Feature Story

Bridges

It’s now been almost a month since he passed and I’m not well. Who would be, and who is, when they lose their best friend of 47 years?

There are no words to describe the heartbreak.

And it's only worsened, after the initial shock of his sudden illness and being gone so quickly. Writing this, I’m having one of my hardest days yet…and then I see the snapshots of the bridges again.

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Local Flair

In and around Central Texas, my husband and I enjoy fun, food and adventure. Check out THYME'S new blog to be inspired to try something new!

Tool, Texas

Why Tool, you might ask? We wanted a weekend away to celebrate my husband's birthday, and it was January, so we mostly wanted a cozy stay with a firepit and a warm place to enjoy . This place in Tool, Texas popped up and looked so inviting! And it did not disappoint. We looked for a few towns close by that had something fun to see, and decided this place would work! We left on a Friday morning, as this little town was about a three hour drive...northeast of Waco. We wante

Marcy Lytle

Jan 303 min read

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A sweet friend ❤️invited me to see the new Devil wears Prada movie 🍿tonight, with some other women that are dressing up. I’m trying to decide on these three outfits… Which one would you choose? #thymemag #devilwearsprada2 #movienight

Not gonna lie. Every day is a struggle 😥right now without Jon. But it’s the giving thanks, the normals, and the food…the little things. Headed to play with Corie today and wearing a tee Jon gave me @austinfilm and pulla pants from @oldnavy with a sweater bc it’s cool. Dips I made for me and for them. Pickle 🥒 dip. Cilantro seed dip. And fresh almond butter. It’s just almonds processed until smooth. In a divided box from @dollartree 🤗These little things keep me going… what keeps you smiling? #thymemag #littlethings #imisshim

A black and a white tee. Oversized. The perfect tops for those cute pants 👖 in all the colors for summer. Add a straw hat 👒 and a bag with your black or white. And where to find them? In the men’s department! I loved 🥰 the Michael movie. Did you? Movies are my way to escape the sorrow for a couple hours…into a different story. Enjoy black or white tees! #thymemag #blackorwhite #imisshim

Tired of the same looks popping up when you search 👀 Amazon ? Change your wording. I searched unique and trendy tops and got a whole new list! 🤗These lightweight knits have such cute details. Links in stories. I’m keeping them all! And hoping for a better day than yesterday…this is hard 🥲 yall… #thymemag #hardtimes #imisshim

Hard weekend. Hard morning. I’m barely hanging by a thread…and the crying 😢 won’t stop. I put together two yard purchases using all the skills he taught me and that felt good but hard. And here it is three weeks since he’s been gone. All I know to do is get dressed and be held. Even though I don’t feel it. A denim dress 👗 three ways…for shopping, a day at the market or lunch with friends. We are held. I know it. And I’m grateful. #thymemag #imisshim #hardday

This new bag. @oldnavy This new dress @amazon This new song by Anna Kate “He Has Me Now”
Links in stories. 👝👗🤗. Which bag should I choose? #summertofall thymemag #imisshim #sundayishere

Last night was rough, but it’s a new day. I started with some exercise and dance 💃 to morning worship. And now I’m fully dressed for the day. Playing with the kiddos this morning, picking up another kiddo this afternoon and heading to a baseball ⚾️ game. I’ve got my backpack, my sneakers, 👟 and a sweater just in case… And the cutest overall dress I found in Virginia on our recent vacation. Nothing is linkable, just encouragement to you too- just look at the sunshine ☀️ and start a new day with a little spring in your step if you can… one foot 🦶 in front of the other. Happy Saturday. #thymemag #imisshim #onefootinfrontoftheother

I met a friend yesterday for the first time, but she’s been writing for the magazine for years. 🤗She handed me the sweetest gift of some bee 🐝 earrings and other things in a bee pot. And I happen to have a bee 🐝 shirt in my closet. How about that? It’s a crop top, but yes, we can wear them even in our 60s, when we just add a tight tank underneath. And this purse, well it’s everything. I just found it at @marshalls and I love 💗 it. I’ve been reading books that people send to me, making almond butter late at night, and this morning I’m resting in Psalm 91. This is Friday, and He is with you and with me. #thymemag #imisshim #heiswithme

It’s a new dress 👗 from @uoozee_official a store in Amazon. I’ll link in stories. It’s fun and stylish. It pairs well with @rivana_jewelry - and it’s colorful! The sandals 👡 I found at @rossdressforless - Sam Edelman! I felt like upbeat music 🎵 and color this morning. To set the day. #thymemag #newdress #dress THYMEFREE to save on the jewelry.

