We’ve made happy memories in the trailer park, and that’s what matters. — I’ve rented the same mobile home for the last 8 years. That means my younger kids have spent most of their childhood in a trailer park; my oldest, nearly half her life. …

Jumping on the bio bandwagon to share a bit about myself — Hello, and thanks for stopping by! I’m Missy, as you may have guessed by the title. I’ve spent the last couple years writing for Medium, but I’ve been a published writer since 2002. Gosh, I’m aging myself. My first piece was published in Teen Ink when I was a pregnant…

Losing a pet was more painful than I expected — Trigger warning: This story discusses the death of a pet in detail. We weren’t supposed to have two cats. My daughter’s birthday was approaching, and she wanted a kitten. “What else would you like?” I asked, praying she’d request something that wasn’t a living creature. …

Educate yourself so you can escape a bad situation or keep others safe — Many of us know the signs of physical and emotional abuse, but sometimes bad behavior is harder to recognize. When abuse isn’t obvious, victims may mistakenly believe they’re dealing with someone rude or selfish rather than an actual abuser. This is dangerous because it can prevent people from leaving an…

Here’s what life is like with claustrophobia and anxiety — “Missy?” a nurse called from the doorway, scanning the room. I rose from my seat, and my friend KC followed me. “She should probably wait out here,” the nurse said, referencing the waiting area. “She needs me back there. I’m here for emotional support,” my friend argued. The nurse stared…

Happy belated Father’s Day, I guess — The aliens are back. For the past few weeks, I’ve had a recurring dream where a UFO floats above my childhood home. I’m an adult in the dream, but I’m standing in the front yard of the house where I lived until I was 14. Sometimes I knock on the…

Great, another earnings post from a Medium writer — Confession time: I hate when people ask how much I earn as a writer, yet I can’t resist creeping other writers’ income reports. I’m nosy, plus I find them inspirational. Last year, I read an article by Erik Hamre called “If You Believe It’s Possible You Can Learn Any Skill.”…

Happy Mother’s Day. Or not. — As Mother’s Day approaches, I find myself reading more articles than usual about motherhood. My relationship with my mother is complicated, and hearing similar stories helps me feel less alone. I haven’t heard from my mother in years, but I no longer hate her. I recognize that while she wasn’t…

A glimpse at life with anxiety and OCD — It’s 8:51 a.m. and I’m sitting in bed, staring at my phone. I have an appointment in less than 2 hours, but I can’t make it. I’ve known this since yesterday, yet I haven’t called the office. The alarm goes off on my phone again, and I quickly hit snooze…