Packet of Wildflower Seeds

If I haven't said it already, pregnancy was not as glamorous as I assumed it would be. I mean, I didn't expect it to be a perfect experience, but it definitely threw me a few curveballs. There were some discomforts in the moment and some lasting souvenirs from those periods in my life... ...including stretch marks and loose skin. To be perfectly honest, I am jealous of those women who "bounce back" so well, you can't tell they were ever pregnant. My stomach bothers me. My sister once asked, "if it bothers you so much, why don't you get surgery?" Well, I have considered it. I've done a little research, looked at before-and-after pictures, hunted for less-invasive alternatives. There are several reasons I don't think I would ever go that route, however. First, it costs A LOT. The surgery itself is usually more than $6,000, and that doesn't include facility fees, anesthesia, etc. That much money could be spent on multiple nice vacatio...

I don't have a ton of memories of my paternal grandmother. Part of that is because she died while I was still in grade school, so I didn't have as much time with her as I did with my grandfather or even my other grandma. Part of that is also my fault. Being an anxious introvert, family gatherings made me somewhat nervous when I was growing up. (Actually, to be perfectly honest, they still do!) Whenever I could, I would retreat to playing with my siblings or the family dogs. My aunt usually traveled with her rescue dog TJ, and when she visited my grandparents' house, TJ would sometimes stay in the basement. Heading to the basement to play with TJ was ideal for me: I got to hang out with a dog while avoiding all of the people upstairs. Of course, my disappearance also meant that I missed out on interacting with my relatives. My grandmother noticed how much I loved dogs, though. One day, we were outside in someone else's backyard. She stood next to me and said, "I...