afraid to fight mysekf for. The one I let go because self-doubt convinced me I wasn't ready. Life has a funny way of giving us second chances. I bought the house. The moment I signed the offer, something unexpected happened. I didn't feel panic. I didn't wonder if I had made a mistake. I felt relief. Peace. And then... hope. Hope that they would accept my offer. Hope that this little house might become the place...