I still remember the magic of the American Girl store in Chicago like it was yesterday. My mom, grandma, sister, and I made the trip together, and in my little-girl eyes, that place was nothing short of a dream. Towering displays, endless dolls, matching outfits, it was like stepping into a storybook. But what really stuck with me wasn’t the shopping. It was teatime. We sat down with our dolls for a dainty little tea service, complete with tiny sandwiches, sweet treats, and fancy pink lemonade. I felt so grown-up and so full of joy, like the whole day had been made just for us.

My mom used to say, “One shouldn’t miss the forest for the trees,” and honestly, I didn’t really get it as a kid. She said it all the time, when we were rushing through things, focusing on the little stuff, or just generally not paying attention to the bigger picture. One time it really stuck was during a family RV trip we took across the U.S. My mom, dad, sister, and I hit the road in this huge, moving house of a vehicle, and to me, that was the coolest part. I was obsessed with the bunk beds, the snacks, the fact that we could literally eat cereal while flying down a highway.

I still remember the magic of the American Girl store in Chicago like it was yesterday. My mom, grandma, sister, and I made the trip together, and in my little-girl eyes, that place was nothing short of a dream. Towering displays, endless dolls, matching outfits, it was like stepping into a storybook. But what really stuck with me wasn’t the shopping. It was teatime. We sat down with our dolls for a dainty little tea service, complete with tiny sandwiches, sweet treats, and fancy pink lemonade. I felt so grown-up and so full of joy, like the whole day had been made just for us.

As a kid, I didn’t always look forward to the weekly visits with my great grandmother. My sister and I would grumble about the time it took away from our summer break, and I didn’t fully understand why my mom was so insistent. But looking back now, I realize those visits were the “ounce of prevention” in a much bigger picture. The simple act of showing up with hot cocoa in hand, sitting down to ask my great grandmother about her younger days, was a small effort that became a rich and lasting connection.

I can still picture the day we went to the animal shelter to find a new addition to our family. My sister and I had our hearts set on getting a new kitten, you know the tiny, fluffy playful ones. But my mom had a different idea. She reminded us that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that sometimes the best choice isn’t always about picking something new. It wasn’t just about picking the cutest kitten; it was about looking beyond the surface and finding something that truly fit our family. And that's how we ended up meeting the cat who would steal our hearts.

My mom always says, “Every cloud has a silver lining,” and back then, I really didn’t believe her. Take sixth-grade camp, for example. I was dreading it from the moment I found out I had to go.I tried everything to get out of it, but my mom wasn’t having it. She made me go, and of course, it turned out to be a nightmare. I spent most of the week in tears, and my mom even got a couple of phone calls from my teacher. If there was ever a cloud over my head, that week was it.

One of my favorite memories from second grade was when my mom volunteered in my classroom. But it wasn’t just her being there that made the day so special, it was because she brought our little white dog with her. I remember she hid the dog under the table while we were all working, and whenever I’d look over, I’d catch a glimpse of her wagging her tail. It was such a small thing, but it was exactly the kind of surprise that made my day. 

Growing up, my mom always said, “There’s no place like home,” and I never really understood the full meaning of that phrase until much later in life. As a kid, I just thought of home as, well, home–where I lived, where I slept, and where I did my homework. But my mom created something much more than that. She made our house a safe haven, a place filled with warmth, love, and security. No matter how chaotic or stressful school life could get, I always knew I had a cozy, welcoming place to come back to at the end of the day.