Tag: Nicole Phillips

I learned how to be a mom by watching my own mom and the moms of my teenage friends. There’s no one right way to do it. I seemed to understand that from a young age, yet there were certain things that I tucked away because they made a positive impact on me. I wanted to do them someday when ... Read More

You know what I just realized? I do not know the name of the woman who delivers my mail.

Usually my mail carrier just leaves the letters in the box by the road and eventually I wander out and collect them. But every few months, she pulls her truck into my driveway and hops out to hand me a package or ... Read More

My seven year old is a fishing fanatic. He’s hoping we sell our home in Athens so we can live full-time in our little lake cabin an hour away. School? Nah. Let’s not go anymore. Dad’s job? He can commute.

When I finally got up the nerve to break it to Ben that we would not be moving, he took it ... Read More

Do your thoughts ever run away from you? Do they take you to places you know are not healthy or necessary?

Maybe you’re driving and sort of zoning out and the next thing you know, you realize you’ve spent the last ten minutes worrying about whether the cable guy will show up on time– and what you’re going to do if ... Read More

Children’s hearts are precious. They love big, forgive quickly and are incredible readers of the emotions around them. Sort of like a magnet, they attract the feelings of others and wear them as their own.

Sometimes that’s good and sometimes that’s bad. It can be bad when it locks up the mind in fear and confusion, but it’s incredibly beautiful when ... Read More

Clearly I am in summertime mode, because I woke up this morning and had no idea what day it was.

Or should I be saying “is”? See? I’m losing my grip on the English language. It must be summer.

Just after I realized it’s a blog day, I came to a second realization. I have forgotten to collect stories this week to ... Read More

Imagine your reaction if someone told you this…

A woman was sitting in her living room dealing with a terrible ordeal and all of a sudden, a peace that totally goes beyond anything she could understand or imagine or explain came sweeping over her body. In that instant, she suddenly felt happy. Joyful.

Would you think she was crazy?

That woman is me.

You ... Read More

The hardest thing to do when I’m feeling down is the one thing I know will help me feel better. It’s not exercise or sleep or eating healthier meals.

It’s kindness.

I know when I’m at my worst, I have to get my eyes off myself and put them squarely on the needs of others.

It works. Every time.

But it doesn’t just work ... Read More

I never knew nipples were such a big deal. Actually, it’s not the nipple, it’s the areola that’s causing all the problems.

When I stand in front of the mirror, I notice two things:

1) The tattoo I had on my reconstructed side has faded and lost pigmentation in some spots. The tattoo artist told me this could happen and offered to ... Read More

I think it’s a pretty safe bet that we all know what “anxious” means, right? Yeah, I thought so.

But just the same, humor me while I google it…

adjective: anxious

experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. “she was extremely anxious about her exams”

wanting something very much, typically with a feeling of unease. ... Read More