Meghan: We All Grieve Differently

Life doesn't ever turn out the way we plan, and this is evident in so many ways during this emotional episode. Lots of deep, soul shaking emotions are happening.

What struck me immediately was how differently we all reacted to Vicki's mother dying and how a loss affects even those who may not have ever met the deceased. Heather processed it at lunch with Lizzie, Shannon immediately lent a helping hand to Vicki with her holistic remedies, Tamra struggled with being ecstatic over the birth of Ava and balancing the sorrow that her friend was experiencing. And I was thinking about how I may have to one day watch my stepdaughter, Hayley, go through some of the same emotions as Vicki. We all grieve differently and a life that is lost is felt through multiple degrees of separation.

The banter between Terry and Coco was adorable! It reminded me of how my siblings and me were with my dad when we were younger. It's refreshing to see how normal families can be despite any amount of money or physical "things" (big or small).

I loved watching the story surrounding the birth of Ava, it was so sweet to get to see Tamra's first look at her granddaughter. And the baby looked like what I call a "soap opera baby" - a perfect looking 3 month old!  

Tamra's a Grandmother!

I related to Tamra when she was talking to Ryan about the turns life can take. She said that at times she felt like a failure as a parent. But where is the point where you let your child grow up and assume their own mistakes? I struggle with this with my step kids because I don't have any control over big decisions for them like schooling, medical care, and even finances. I can try to assert my opinion, but I can be trumped at any time by the biological parent. It's hard to sit back and try to remain like a lighthouse - steady and constant even in bad weather - when I just want to jump into their lives at any given moment and lead them by the hand!

I thought the pre-party for Hayley would go seamlessly but alas, Hayley is still a teenager and something is bound to pop up! Like I said on the show, she is a spoiled little bugger but we do it to her. One thing that I like about Jimmy and me spending time with LeAnn and Donny is that it's kind of like a mini support group! We all relate to one another and can tag team when dealing with Hayley.

Tour Meghan's O.C. Crib

It's the regular moments in life that we take for granted because we expect them to happen, like a high school dance. But these are also the moments that fossilize into memories.