The Best News We Never Expected
We are now with the ‘survivorship’ doctor. Because we are over five years out from treatment and cancer free…
We talked through current concerns and the future of Marjorie’s treatment journey.
And then she said something I was not expecting…
My 2020 Birthday: We Can Do Hard Things
Today is my 39th birthday. And I’m spending it in the hospital. With Marjorie. Again. A seemingly innocent cold once again turned to pneumonia. Thankfully, she actually showed signs this time giving me time to act before completely cratering like last time, resulting in five days in the PICU. A few days ago I noticed […]
Five Years Later: Finding Light in Cancer’s Hollow
Wednesday, May 27, 2015 “Your daughter has cancer.” What happened next I do not know. My world stopped. My heart shattered into a million pieces… and the hollow crept in. Five years ago today, my life came to a screeching halt as cancer came crashing in. In the early morning hours after Marjorie’s cancer diagnosis, […]
How Our Marriage has Weathered Life’s [Many] Storms
Thirteen years ago Jordan and I said “I do” on February 2, 2007. We promised to be faithful in good times and in bad. And Marjorie’s hospitalization last week was another stark reminder of just how good we’ve gotten at weathering the bad.
Life has thrown us our fair share of curveballs. And on our lucky thirteen I thought I would share how we’ve managed to survive the storms together and find joy in the ordinary.
Hi. My Name is McCall and I’m an Imposter
Ever feel like you are floating through life with no idea what you are doing, but you are doing it anyway? That has been my reality every day for the last seven years. I started Southern Smash without a single clue as to what I was doing, but knowing in my gut this was what […]
To My Peanut On Your Fifth Birthday
My precious peanut, You’re FIVE! How did that happen? I seemed to have blinked and you’ve grown into a sprouting and sprightly girl before my eyes. Your birthday was not what I ever imagined and each year on this day my heart soars with happiness and gratitude while also aching with longing for what should […]
A Letter to My Today Show Mom Bod Haters
This week I was thrilled to create and write the feature essay for the Today Parent’s newest “Challenge”. My idea was to challenge moms across the country to embrace their ‘mom bods’ and tell us why the love them. The amazing Parent editor Terri Peters loved it so I created the Why I Love My […]
Ditching the BUSY Diet
Yesterday, I almost forgot to eat…almost. It was one of those work from your car, the hair salon and be the kids’ chauffeur kind of days. I couldn’t help but think of a diet I used to be a big fan of – the BUSY Diet. I grew up hearing the phrase, “I was so […]
Because Not Even Jesus Could Do It All
This working mom thing has been kicking my ass lately. I do my best to manage my foundation, mentoring folks in recovery, while also taking care ofmy family, pets (because that struggle is real) and the house. On the days that end in ‘y’, I feel pulled in a thousand directions, never completing one task […]
Why I Am Quitting Normal Life
For years I’ve been waiting for a break – a time in my life where everything was good and normal. Through the work of EMDR and the loss of my best friend, I realize life will never be normal because there is no normal – at least the ‘normal’ I always pictured in my head. […]