Posts Categorized: Blog

Helping Hand

Bailey speaking on the mic at the podium

A few days ago, while driving my daughter, Ellie, to my aunt’s house, I had a conversation with her that deeply affected me. The discussion started over a birthmark on Ellie’s finger, which I told her is the exact birthmark my late-husband and her daddy, Andrew, had on his finger, and then somehow the dialogue… Read more »

Failing Forward

Bailey and her family smiling and enjoying at the park

I’m not gonna lie. There are some days (like today) I wake up wondering what the heck was I thinking starting my own business? I must be out of my mind. Today I felt completely overwhelmed by the all the details involved in running my business. I feel so green and sometimes embarrassed at having… Read more »

Looking Back, Stepping Forward

An old wedding picture of the bailey and Andrew

  Yesterday would have been my 8-year wedding anniversary with Andrew (he passed away from cancer on July 26, 2013). I can’t help but think about what our lives would currently look like had he lived, where we would be living, what we would be doing, what our daughter, Ellie’s, relationship with her dad would… Read more »

Motivating Positive Transformation

Last week was the first time in over a year I’ve gotten up on stage to speak and share my family’s story. For me, the experience of losing my husband and becoming a single mom has only set in recently, so it’s been a completely different experience sharing my story in public these days. When… Read more »

The Other Book

  So many of you who’ve followed our story for awhile know about Andrew’s books, A Gray Faith and The Ellie Project, but before those books came along there was another book about football, the perils of high school popularity, and choosing God over what the world says will be fulfilling. It was the winter… Read more »

Through the Pain

Ellie sleeping with her daddy on the hospital bed

This week I had a conversation with a friend that brought up some thought-provoking questions for me. The premise of the conversation was about going through life trying to avoid pain, and both of us deciding it was time to stop running and start dealing with it. For this friend, it was running from relationship… Read more »

What’s Your Money Love Story?

Ellie holding a toy and posing at the square version of dad's jersey

  So I’m finishing up a book called, Money, A Love Story, by Kate Northrup, and I have to say it’s one of the first books about money I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading. Granted, I haven’t read too many books about money because, to be honest, the topic has never been one of interest to me…. Read more »

Bouncing Back

Ellie and Bailey walking to the the village church

Hi ya! This past week was full of unexpected surprises, emotional highs and lows, and a curve ball. Have you ever felt so thrown off course by an event, person, or experience that it made you re-evaluate your direction and focus? Did you wrestle with feeling discouraged because you thought you were on the path… Read more »

Happy Hour Podcast

Bailey and Ellie in colorful gowns and holding bouquets

  Hi There! Hope you had a great Labor Day weekend!! Mine was cray cray. Ellie got an ear infection, I broke out in poison ivy all over legs and arms, which itched like the dickens, and then I lost my debit card, which I found today in the trash (nice). You know, one of… Read more »

Less Stuff, More Depth

Andrew heard sleeping on the bed and ellie checking his health

Hello!! I read an article in Health magazine last week that interviewed the actress, Sophia Bush, and something she said really stayed with me. She said her theme for the year is, “narrow and deep,” AKA– less stuff, more depth, which really resonated with me. It’s the idea of only keeping the things in my… Read more »