A couple of days before we flew out of Michigan, the twins and I stopped by the park in Elk Rapids so they could play at the playground on the beach for a bit. The weather was perfect, even though the breeze from Lake Michigan made it slightly chilly. I brought a new book and read while stealing glances at the water. As nightfall approached, I realized that we were going to have a perfect view of the sunset. I know that the girls did not particularly care, but I wanted to see it, every single second of the beauty of the sun setting over the lake that I have…

My grandpa died a week ago. I am not a girl who handles death well. On my best days, I am an anxious ball of stress and worry, and the smallest reminder that all of our days here are numbered is not good for my already fragile mind. My grandpa was my last grandpa, the patriarch on my dad’s side. My grandma died a decade ago, and he spent those ten years missing her so much. It was always heartbreaking coming to Michigan for a visit and hearing him talk about how sad he was without her. I will never know what it is like to be loved that way.…