-
TRUTHS I LEARNED THE HARD WAY — PART TWO
Healing is not speed. Healing is honesty. This is the quiet, slow, lonely kind of recovery that chronic illness and midlife force you to learn. A reflection on rest, boundaries, and becoming someone you no longer abandon.
-
🌿 Building Something Together
Midwest Mimi has grown into more than a blog. It’s a community built on real stories, real people, and the beauty of everyday life. Come connect across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube as we keep building something honest, hopeful, and human. 💚
-
How Almost Dying Taught Me Life’s Too Short to Be Unhappy
After surviving respiratory failure, I woke up to more than a second chance at life—I woke up to clarity. I stopped waiting for perfect moments, learned to protect my peace, and began truly living again. This is the story of how almost dying taught me what it means to be alive.
-
🌿 The Lives That Built Me – Grace in the Grit
I rebuilt from rock bottom, not because life got easier, but because I learned to make peace with the life I can live. That’s grace in the grit: surviving, rebuilding, and loving every version of me that made it here.
-
🌿 Life Is About Experiencing Moments
There was a time I thought life was measured in milestones like graduations, promotions, birthdays, and the next big thing on the calendar. Then one day I woke up sick and never got well. Chronic illness has a way of stripping life down to its bones. It slows everything until you can’t help but notice…
-
The Legacy of Reading: How Books Build Connection and Resilience for Kids and Adults
I grew up surrounded by books. Both of my parents were avid readers, and the legacy of their love of reading shaped who I am and how I see the world to this day. My mom, Elaine, was both our homeschool teacher and our church’s librarian. She chose a literature-based curriculum that placed stories at…
-
6 Ways Nature Works as a Reset Button for Sibling Rivalry (and One Way it Benefits Parents, Too)
“Mimi,” Channing’s complaining tone rang out, “Raeleigh yelled at me.” “I only yelled because he was being annoying!” Raeleigh chimed in from the other room. It wasn’t even 10 a.m., and we’d already had multiple variations of this same argument at least three times. Clearly, it was time for a reset. Sibling squabbles like this…
-
The Difference Between Canceling and Choosing Rest
When you live with chronic illness, disability, or even just the daily realities of parenting, plans don’t always unfold the way you imagine. Sometimes, life forces you to cancel. Other times, you make the choice to rest. On the surface they can look the same: you’re not showing up. But the meaning and the weight…
-
Why Vacation Is So Special: Healing, Reconnecting, and Starting Fresh
Vacations aren’t just an escape from everyday life. They are a powerful pause, a chance to reset our hearts and minds, and a moment to build new, joyful memories with loved ones. The Science of Vacation Magic Boosts longevity and heart health: A longitudinal study of over 12,000 high-risk men found that taking an annual…
-
Why Nature Is One of the Best Grounding Tools We Have
And why that matters for those with sensory sensitivities or mental health struggles Grounding helps calm the nervous system and brings us back to the present. Nature might be the most powerful (and underrated) grounding tool available. Here’s how the outdoors supports mental health, especially for neurodivergent families like mine. What Does It Mean to…
-
When One Heart Hurts, the Whole Family Feels It: Staying Grounded Through a Loved One’s Mental Health Crisis
When someone in your family is struggling with their mental health, it doesn’t just affect them—it ripples through the entire household. Routines shift. Emotions spike. The energy in your home changes. And if you’re a caregiver, a parent, or both, those waves often crash right into you—while you’re still trying to keep the boat steady…
-
The Calm That Comes After the First 20 Minutes Outside
Some days, everything feels too loud. The toddler’s crying. My joints ache. I’ve already hit my sensory limit by noon, and we haven’t even left the house. I want to cancel the whole day — just crawl into bed and try again tomorrow. But I’ve learned something, over and over again: If I can just…
-
Nature Indoors: How Pets Help Neurodivergent People Find Calm and Connection
Some days, getting outside just isn’t in the cards. My body hurts too much to load the van. The weather’s wild. Or the kids are on sensory overload before we even leave the driveway. But even when we’re stuck indoors, we still crave nature. We crave softness, connection, and moments that help our nervous systems…
-
🌿 What Nature Gives Us: Why We Keep Going Outside
Some days, getting outside feels downright impossible. My body hurts. My mind feels heavy. The kids are bouncing off the walls or melting down. My wife is wrestling her own storms. And yet, again and again, we lace up our shoes, pack snacks, load up the van, and go. We go because my kids need…
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Midwest Mimi 