Author: Kelly Whitewood

I was fourteen when cancer took my mom. One week she was humming while she braided my hair; the next, the house went so quiet it felt like it would swallow me. I clung to what she left behind—her cursive in the margins of recipes, the floral curtains she loved, the way her perfume hung in the hallway. One afternoon I opened her closet and found a garment bag tucked behind winter coats. Her wedding dress. Satin and lace, soft and regal. I pressed it to my chest and made a promise I never said out loud: when I got…

Things You Should Avoid Before Going to the Gynecologist Most women will visit a gynecologist at some point to ensure their reproductive health is in check and to prevent potential issues. Yet, despite knowing how important these appointments are, many of us delay them. The idea of undressing in such a setting can feel uncomfortable and even intimidating. To help make your next visit smoother, here are the key things you should avoid before and during your gynecologist appointment. 1. Don’t Panic It’s normal to feel nervous before a gynecological exam, but remember—your doctor sees patients every day. They’re not…

Riley Green & Hannah McFarland Deliver Memorable Opry Duet On a night that honored both tradition and new voices, Riley Green shared the Grand Ole Opry stage with rising talent Hannah McFarland for a heartfelt duet of “Don’t Mind If I Do.” The collaboration not only showcased Green’s steady role as one of country music’s most reliable storytellers but also introduced McFarland as a performer ready to carve her place on one of country music’s most iconic stages. Tradition Meets Fresh Energy Rooted in the warmth and simplicity that defines much of Green’s catalog, “Don’t Mind If I Do” carried…

Country Stars React to Charlie Kirk’s Death Some of country music’s biggest names are mourning the loss of conservative commentator and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed on September 10. For artists who had met him personally, the news hit especially hard. Their tributes not only reflected sorrow but also highlighted the profound impact Kirk had on those around him. Jason Aldean, a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump and the conservative movement, posted a photo with Kirk alongside his wife, Brittany. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jason Aldean (@jasonaldean) “Charlie…

Charlie Kirk Shot & Killed on Wednesday (September 10) Political commentator and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was tragically killed on Wednesday (September 10) while speaking at Utah Valley College. He was 31. Kirk had been hosting his well-known “Prove Me Wrong” debate table, a signature feature of his campus tours where he invited open dialogue with students holding different viewpoints. He was in the middle of his newly launched American Comeback Tour, which included stops at nine universities. During the event, Kirk was shot in the neck. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and given…

That Wednesday should’ve been my grandparents’ 50th. Two years earlier, my grandpa Torin had stepped into the garden humming Patsy Cline and never came back inside. A stroke—sudden and final. It hollowed my grandma, Mira. They’d loved each other since she was seventeen: two people who split dessert, slow-danced to TV commercials, and never crossed a room without reaching for the other’s hand. Last year she lit a candle beside his photo and sat with him in the quiet. This year she said, “Liora, I want to go back. To the restaurant where we always went. Just once more.” She…

When you marry someone, you don’t just marry them—you marry their family. I thought I understood that when I married Julia. I didn’t, not really, until the storm and her sister Monica blew through my life at the same time. I’m a contractor. Twenty-plus years of roofs, framing, and calloused hands. My work travels by word of mouth because I don’t cut corners; my name’s on every job I leave behind. So when Monica called after a spring squall tore through the county—shingles peeled back, water in the bedrooms, her voice tight with panic—I went. The roof was a mess:…

The doorbell rang just as Josh came in from the yard with Emily riding his shoulders, her hands fisted in his hair like reins. I signed for a medium box and carried it to the kitchen, assuming it was one of Josh’s early anniversary surprises. He loves small escapes into showmanship—the hidden bouquet, the sudden reservation, the candle that smells like “old bookstores and thunder.” I sliced the tape. Inside was a beautifully embroidered pillow, the exact gentle gray that would disappear into our living room. A small card peeked out beneath the piping. Happy Anniversary, Josh and Kate! —Taylor.…

We’d kept one rule since the day we married: big purchases get a conversation. Three years in, I thought we were good at it—until the numbers started bleeding. Three hundred gone on a Friday. “Stuff for the garage,” he said, kissing my cheek. Then $600. $850. By month’s end, nearly five grand had vanished from our joint account. I combed through statements, cards, apps—nothing but blank space where answers should be. Sunday morning I cornered him at the kitchen table. “Where’s the money going, Arman?” He gave me a shrug like I’d asked about the weather. “I’m working on something.…

The first morning they rolled in, I thought it was a funeral procession—seventy leather vests moving as one, chrome catching the dawn like knives. And in the middle of it all sat my seven-year-old niece, pink backpack strapped on, waving like a homecoming queen from the back of a Harley. I ran out in my slippers, heart in my throat. “Where is she going?” “School,” a biker said, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. Here’s what I didn’t know: the day before, a pack of older boys had cornered her behind the dumpsters at recess.…