Author: nicole

I got my first cellphone on Christmas morning, 2003. I was eight months pregnant, and if my water broke in the middle of Piggly Wiggly, my husband wanted to know about it. I thought I could just go to the customer service desk and ask them to call him, but he wasn’t in favor of that plan.

I was certain this ... Read More


I was staring down the barrel of an hour long ride with a total stranger in downtown Chicago. I needed to get to the airport by 8:30 in the morning to make my flight home. That meant hopping in the car before my morning coffee had kicked in.

I requested an Uber on my phone and then stood in front of ... Read More


The cancer is gone, the reconstruction is over, but there are days that take me right back to the heat of the battle.

Yesterday was one of them.

Yesterday was a day of pink.

And a day of celebration.

Courtesy of April Williams-Schrader FB post

And a day of friendship.

But it was also a day to remember that I lived ... Read More


They say when it rains, it pours. That can be true in trials, but in my life, I’ve found that it’s also true in kindness.

In times of trouble, the smallest act of love is amplified. A note in the mail, a phone call or a text message can go far in lifting someone’s spirits. I still remember the gigantic card ... Read More


My daughter adores the show Shark Tank. Not me. It gives me anxiety to see someone break out into a nervous sweat as they deliver their carefully crafted pitch, only to have Mr. Wonderful tell them their idea sucks. I can hardly stand to watch it with her.

I look over at my daughter and she’s practically salivating, taking mental notes, ... Read More


I fail every day. More to the point, I fail Jesus every day. You might think that’s a bad thing, but I don’t.

Why? Two reasons.

First, notice, I didn’t say “I fail people every day.” I do. I snap at my kids and renege on promises. I’m a person just like you’re a person, so I’m messing up all the time. ... Read More


When I was a child, my biggest social challenge was learning to speak politely on the phone. I never had to deal with the permanency that seems to accompany every email, text message or Instagram photo sent through the World Wide Web.

It would be easier to completely unplug, but since my husband is not in favor of going off the ... Read More


Well, ready or not, here it is: the first photo of my breast cancer journey! (Yep, you’re about to see a naked picture of my cancery breast.)

CBS’s InsideEdition.com asked me to do an interview on how I found my breast cancer. They also asked if I could share a few photos with them of myself and my family. ... Read More


Hey Cozy Fans! Thanks for your interest in helping my daughter with her fundraising efforts. Here is the link to her page. She will email after you make a tax-deductible donation to get your mailing address.


Have you ever met someone so kind, so gentle, that the minute you see her sweet smile you just feel safe? Accepted? That’s how I felt when I met Michele O’Leary. She and I became online friends this summer, just before she took the brave step to start a blog. A few months later we connected face-to-face at a writer’s ... Read More