I’ve been tending to plants 🪴 people give me, I found the cutest bookmark craft that I did while watching a movie, reading a book 📕 that someone shared with me… Trying to stay busy while I grieve. Thought I would share a few of those photos alongside my outfit today, which includes two scarves 🧣 tied together. That’s what you can do if you don’t have one long enough to tie around your waist. Just find two that coordinate, make a knot, then feed it through the loop of your jeans 👖 and you’ve got that trending scarf look. Happy Wednesday. We made it to midweek… Thankful 😌 for you all. #thymemag #wednesdays #imisshim

Last night I slept 🛌 better. Bc of your prayers. I woke up comforted. Picked a black ✔️ shirt. Googled how to wear a buttoned black shirt. I was inspired. Which look is your fave? #thymemag #blackshirt #imisshim #widowhood

Silence. Emptiness. Both of those were my unwelcome friends all night and I didn’t sleep 😴 well at all. But I decided to wake up and give thanks and face Monday, remembering the goodness of family over the weekend. They call me, Ella, and the last frame is the funniest because three-year-old Camp was so afraid of the animals 🦓 as they came up to the car! Also showing you how to style a trio that most of us have in our closet, something khaki, white tee and denim… You can add a Twilly scarf, layered necklaces, you can button up and add a warm, spring, colorful scarf, or you can grab a cap 🧢 and be ready for these misty days. I just don’t know about Instagram algorithms and I don’t really have time to check them, so I’ve just decided to start interspersing my fashion clips along with joyful 😃 moments. I hope you enjoy and I hope that if you too are experiencing any silence or emptiness, that I can bring you a little joy 🤗 here this Monday morning. #thymemag #mondayjoy #imisshim

When God says no. Prayer 🙏 still works. Because I’m his child and he’s my father. My thoughts 💭 in stories…happy Sunday. @rivana_jewelry bracelet and earrings add a pop to my all shades of green today. It’s chilly.THYMEFREE saves you $. Two bandanna scarves tied together. Fun. #thymemag #sundayishere #imisshim

Kids and a safari today. Pure joy 😍 watching them. Wishing Jon could be here. And it’s cold again. Oh my. Laid out stripes and two sweaters for layering. Thankful 😌 my kids keep me going and doing…🤗. What a great song. #thymemag #imisshim

It’s been 13 days… And every single day I’ve seen God‘s goodness 🤗offered to me through friends, the kiddos, gifts, walks, nature, and every good gift… In the middle of the worst sorrow😢 ever. One friend showed up with a shovel 🪏 and garden gloves and planted the most beautiful perennial in my backyard for me. I’m trying to offer myself daily Grace, including these comfortable blue pajamas @marshalls …It’s a new day, and God is always good…#thymemag #godisgood #imisshim

Denim on denim… Inspired by @bethanyannstyles and I’m trying to choose a bag 💼 … Which is your favorite? Jeans are @sidefeel_official. Headed to lunch 🥙 with my daughter in a bit, as my kids have been wonderful to me. And I had a burst of energy, grace , and fortitude this morning and went ahead and decided to finally make my bed 🛌 for one. No tears. I’m still sleeping on top of the quilt and not under it… But this was my daily bread 🍞 today. I’m so thankful. 🥹 And thankful for all of you. #thymemag #dailybread #misshimsomuch

Yesterday was the hardest day yet… That 24 hours felt like a full week. I’m thankful 😌 for friends that text me, pray for me, and invite me to sit with them. And I’m thankful for another sunrise 🌅 … Wearing all the shades of green today. I think they go well with my pinstripe jeans from @charliebcollection. I’ll link the jeans 👖 and tee in stories. A sweet friend invited me for a picnic, 🧺 then another sweet friend is going to the movies with me. I have some wonderful friends… Including all of you. Happy Tuesday. #thymemag #imisshim #hardday

It’s Monday. The weekend was rough. I’m told I need to offer myself Grace, so I’m trying. Goals this week… To get dressed in outfits that make me feel good, to give thanks, and our family is going to start sharing little memories through our family text. 🤗This song 🎵 was sent to me by 13 year-old Ayla, and I love it. If you get a chance, listen to the whole thing. And lastly, I want to share a different bag 💼 every day because two articles in the magazine this month are all about buying purses and choosing purses. I hope you enjoy 😊 every article… See link in bio. I just ordered a bunch of shirts from Amazon and this is one of the T-shirts with a strawberry 🍓 on it. I’ll leave a link in my stories. The skirt I just found on clearance , and the earrings are @rivana_jewelry use THYMEFREE to save. #thymemag #healingafterloss

A striped yellow 💛sweater @walmart stretchy waist belt and the coolest ring @rivana_jewelry as well as my favorite jeans 👖 @sidefeel_official - that’s what I’m wearing. Yesterday I stopped at Michael’s and saw that some of their summer decor was on clearance and I added to a lot of the oranges 🍊 I already have in my kitchen. And it made me smile. I’ll link in the stories what I can. I’m heading to church ⛪️ with the kids… Because where else would I be? Worship is everything… He’s always been faithful. #thymemag #alwaysfaithful

