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Building our Next Chapter: A Q&A with my husband on partnering and parenting with a widow.
Hello friends. I cannot tell you how excited I am to share this blog. You have spent years following this story from my perspective as a young widow. Now, I’m bringing in a different perspective– one from the person on the other side of the love after loss chapter- my second husband, Paul. As we prepare to welcome our baby girl, Paul and I sat down to reflect on the journey that brought us to this moment—one woven with love, resilience, and a shared commitment to building a life together. So much of my story has been about navigating loss, healing, and finding joy again, but there’s another side to…
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Permission to Grow: Choosing Life after Loss
In this next installment of my “Permission” series, I discuss giving myself permission to grow. Going through the trauma of Matt’s death prompted me to take an inventory of my life and ask the very large, somewhat vague question, “who am I?” So much of my identity and my future self was encased in the dreams Matt and I had together. It was comfortable; it was safe; and I believed that even if the road was rocky, we would handle it together. When he died, I lost all of that. It left me in a place of ambiguity, with so many unanswered questions. And while I knew that the only…
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House Buying 2020 style
In the theme of “lets completely throw life up in the air and see where it falls (#2020),” I bought a house during the pandemic. Not only did I buy a house, I moved hundreds of miles away, back up 95, in an effort to be closer to more family members who can help Bry and I out as we begin our next chapter. Did I mention I never actually stepped foot in the house prior to purchasing it? And that I only stepped foot in my new hometown ONE time before purchasing this house? Would it really be 2020 if it were any other way? Writing this blog, I’m…
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Our Cholangiocarcinoma Story: A Big WTF
On May 1, 2018, Matt and I found out we were pregnant with our first, and subsequently only, son, Bryson James (aptly named Pistachio at the time). In August of 2018, we moved from our beloved townhouse in Baltimore City to what was supposed to be our forever home “out in the country.” On January 14th, 2019, I gave birth to our son and we became parents. One week later, at the age of 34, my husband Matt was diagnosed with Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma
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A Tribute to My Husband, Matt
This is a tribute to my soul mate, my husband Matt who was taken away far too soon from all who loved him.
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40 Weeks Pregnant: Pregnancy Update and Birth Plan
Well friends, contrary to my prediction of an early delivery, I am just about 40 weeks pregnant, going on 1,000,000 weeks pregnant. I was SO SURE I’d go early. Unfortunately, my son doesn’t share my same sense of anxiousness and haste. This last month has been mentally, physically, and emotionally draining. However, it’s all worth it because sooner or later (pray for sooner), Pistachio will make his entrance into the world. So, for my final pregnancy blog, at least this time around, I’m giving you a bit of an idea as to what 40 weeks pregnant is like, how we’re doing, and my “birth plan.” So what’s the deal Christina?…
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Baby Boy Names I Love But Won’t Be Using (This Time)
It is on friends. We have about six weeks (give or take) left of this pregnancy and then we meet our baby boy! Of course, we have a million things left to do. Like what, you may ask? Like pregnancy classes, hospital bag packing, nursery prep, and all of the other fun things that I’ve saved until the very last minute just so I can, naturally, panic during my last few weeks. Probably not the most effective way to manage my anxiety, but it is what it is. At least we have a name picked out. I finally ordered the first piece of clothing with his name (the cute little…
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Maternity Photos 101: Tips and Advice from our Maternity Photographer
We’ve all heard of engagement photos and wedding photos; and who can look past those adorable newborn photos? But maternity photos? That’s “a thing?” You better believe it. Recently, there has been a major influx of mothers-to-be seeking to capture those precious moments of pregnancy on film. The intimacy, excitement, and anticipation of bringing life into the world can only be captured at very select moments in time. When I found out I was pregnant with Pistachio, maternity photos were a no-brainer, for a few reasons: 1) The obvious chance to capture a rare moment in time 2) An opportunity to embrace my pregnant-self through the lens of a professional…
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Baby Girl Names I Love, But Won’t be Using
Happy November friends! I can’t believe we’re almost at the end of 2018. If you’ve been following my blog since the beginning, you know November is one of my favorite months. If you’re looking for a few ways to spice up your November, check out my Newvember post from last year. I challenge you friends to NOT wait until the new year to make changes. Try something new without the “pressure” or the “hype” of the New Year’s resolution frenzy. Remember, there’s no time like the present. While you’re trying to figure out your “Newvember” challenge, I’m bringing you one of my highly requested baby girl name blog posts! Since…
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Second Trimester Recap, Must-Haves and Baby Name!
Well, folks, we are officially in the HOME STRETCH. Peace out, second trimester. Hello, third trimester. Instead of doing an update this week, this blog will be more of a reflection on the second trimester. But before we get into that, one big news moment: Matt and I finally agreed on Pistachio’s real name! This is big. Want to know what it is? Sorry…can’t tell you that. But I will be including one baby name hint at the end of each pregnancy blog post (including this post) moving forward. I won’t confirm or deny, of course, until his birth announcement. If you guess the full name (first and middle), you’ll…
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