Dec. 29, 2025 Alison Culloton
Atchison, Kansas

One of my favorite moments from my very new marriage happened not long ago. A little about me first: I am a night-shift nurse, and I am married to a man who is currently wearing the hat of a student. After a long night at work, I finally arrived home before the sun came up. As soon as I stepped out of my car, I was greeted by a wave of comforting smells drifting from my house. The light was on in my kitchen and I knew exactly what my husband was up to. When I went inside, I found my husband–half asleep–standing in the kitchen cooking pancakes for me on his day off from school. Pancakes themselves are nothing extravagant, but in that moment, they became a memory I will cherish forever.