The Dream
The Dream That Started It All: How The Story We Leave™ Found Its beginning
When my husband died, my world shifted forever. In the days that followed, I found myself drifting through a fog of grief — unsure of what life would look like without him, unsure of what I would look like without him.
But the night he passed, he came to me in a dream.
In this dream, my husband was with me — not sick, not suffering — but calm and certain. He spoke to me in a voice that was both familiar and reassuring and he told me what my future would be.
When I woke, I couldn't recall exactly what he said but I knew I would carry what we had lived through — the love we shared and the memories we created — and somehow help others preserve and honor their own. I knew that my pain could be transformed into something meaningful, something that would outlive both of us.
I was changed.
In the six months that followed I threw myself into editing and publishing my husband's manuscript of a story he had written years before. I learned all I could of the process and was successful in publishing it for his family and friends.
During that time I began understanding — the dream had planted the very seed that grew into The Story We Leave™.
Turning Pain Into Purpose
I realized that we all carry stories inside of us — stories that deserve to be told, remembered, and passed on. Too often, those stories go with us when we go, leaving our families with questions, fragments, or silence.
The Story We Leave™ was born out of a promise: that no one’s story should be lost, and no one should have to leave this world without knowing they were heard.
What This Means for You
Every page, every prompt, every journal I’ve created since that dream has been guided by that vision. When you sit down with a TSWL journal, you aren’t just writing. You’re weaving your life into a gift — for your children, your grandchildren, and even those you may never meet.
It’s more than journaling. It’s a legacy.
Why I Share This Dream
I share this dream because it’s the beating heart of this project. It reminds me every day why I keep going — even when I’m scared, even when I doubt myself. It reminds me that this is bigger than me.
My hope is that TSWL becomes part of your story — that it gives you the same sense of peace and purpose that my husband’s words gave me in that dream.
Because when we write, when we share, when we leave behind our stories — we live on.
THE BLOG
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Sorry I haven't blogged, but I've been very busy working on new projects and looking more towards the future in a brighter way.
Our world right now leaves us to believe we are in trouble. Whether you think that, or not, we can always look for hope and peace.
That's what I'm choosing, too.
So, in your daily life, try and find a peaceful moment to set intention towards feeling good. Feeling peace and hope.
Saturday, 3/21/2026
Well, another weekend arrived and I don't know where the week went. As time goes on I clearly see more and more how quickly time is moving, both for me, and it seems to be in general, too. it just makes me realize how much more I want to have this program, TSWL, in the hands of the right people. I feel the time pressure.
As I keep writing in my own journals, I realize how much it matters. I ask myself if I'll ever get them all finished because time is running out.
All I can do is go at my own pace as my memory allows and if the emotions don't take over for too long. These prompted journals can really make one think, recall and feel.
It's a blessing and a burden.
Foy your sake, I suggest-get yours and get involved!
3/6/2026
Oh my, what a week for me. Not to complain too much, but some weeks are just depressing. I feel better today so I felt like introducing the next set of journals I'm working on.
It's in the field of adoptions.
For those adopted like my husband was, those that adopt, like my niece and her hubby have twice,
and
for those in the process of adopting.
My own mom was put into foster homes as a young child and later bounced around from family to family. As a result of her alcoholic father, and very ill mother that couldn't care for her four kids due to type one diabetes, my mom never had a real home again until marriage.
Come back soon to see when the three journals get approved for publishing.
2/24/2026
Please take note-a new journal is ready. One is for those in depths of grief and is titled,
The Story We Leave: Grief Brain Companion Journal.
I felt it necessary to write this journal in hopes of helping those in grief share their feelings, words, and/or emotions in a way that doesn't have to be public. A companion journal is helpful when nothing else helps.
Check it out on the
JOURNALS page.
2/13/2026
Happy Valentine’s Day… or maybe Valentine’s Week.
As I think back on Valentine’s Days from years past, I realize how difficult it’s becoming to remember the details. I know I’ve had beautiful ones. I know they were meaningful. I remember the feelings. But the specifics? They’re slipping away more than I’d like to admit.
And do you know what I wish I had done?
I wish I had written them down.
Right now, I find myself trying to capture what I can remember—before even more of it fades. Because once those little details are gone, they’re gone.
That’s why I’ve come to deeply understand the value of guided journals. Prompts gently pull memories forward. They reconnect us to moments we might not think to write about on our own. Without that guidance, writing can feel scattered or incomplete. We don’t always know where to begin—or what matters most.
And that’s also why having a facilitator can make such a difference. Someone who asks the right questions. Someone who helps hold the thread. Someone who increases the likelihood that the story actually gets told… and finished.
Memories deserve more than chance.
They deserve intention and attention.
1/2026 Happy New Year!
Let's all take a deep breath. I know I need to after the whirlwind of 2025.
I do want to mention that TSWL is now a pilot program in New Mexico Hospices. It's exactly what I hoped for when I first came up with the idea. So proud of those using the program already!
I want to mention that there are now 20 prompted journals completed and more are in the works.
I really want to finish more for the careers area. Right now, I have one for teachers, nurses, musicians, professionals that work in Hospice and other caring fields.
I'm working on one for our Veteran's and feel so privileged to get to do this.
12/2025
New Journal Release: The Story We Leave and The Story We Shared
Some friendships shape a lifetime. The Story We Shared is a guided journal created for remembering a childhood friend, best friend, or chosen family member who has passed. It offers a place to preserve shared memories, inside jokes, and moments that deserve to live on — for yourself, and for the children and grandchildren who may one day want to know who they were.
Available now on this website, and on Amazon in the revised edition.
The early dementia journal is also now available. Great for those in care-homes and hospices.
I also created a new journal for those going through the journey of an illness.
Check them out!