Tonight will be the marker that I made it one week. 😢I’m finding that the mundane things and little tiny joys are helping me face each morning. ☀️Nights and mornings are the worst. I found the cutest dainty J initial necklace that I want to wear all the time above my heart. This little corduroy shirt looks springy to me with my @charliebcollection jeans. And these sandals from @walmart are a new fave. 👌Link in stories. #thymemag #oneweek #imisshim

Nothing feels right, I don’t want to wear anything that I wore to the hospital 🏥 while he was there… I have a huge pile of discards this morning… And I finally got dressed. Every little thing is a chore. I love this music because it speaks of spring and new life, I noticed my tomato 🍅 plant has taken off and needed a little support… Thank you for being my support. Happy Friday. #thymemag #imisshim #hardday

Yesterday was hard. The girls knew it and they took me shopping for a little bit, I got this wonderful candle 🕯️ that goes in my kitchen. I’m dressed to play with Corie today. And I step outside every morning to admire the faux plants alongside the living plants, and the beautiful art 🖼️ piece that my husband picked for our front porch instead of a wreath. He said it needed to match our front door, and we hung it just a week before he went to the emergency room. I’ve already done a lot of firsts this week without him… And I feel a little bit like my plants… 🪴 The living alongside the fake. But oh my gosh, the truth of who Jesus is has been my mainstay. Happy Thursday. This shirt is from @shopcider my favorite 😍 place to get short sleeve knits. Thank you for your prayers and love…#thymemag #ineedyou #misshim❤️

My son texted me this morning that it’s a new day. ☀️I’m getting dressed to meet my husband‘s boss so that they can come take his work truck 🛻 away. It’s just one change after the other, a whole new life ahead of me. And when I got in the car and saw the sun 🌞 behind me, the trees green around me, and the sky, that was amazing… I felt his hand in mine. I’m gonna be OK… Sounds cliché. Most days I can barely breathe. But then this deep gratefulness 🙏 overwhelms me, and I get up and go… Denim and burgundy with a splash of yellow, that’s my look today. As the sun ☀️ rises on all of us faithfully, every single morning.#thymemag #faithful #newday

One night in the hospital, 🏥 I couldn’t sleep so I shopped. This dress and these shoes arrived the day he passed, and it felt good to put on something new. I stood yesterday by our wall of bridges, we took pics of them on trips. They have a whole new meaning now, as we are on opposite sides of the bridge for a little while… My heart ♥️ is broken and I’m so thankful for all of you that I’ve been praying for me. If you also need a little something new, I will link the dress and the shoes up in my stories. #thymemag #bridges #grief

I’ll be back. But until then I may just post a few days of pics of Jon. To let the world know this man that was the best gift 🎁 of all. He enjoyed the moment no matter how simple. He loved good food. 🥘 And he loved me. I miss him so badly it hurts deep. And I am grateful for the miracle of the gift of he was to me and to the world, really. Simple faith. Simple pleasures. Simple contentment. Always. And for me - the one with an active mind and too busy to be bothered - I gleaned from him daily. Thankful 😌 is my word today. #thymemag #imisshim #hesgone #thankful #wordoftheday📖

My Jon is with Jesus. Thankful 😌 for those who prayed and messaged. Jon was the miracle of a husband and friend. I got my miracle. 😍For 46 years. I am forever grateful. #thymemag #husband #ilovehim

Easter 🐣 is going to hit differently this year… Joy residing right alongside the pain… It’s the day the girls all dress up, we spread the food 🥘 on the table, all things are green and we add light… And the kids squeal as they start to hunt eggs. 🪺 We have dear friends that are going to sit with Jon while I go join the kids for a couple of hours… And we’re going to celebrate life. The goodness of God in our lives, and the goodness of life to come… As we still pray 🙏 for a miracle. Happy Easter weekend, there’s a verse that says it was for the joy set before him that he was able to endure the cross… Just wow. For you and me. I recently bought a Chick-fil-A salad and jazzed it up with extra red onion, more cheese, and bacon, and added avocado… It was absolutely delicious… In case you need a quick picnic 🧺 fix for tomorrow. But be sure and order your salad today because Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays!#thymemag #easterweekend🐰

Sandals are @walmart and the white tee is @onequince and the long jacket is from vacation. It’s one of those pieces that’s totally unique and fun. 🤗It’s oversized and so comfy. That’s the look. Links in stories . And today is a new day. ☀️Jon’s not good. It was a long night. Continued prayers 🙏 soooo appreciated. #thymemag #funlook #fridayvibes

How many bags 💼 do you own? My granddaughter says I have too many. 🤗Where do I store them? Some hang on hall trees for decor. Some line up in a drawer. One sits on a bench next to a hat 🧢 and pillow! And I love them all…for every season. Especially spring! Where do you store your bags? #thymemag #springbags @madelineparksdesigns @marshalls @oldnavy

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In history, the herb of thyme was given to others because it was believed to be a source of courage. We'd like to offer our readers a source of courage, as well - to be practical, yet spiritual women - effecting change in your world.

May 2026