red balloons

It’s Father’s Day. We spent the day at the lacrosse fields where my youngest two boys, Alex and Mason, had their final day of games for this summer season. They played for a program with so many great kids and even greater parents to hang with on the sidelines. It’s always fun to see the…

Although we were able to live out a fairy tale wedding in December 2019, real life moved on quickly. When you have a crew of five kiddos in the house, there is really no such thing as a quiet moment. Between just day-to-day cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, studying and our full time jobs, there…

This week we are back to our story and the place where we made the fairy tale come true and were formally a family. And every family needs a place to call home. I would like to acknowledge the incredible blessing and red balloon that is my house and our family home.  I bought the…

So last week I shared our wedding story, which was so fun to look back on and remember. As I write this post, I am quietly recovering from a night out in the French Quarter- school is out for summer and I’m delivering Kylie for a long-awaited visit with Todd’s family. Hayley joined us and…

I remember the day clearly. It was a random Thursday in early October. Todd had started working out at a new gym at his typical 5:30 a.m. time, and I had started joining him the month before. We would meet for workouts early in the morning- and when I say that I mean he would…

I know I have written about how Todd opened my eyes as a single parent and taught me how to relax and take time for myself at the beginning of our relationship. Between a full time job, running a household, herding four kids through school and sports and activities, and the HOURS I have to…

(I wrote most of this story throughout the past year, when I have had time to sit and write, and I’ve been posting in the order of what I had written, because the story naturally develops that way. I think it’s a crazy coincidence that the week for “meet the parents” just happens to fall…

I’ve heard it said that if you really want to get to know someone, you should travel together. One of the most common phrases I saw while dipping my toe in the online dating world was “looking for someone to travel with.” Personally, I love to travel and there are a lot of places I…

It took me seven months to agree to coffee with Todd through Facebook messenger. When I finally did, I sent him my number as well. He very sweetly asked if it would be okay if he called me that evening. I was traveling for work and had spent a happy hour with work friends, so…

I met Todd at church- I can’t even remember how many years ago. I remember our very first meeting so clearly- and it was years before I realized how much he would come to mean in my life.  My first husband and I were members of and attended a United Methodist Church. For a brief…

So- why use “red balloons” as a title for what is ultimately a love story? I can promise you it has nothing to do with Pennywise the Clown or the fact that IT was the only scary movie Todd and I ever watched together.  Before I come to the exact moment I chose the title-…

Welcome to my world. And my story. And my true life fairy tale. And my happily ever after- interrupted. I have never wanted anything more than an extraordinarily ordinary life- one where you meet your soulmate, decide to get married and spend the rest of your life learning about each other and growing together. I…