the truth about getting a dog

Christmas morning rolls around. A big box, wrapped in gold paper and an oversized bow sits under the tree, an eager puppy waiting inside. This puppy is a blank slate, ready to be trained, immediately loving everyone around him, and would rarely have an accident in the house. He would understand the expectations without being trained over and over again. He would adjust into our family routine without a hiccup. If you’ve ever had a dog, you know what you just read isn’t reality, even a little bit.

the times they are a-changin’

In the past, I’ve written about leaving, about saying goodbye to what you once knew, about the fear of forgetting. Now we’re thrown in the boiling stew once again, our essence of life here about to be lifted and dropped in a new country, a new home.

7 things that surprise me about living on a military base (in Europe)

1. Flying out of Maine, landing in Munich, then driving onto an American army base created an eerie sense of culture shock. The base is a tiny piece of America in the middle of Germany, with fast food restaurants like Popeye’s, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, Southern accents, and the National Anthem playing before every movie on post. American flags.

what i wish i knew before traveling to rovinj, croatia

Rovinj is an eclectic mix of colorful shutters, winding, white stone pathways, laundry hanging from multiple stories of windows, and a summer breeze. It’s almost more Mamma Mia than the film itself. Like with any location we’ve traveled to, there were many lessons we learned during our four days in the idyllic (former) island city of Rovinj.

turning 26: a quick list of lessons learned

1. You don’t have to tell everyone when you’re making a big decision. They might try to include themselves in … More

fear of forgetting

I’ll never forget a statement made by Damien Echols while leaving prison after surviving death row, wrongly convicted, for 18 … More

the train ride home

You open your eyes. Out the window of the train you see gleaming cities in the sunlight, sunflower fields stretching … More

how I saw the best of edinburgh for free (and you can too)

When people think about Edinburgh, they think about the historic architecture, the cobblestone roads, and the haunted legends. Personally, I … More

a strange holiday tradition

It was my favorite night of the year. As my mother had me turn off the lights, she lit every … More

should you return to a place you once loved? // part 2

This question proved to be harder to answer than a simple yes or no, as most questions are. I suppose … More

should you return to a place you once loved? // part I

To me, memories exist as a warm, blurry, slow-motion filmstrip. They live and breathe in the past, but I find … More

saying goodbye to home

I remember the very first night in my apartment. Exactly one year ago, a small but bustling city, a fourth … More

success: target practice

J and I sat in our small car while driving back to base, over hills and valleys, an expanse of … More

moccasins: the truth about marriage

As a fourth grade teacher last year, we read the book Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech in my classroom. … More

a glimpse into life on a military base

I realize that the majority of the population doesn’t know what it’s like to live on a military base, especially … More