Tag Archives: Family

Den Siste Hilsen (The Final Farewell)

Posted on July 13, 2022 by minndixiemom

It’s strange, preparing to say goodbye to someone who died nearly two years earlier. You’ve already cried. You’ve grieved. You’ve come to terms with your loss. Yet there we were, on June 28, 2022, scrunched into row 39 on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Reflections in Recovery: 20 Years Sober

Posted on May 5, 2022 by minndixiemom

Today, June 21, 2022, I celebrate 20 years of sobriety. I’m grateful. And deeply reflective. In recovery, we’re not supposed to “regret the past, nor shut the door on it.” It seems I had done a bit of both. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

My 3-pound universe: Irony, denial and addiction

Posted on September 20, 2021 by minndixiemom

In my early 20s, I went out with a nice guy. Over dinner, he shared that he was on Zoloft for depression. I recoiled. For starters, that’s not first-date material. Secondly, I was rife with judgment. I didn’t want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Mom’s 86th Birthday: Celebrations in Quarantine

Posted on April 9, 2020 by minndixiemom

The COVID-19 pandemic is hurting us all. To date, more than 14,000 thousand people have lost their lives in the United States alone, leaving families immersed in grief and despair. Thankfully, many others have won their battles, or escaped affliction … Continue reading →

Posted in COVID19, Health | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Generous even in death, Jim Pickett gave the gift of life to five strangers

Posted on July 16, 2018 by minndixiemom

In loving memory of James Michael Pickett, November 7, 1964 – July 1, 2018 Jim Pickett was passionate, kind, entrepreneurial, loyal, and spirited. He enjoyed good friends, great food, and lively conversation. But more than anything, he loved my sister, … Continue reading →

Posted in Organ Donation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thank you, Officer, for my speeding ticket

Posted on July 4, 2017 by minndixiemom

Reminders to slow down this Fourth of July and all year long It had been a fabulous weekend! Our daughters were in Atlanta helping a friend celebrate her 13th birthday. My sister, Heidi Hovland, made an impromptu trip to Huntsville, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ala., Holiday weekend, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Father’s Day 2016

Posted on June 19, 2016 by minndixiemom

Belated thanks and apologies to my late father, Gjert Andreas Hovland Dear Dad, This is my 14th Father’s Day without you. I remember when you first passed away on October 9, 2002. The hurt was not only emotional, but physical. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hello. It’s me.

Posted on June 3, 2016 by minndixiemom

Hello from the other side.  It’s been a long time since my last blog. Almost a year. A lot can happen in a year, including the release of Adele’s “25,” which surpassed 8 million sales by February. We are among the … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Horse Crazy: The adventures of polocrosse

Posted on November 10, 2014 by minndixiemom

My oldest daughter is horse crazy. Serina, 9, rides at River Pine Farm every week, learning how to properly tack, untack, walk, canter and trot. But she’s also a horse “reader,” mentally consuming every horse-related book, fiction or nonfiction, she … Continue reading →

Posted in Horses, Polocrosse | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy anniversary: Celebrating a perfectly imperfect marriage

Posted on May 4, 2014 by minndixiemom

On May 4, 1996, David and I exchanged vows at Mindekirken, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church in Minneapolis. Before my late father walked me down the aisle, I peeked in at the pews full of friends, family and colleagues. For the first time … Continue reading →

Posted in Marriage | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments