Because Life Happens After Coffee
I still can’t believe my last baby is starting kindergarten today. This morning when we dropped him off for his first (half) day of kindergarten, for the first time in our journey as parents, it didn’t feel like heartbreak. It felt like excitement. He was excited. Rocking his Kindergarten Vibes t-shirt. Proud of his new…
There’s a certain kind of exhaustion that comes with parenting. It is the kind that doesn’t go away with a nap or a break. And when you’re parenting a child with ADHD and ODD and two other children, that exhaustion can feel deeper, heavier… and lonelier. Holding It Together on Vacation We just came back…
Let’s be honest, raising kids is expensive. Whether it’s meals and snacks, school supplies, family fun, or just keeping everyone in clothes that actually fit, it feels like there’s always something coming up. And as a family of five with two pets in the mix, budgeting isn’t just a good idea, it’s a survival strategy….
I used to think parenting meant hiding the hard parts. Shielding our kids from the struggles, the doubts, the days where everything feels heavy. But now I know better. Now I know there’s power in letting them watch, not the breakdowns, necessarily, but the breakthroughs. The way we keep showing up. The way we carry…
I blinked…and she turned eleven. My oldest is growing up right before my eyes, and some days it stops me in my tracks. It feels like just yesterday I was holding her tiny hand, and hearing her sweet little voice ask me to play. Now I’m watching her turn into a full-blown little me with…
We recently relocated to Tennessee which has been a move filled with purpose and change. We’re closer now to some of my husband’s family. It’s where we’re beginning again, just ahead of his transition out of the military in September. A new temporary home, a new rhythm, and the start of a chapter we hoped…
I was 18 the summer I graduated high school. I was working full-time and I was a full-time college student. My (now husband-we were not married at the time) had already graduated high school and was beginning his journey in the United States Air Force which was his first duty station(base) being across the world….
After 14 years as a military spouse, I’ve learned that nothing stays the same for long—homes, doctors, schools, even daily routines. As we prepare to transition out of military life, I’m learning what consistency really means. Not perfection, not control—but the chance to plant roots, create rhythms, and build a life with intention. This post reflects on what it feels like to move from temporary to permanent, and the quiet power of tracking life one calendar event at a time.
There’s something beautiful about being near your people. The ones who knew you before you had bills, babies, or back pain. The ones who share your laugh, your maiden name, and your way of scrunching your face when you’re thinking. And yet, sometimes being together still feels a little… distant. We gather. We show up….
Our Unexpected NICU Journey Christmas is usually cozy mornings, family traditions, and joyful chaos. Christmas 2016 our world changed. Our son was born twelve weeks early, and we began a journey we will never forget. A Pregnancy Full of Hope and Fear This pregnancy, like the ones before it, was not easy.After experiencing three heartbreaking…
Feeding kids shouldn’t feel like running a restaurant… but let’s be honest, some days, it does. At our house, I try to keep things balanced, simple, and familiar. Most meals include: Most of the time, my kids eat what we eat with a few small rotations or swaps based on their preferences. They love classic…
There are some weeks when it feels like we’re just surviving. Two kids in Elementary school, one in daycare, two working parents, and what feels like a never-ending list of appointments, pickups, drop-offs, and deep sighs. We’re a military family which means we’re also far from home, still learning our way around a new city,…