Kay SM

  • surgery, sacrifice, & balance

    There are many days in my world where I feel like I’m living two lives — one where I’m in the OR, gowned and gloved, suction in one hand and a hemostat in the other. And another, where I’m wiping… Continue reading

    surgery, sacrifice, & balance

  • vulnerability, encouragement, & commitment

    As many of you know, Adam and I are engaged, and in just a few weeks— I’ll be standing beside the man I love and we’ll commit to forever. In some ways, it feels like a new chapter, but in… Continue reading

    vulnerability, encouragement, & commitment

  • trails, tracks & backpacks

    There’s something magical and inspiring about watching your kids out in nature. Give them nature, a stick, and a some freedom, and you’ll see imagination come to life. If you’re thinking about hiking the trails, the beach or wandering in… Continue reading

    trails, tracks & backpacks

  • goodnight prayers from a little leader

    Tonight, something tiny—but very meaningful—happened. Ten minutes after I had tucked my 4 year old into bed, turned off the lights, and finally settled into bed myself, I heard his sweet voice: “Mommy, we need to say our prayers to… Continue reading

    goodnight prayers from a little leader

  • masculinity, resiliency, & humility

    Raising boys in rural Alaska comes with its own set of strong expectations — split fire wood, fix a boat kicker, hike through sideways rain. But raising emotionally intelligent boys here, and doing it through the lens of faith, takes… Continue reading

    masculinity, resiliency, & humility

  • rainy, rooted, & a little wild

    I grew up in Ketchikan — the town where it rains sideways, eagles are louder than car horns, and everyone either knows your family or knows of them. We’re an island community that when you leave and realize how rare… Continue reading

    rainy, rooted, & a little wild

  • identity, anxiety, & imperfection

    I’m not going to sit here and sugarcoat it: motherhood is the most beautiful kind of struggle I’ve ever experienced. There are moments when I stare at my boys and feel a love so fierce it’s a physical ache. Then… Continue reading

    identity, anxiety, & imperfection

  • presence, honesty, & effort

    There are days in motherhood when I feel like I’ve fallen short. Maybe I lost my patience. I forgot an appointment. I let the laundry pile up and used too much screen time. The guilt creeps in quietly, whispering that… Continue reading

    presence, honesty, & effort

  • my motherhood

    I was cleaning house the other day — the muddy boots in the entryway, the stained T-shirts in the laundry, the bath toys to pick up, backpacks to put away— and it started me thinking: this is their childhood. In… Continue reading

    my motherhood

  • rain & rainbows

    I hope you remember the rain — not just the soaking wet rain gear, boots filled to the brim, but the way we splashed in the mud puddles and knew that every storm in life shall pass. I hope you… Continue reading

    rain & rainbows