With the current Federal Government Shutdown, the morale in our great nation is pretty low. I spoke with my dad last night who said he had to send home 97% of his department at the Air Force Base, some of them leaving in tears. These people have families and other financial responsibilities that, unlike government jobs, cannot…
I’ve been thinking about happiness a lot lately. What does it mean to be happy? I know that in general, I am a happy person. I know I feel most content when I’m with my husband, family, and friends. I’m also incredibly happy when I’m alone, whether I’m doing dishes, watching TV, folding laundry, or…
I wish that we, as a human race, could somehow make a big, executive decision to stop sugar coating, quit playing games, and just say things as they are. In our society, there is a plethora of unwritten rules and “social norms” about how we should respond to situations or topics. Because of this, when…
Yesterday I read a tragic article about a 13-year old girl, Natalie, who died from anaphylactic shock due to accidentally ingesting peanut butter. After reading the first few sentences of the article, I grew angry with several questions racing through my mind. Why the hell didn’t they have an EpiPen on hand? Why did she…
Owning a dog seemed impossible to a girl with severe asthma, allergies, eczema — and not just a little anxiety. After all, I’d almost died several times from asthma attacks and anaphylaxis from food allergies. Doctors joked that I should live in a bubble or on a sterile boat in the middle of the ocean,…
Ladies and Gentlemen, There is such a thing as a horrible compliment. Maybe you’ve received one before- “I love your new shirt, SO much better than the garb you normally wear” or “your face looks so chubby in your old pictures, you look great now!” I’ve received both “compliments” and neither quite gave me the…
My sleep walking and night terrors generally involve screaming about spiders, home intruders, or the mystery woman who lives under the bed. Sometimes I wake up Isaac just to ask how he is doing, or to see if he needs anything. Rarely do I stray from those topics, but lately sleeping Courtney has been stuck…
Today was a really good day. It was one of those Saturday’s where nothing was going to put me in a bad mood. My dad is in town to help my youngest sister, Katy, move into a new house and both of them stayed at my place last night. I really love having family here,…
Most parents just want their kids to be happy, whether that means driving a garbage truck or curing cancer. And most children have high aspirations for their future careers and goals. While my little kindergarten friends were presumably telling their parents of their dreams to become firefighters, police officers, astronauts, and doctors, I had a different idea…
As we pulled up to the gate at MacDill Air Force Base, I wondered if the heavily armed and attentive guard would notice my nervous smile and sweaty hands. Would he mistake my shifty eyes for “suspicious behavior” and ask us to pull over? Christina, who was driving, was relaxed and calm as she handed…
The Other Courtney 