-
Continue reading →: 15 Years, and a Day That Felt Heavy
Today would have been our 15th wedding anniversary. I wasn’t really sure what to do with the day.Nothing about it felt clear or right. I started the morning needing to get an affidavit signed and notarized for Rodney’s medical records. Of all days, it had to be today. Sitting there,…
-
Continue reading →: Sitting With It All
Today was one of those quiet, heavy days. I cleaned around the house a little, nothing major, just enough to feel like I was doing something. But even in the middle of that, I could feel everything sitting just under the surface. My anniversary is in three days.I don’t think…
-
Continue reading →: Bittersweet Beginnings
Saturday Today I woke up with a mission. A few weeks ago, I decided to sign up for First Fridays in Kansas City. It’s in the Crossroads District and it’s basically a space for artists to showcase and sell their work. For me, that’s earrings, bookmarks, keychains… but mostly earrings.…
-
Continue reading →: Grief, Coffee, and Carrying On…
Friday I woke up feeling a lot better physically, which was a relief. But emotionally… it was a different story. It’s Friday, and next week on April 1st would have been mine and Rodney’s 15th anniversary. That’s been sitting heavy on my heart as I head into the weekend. I…
-
Continue reading →: Running on Empty
Thursday I woke up still feeling off. Lightheaded, exhausted, and a little nauseous. One of those days where your body is clearly telling you to slow down, but life still has things scheduled. Biscotti had a groomer appointment, so I dropped him off around 9:30am. Then I headed to my…
-
Continue reading →: March 23, 2026
It’s Monday. I woke up feeling really defeated today. It’s been 22 months without Rodney… and we’re coming up on two months since I was laid off. I think it’s all just hitting me at once. I feel emotionally exhausted.Mentally exhausted.Just tired in a way that sleep doesn’t fix. I…
-
Continue reading →: My Second St. Patrick’s Day Without Rodney
Happy St. Patrick’s Day 💚 This is my second St. Patrick’s Day without Rodney. Some years we would go out to Westport for the parade. Other years we would just stay home. But no matter what we did, we always found a way to make the day feel a little…
-
Continue reading →: Sunday Thoughts…
It is Sunday. Another weekend when I tend to feel the most lonely. It has been especially hard lately after being laid off unexpectedly at the beginning of February. During the week I spend a lot of time looking for work and reaching out to recruiters, trying to figure out…
-
Continue reading →: Why I Started JessVsGrief
I originally started JessVsGrief on TikTok. My husband Rodney passed away on May 9, 2024, and about 18 months later I started making TikTok videos to share what my experience with grief has been like. I talked about the daily struggles, the emotions, and the different stages of grief. One…
-
Continue reading →: 22 Months Without Rodney
Today marks 22 months since my husband Rodney passed away. I decided to start this blog because grief doesn’t really fit into short captions or quick conversations. There’s so much that happens in the months and years after loss that people rarely talk about. JessVsGrief is a place where I…
Hi,
I’m Jess
This little corner of the internet is where I write about grief, healing, and the unexpected process of rebuilding life after loss. Some posts are reflections, some are small wins, and some are just honest moments from the journey.
If you’re navigating grief too, I’m really glad you’re here.
Let’s connect
Stay connected.
Join the email list to receive new posts and reflections from JessVsGrief.
JessVsGrief 