Meet my family – Part 1

Being a stay-at-home mom for most of my kids’ lives has been such a rewarding journey, but I have to say that navigating empty nesting and my divorce has brought some big changes! Since my divorce in 2018, our family dynamics have shifted quite a bit, especially with the girls flying the nest shortly after. But through it all, I couldn’t be prouder of my wonderful family!

I have two amazing biological daughters, Mady and Lily, and I also have a bonus daughter, Morgan, who affectionately calls me “Mom.” Morgan became part of our family when she and Mady met in first grade, and it’s been such a joy to have her in our lives ever since. Honestly, my world feels whole because of these incredible people and their partners. I can’t wait to introduce you to all of them!

First up, let me tell you about Mady! She just celebrated her 29th birthday and is truly living her best life in sunny Florida with her wonderful husband, James. They had such a sweet little courthouse wedding back in December 2022. Both are serving in the military, stationed six hours apart, but their love really knows no bounds—it’s so inspiring! We all absolutely adore James and feel incredibly lucky to have him in our family. Mady is a leader in her field of work – commissioning into the US Air Force straight out of college as an Officer. To our family Mady brings a delightful sense of humor and honesty that I really appreciate and treasure! She’s a talented artist and has a big love for the outdoors, which just adds to her charm. I’m so proud of both Mady and James for their love and their service to our country!

Next, let’s talk about my youngest, Lily! She’s getting ready to celebrate her 24th birthday next month, and I can’t wait! She and her fiancé, Jose, are living it up in Kansas, and I couldn’t be prouder of Lily for landing her very first engineering job starting immediately after graduating from college last December. She is a Structural Design Engineer working at Spirit Aerosystems within the propulsion sector, specifically the thrust reverser. Jose is doing amazing too, thriving as a shop apprentice working at a Kansas based construction equipment company as well as proudly serving as an Army National Guardsman one weekend each month back in Minnesota. These two have so much fun together, constantly working on projects side by side. They also share their home with two lively dogs, Cash and King, and a sweet cat named Percy who keeps everyone on their toes! And guess what? They just got engaged! They’re planning to tie the knot in December 2025, and I am beyond excited for all the celebrations to come!

Now, let’s not forget about Morgan, who’s not only Mady’s best friend but also Lily’s sister and a cherished daughter to me! We all love her to bits! Morgan and her partner, Josh, are here in Minnesota, and I always look forward to spending time with them and their adorable pups, Lucy and Daphne (yes, my grandpups!). Both Morgan and Josh are U.S. Air Force veterans, and it fills me with pride to have them in our family. Morgan has the kindest heart and is always the first to lend a helping hand. Plus, she makes the most amazing crochet projects—such a true talent!

Whenever the girls (and their partners) and I can get together, we have the best time playing games! One of our all-time favorites is Catan—a fun strategy board game with a different setup every time we play. We’ve enjoyed it so much that we’ve picked up the original Catan extension to let even more players (5-6) join in on the fun! We have the Catan Seafarers and Catan Cities & Knights expansions too. Last Christmas, we introduced Jose to the game, and if I recall correctly, he totally swept the board and won every game! Some other editions I’d like to collect are Catan Explorers & Pirates and Catan Treasures, Dragons and Adventurers.

Besides Catan, we also have a blast with Mahjong, Ticket to Ride, and Chickenfoot (played with dominoes). I truly love and cherish my family, and every moment we spend together is a treasure. Since the girls graduated from college and moved out of state, our time together has become even rarer, making those moments all the more special.

I’d love to hear about your family traditions and the games you enjoy playing together!

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