The Mom Behind the Counter

Entry #20 • March 3rd, 2026 Wow. It’s kind of serendipitous that this is Just Me #20. The only reason I say that is because I’m about to share birth story #2, as promised, since a birthday is coming up…my oldest will be 20. Oof. What. Can you please have a moment of slight freak out with me? Thanks. How did I get here? This makes me feel like I’m getting old, but I’m not. Right? RIGHT? Disclosure: This is my raw, unfiltered email series — part journal, part story, part processing out loud....

Disclosure: This is my raw, unfiltered email series — part journal, part story, part processing out loud. You’re stepping into something personal here and just semi-polished for readability. My faith is a big part of my life, so you’ll often see it woven into these entries alongside everything else I share. If you’d like to catch up on past entries, you can find the full archive here (each one is labeled JM#[entry number] so you can read them in order). Entry #19 • February 24th, 2026...

Issue 8 • February 10th, 2026 Hahahahaha. Oh man. I’m sitting here peeking through some recent newsletters, cracking up at myself. How pathetic. And I keep saying out loud, “Man, I have SO much fun writing these.” And I know I’ve already said that before in a newsletter. But seriously — that’s how much I enjoy it. Ask Sharon in the store if I ever shut up about it. I don’t. Poor thing — subjected to my antics all the time. Can you imagine?? And yet she’s stuck around for six years now....

Entry #18 • February 3rd, 2026 My January Ritual From my journal on 1/14/2026: 2025. DEEP. SIGH. DEEP. EXHALE. What a year. A year of what felt like constantly holding my breath. My flesh felt like it was in a constant chokehold but thank God He sustained my spirit. He gave rest to my weary soul. God sustains. That was a tough year. A shaping year. I think it would be worthwhile to reflect here on the hard things that I persevered through…all with God right by my side. Where to start… I...

Disclosure: This is my raw, unfiltered email series — part journal, part story, part processing out loud. You’re stepping into something personal here and just semi-polished for readability. My faith is a big part of my life, so you’ll often see it woven into these entries alongside everything else I share. If you’d like to catch up on past entries, you can find the full archive here (each one is labeled JM#[entry number] so you can read them in order). Entry #17 • January 27th, 2026 Hi. Did...

Issue 7 • December 28th, 2025 Haha…yes. I’m hitting send on this while most normal people are sleeping. Middle-of-the-night email energy. Shoutout to all my nursing moms up with their littles — YOU make the world go ’round. I don’t know what I’m doing other than sitting here at my laptop on a Saturday night (my favorite night of the week to work…wow…that makes me sound like an absolute business nerd with no friends or something), eating puppy chow from leftover holiday treats. It’s delicious....

Entry #16 • December 23rd, 2025 Last week, I started telling the story of my first birth. This week, we’re picking it back up—mid-chapter. If you’re jumping in here, you can read this as-is. But if you want the whole arc, I’d recommend going back and reading JM #15 first. By very popular request, I’m slowly weaving my birth stories into Just Me. This one is the beginning of everything. Disclosure: This is my raw, unfiltered email series — part journal, part story, part processing out loud....

Disclosure: This is my raw, unfiltered email series — part journal, part story, part processing out loud. You’re stepping into something personal here and just semi-polished for readability. My faith is a big part of my life, so you’ll often see it woven into these entries alongside everything else I share. If you’d like to catch up on past entries, you can find the full archive here (each one is labeled JM#[entry number] so you can read them in order). Entry #15 • December 16th, 2025 Before...

Entry #14 • December 9th, 2025 The Quiet Ritual of Sunday Afternoons It’s Sunday afternoon, and I’m at my treasured reprieve: Kiln Coffee Bar. I’ve been coming here on Sundays for about seven years now. Sunday afternoons have always felt a bit haphazard in my schedule. We go to church in the morning (10am–12pm), then home for lunch—pasta salad, the same lunch for more than ten years. The kids settle into their allotted "electronic time," my husband takes his Sunday nap, and by 6 p.m. we’re...