by Gayla Grace | Apr 9, 2019 | Blog, grief
She said, “I was excited…” I noticed Amber’s melancholy state when I met my friend for lunch. “I was excited about a new beginning in marriage,” she said, “but now I find myself sad more often than happy. I’m not sure...
by Gayla Grace | Feb 26, 2019 | Blog, stepfamily relationships
How did we get here? She felt the knot in her stomach tighten as the phone rang, knowing her husband was visiting his son in prison. Familiar feelings of anger, fear, and shame flooded her heart. How did we get here? she thought. My stepmom friend, Nancy, had never...
by Gayla Grace | Jan 29, 2019 | Blog, stepfamily relationships
“Deb was all about overcoming odds. She didn’t judge a person, a situation, or even a place by what they were, but by what they could become with God’s grace and mercy.” Beautiful words I read about my friend, Deb, shortly after she passed away. Deb had overcome her...
by Gayla Grace | Dec 18, 2018 | Blog, stepfamily holiday tips
Let’s be honest. Stepfamily holidays can present awkward situations and uncomfortable exchanges with people we might not see (or even care to see) regularly. A friend of mine was complaining recently about a common stepmom issue. “I don’t want to...
by Gayla Grace | Oct 16, 2018 | Blog, stepparenting
In my mom’s last year with Alzheimer’s, she rarely knew my sisters or me. At times, my immature self would get irritated with her confused look, and I wanted to yell, “How can you not know me? I’ve been your daughter for fifty-five...
