Journey Coaching

This was not an easy weekend for me.
It never is – but this one carried an extra layer of weight. Learning recently that his family was behind all of the August chaos added a sting I couldn’t quite shake. And yet, in spite of it, I find myself feeling deeply grateful for the good that did emerge from it all.

If only I had planned better, I might have saved myself the 21 straight hours of sleeplessness before the trip. But nevertheless, we made the trek to Missouri for the wedding of my ex-husband’s nephew – a journey that was as emotionally exhausting as it was logistically complicated.

The day unfolded like a collage of small, vivid moments:
* Hotel breakfasts that tasted a little like cardboard and comfort.
* A last-minute room switch that left us all scrambling.
* A less-than-stellar salon appointment that I had to laugh my way through.
* Lunch with the grandparents, filled with awkward pauses and too-careful small talk.
* A nap I desperately needed but didn’t really get.
* And then, a downpour that felt almost poetic as I stared out the window, trying to steady myself for what was coming next.

Because there’s nothing quite like walking into the Lion’s Den – a room full of people who once called me family but whose presence now comes with layered history and quiet judgment. So, I did what I’ve learned to do: I put a smile on my face, lifted my chin, and walked through those doors with quiet strength.

It wasn’t all bad, of course. And I think that is the point.

It would be easy to replay the sharp edges of the weekend – the glances, the whispers, the emotional landmines. But I’ve lived through far worse. And this time, I’m choosing to hold onto something else. I want to look back on this weekend and remember the good.

I have two extraordinary children.
Children who make me proud every single day. Children who show grace, resilience, humor, and heart in the face of family dynamics they never asked for. When I think about who they are becoming, I feel nothing but awe.

And honestly, I am so profoundly grateful that I got them out of that environment. I see the difference in them – the lightness, the space to grow freely, the courage to become their own people.

This weekend wasn’t easy. But it was a reminder:
Strength isn’t about avoiding the hard spaces. It’s about walking into them, holding your head high, and choosing what you carry out with you.

with all my love, xoxo J