Mango Diaries
Live Intentionally. Take Risks. And Let the Adventure Begin.
Happy Fall Ya’ll: A Beautiful Unfolding
October, my most absolute favorite month of the year. Growing up in the Midwest it was filled with joy and expectations of change. Fresh air, wind that kicks up colorful leaves, cozy sweatshirts and scented candles. All of it, I loved it all.
And I’ll confess that I’ve spent the last 15 years trying to recreate the magic of October. My pumpkin spice candles burning in 90-degree weather isn’t quite the same.
God’s Timing
This is a first. I’m typing in the front seat of a car. It’s a test, because normally this sort of thing makes me car sick. I was just too excited to see the laptop nearby and the girls are slowly drifting off to sleep. We’ve been driving for seven hours, and just made our last stop at a Buckee’s while headed towards Nashville.
Introducing The Mango Diaries Podcast
Coming September 1, 2026! Join us as we explore intentional risk taking with Jesus.
Rhythms of slow
My life is not slow. I wish it was. My friend asked me a great question recently: What does the world miss out on when you’re not slow?
“Ouuu, that’s a good question.” I answered, “Patience, gentleness, self-control, presence…. All the fruits of the spirit…basically a whole lot of good.”
Since Selah’s birth, we’ve been on the go.
A Life That Rises Above The Rest
My grandpa’s legacy is heavy on my mind. He died two weeks ago at the ripened age of 94. Upon hearing news of his decline, we rushed to get Selah the necessary documents to leave the country. We picked up her passport on a Friday and received permission for her to legally leave the country on a Monday, and by Tuesday I was on an airplane headed to Chicago with Phoebe and Selah.
Introducing Selah Joy
Labor is easily the most physically painful thing I’ve experienced thus far.
I didn’t realize how much the pain had marked me until the days leading up to the birth of our fourth little girl. As the final countdown began, I felt an increasing sense of dread and doom. My fear and anxiety only grew as the days passed, including her due date.
Essential Baby Items: A Dilemma
March is baby month and I am now 37 weeks pregnant. Fatigue is setting in and my chill mom status is turning ultra chill with a little spice. Clothes on the floor? I can’t pick it up. Healthy meals? Too much time prep. Screaming toddler? This too shall pass. Milk spilled on the floor? Lord have mercy, I need to cry in my room.
Life In the Margins
I married a “what if?” man. That means that with each decision we make, or think about, Michael attaches a plethora of “what if” questions. He likes to lay out all the options, and then verbally process through each one. I do not. I’m more of an internal processer and I don’t like to get stuck in scenarios.
Say What You Mean and Do What You Say
Integrity. The world needs more of it. I need more of it. We all need more of it.
Have you ever met someone so solid, dependable, kind, thoughtful, and genuinely encouraging that without even knowing them for more than a few minutes you know; they say what they mean, and will do what they say?
What Steals Your Mundane?
“Can you hurry up time mommy so that it can be Friday?” Phoebe asked during dinner tonight. I had just finished rattling off the plans for the week. Friday is the big day, a school field trip, their end of the year party, and a parade in town that night. We promised them we’d buy the twinkle balloons this time. The excitement is almost too much to bear for a five-year-old.
