Momnesia

On today’s catch up, Julie and Sarah talk about bucket lists. This fall, Julie was a guest on the Good Girl Gone Boss podcast (make sure to check it out) and the hosts completely caught her off guard when they asked her to share about her bucket list. Julie came to the startling realization that she doesn’t have one! As someone who leads with type 8 (Enneagram alert!), if Julie wants to do something, she doesn’t put it on a list . . . she just does it! But this question stuck with her long after the recording session ended. Julie started a list on her phone that afternoon, and has been adding to it ever since. 

Sarah was chatting about this very same idea with friends, and our favorite type 4 was ready to put her own special twist on the bucket list concept. Wanderlust is her bestie, so like Julie, she has already done some pretty extensive traveling around the world. When Sarah dreams about the future, she has owning a bed and breakfast or retreat center at the top of her list; a place where people can come and rest, a place to host music camps and retreats, a place to create and grow. What if it wasn’t 30 years down the road, but now? Can we make those dreams come true during the hustle and bustle of raising our kids? 

Today’s guest is another Sarah, a fellow dreamer and artist who leads with type 4. Sarah’s story is marked by both deep grief and unexpected grace, both of which have become a catalyst for her as a writer and a speaker. She invites women to lean in to God, right where they are, and to look for Him in everyday life—in the beautiful, the broken, and those seemingly mundane in-between spaces. 

Sarah writes regularly at Sarahewestfall.com and her work has been featured on LifterToday, Kindred Mom, and Light from the Word. Sarah has also partnered with fellow writers to create a thirty-day devotional Be Still: Leaning into God When Everything Falls Apart—available for digital download on Amazon. 

Sarah currently lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with Ben—her husband of fifteen years—and four sons: Cohen, Trace, Jamison, Mathis. In her limited spare time, Sarah enjoys traveling with Ben, eating Taco Bell alone, hiding in a coffee shop, and reading fiction during her nightly bubble bath. Be sure to connect with Sarah on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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xoxo - Julie & Sarah

In this week’s catch up, Sarah shares about a unique and powerful experience she shared with her mom performing with SongShape, a program of The Resonance Initiative. The SongShape Chorus uses the power of singing to encourage people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia – as well as their care partners – to create something unique, engage in community life, and rediscover the fullness of what life with dementia and Alzheimer’s can be. 

Julie reports back on her trip to Denver where she participated in an Enneagram workshop hosted by The Narrative Enneagram. The Narrative Tradition offers an interactive exploration of the Enneagram through inquiry with panelists who share their personal stories and insights. Tune in to hear about this rich experience and how Julie continues to wrestle with the wisdom and insight she gained over the weekend. 

Today’s guest is Suze Fair. Suze wears a lot of hats. She’s a pastor, a creative, and a professional. In her career she has worked in higher education, the marketplace, and the church. Wherever she is, she is passionate about making sure the Good News of Jesus is being shared.  

Currently, Suze is the Chief Culture Officer for a community bank in Northern Indiana. She also enjoys writing & speaking about the journey of faith the Lord has invited her on (both professionally and personally).  

Married for 30 + years to Kelly and they are the parents (adoptive and bio) of 3 (mostly) grown children. Suze is involved in her community, passionate about the Arts & their redemptive potential, and trying daily to figure out how to be a Good Neighbor. She also drinks way too much coffee and is tempted to daily to run away to the beach (but that’s a story for another day).

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xoxo - Julie & Sarah

Momnesia friends, we want to give you a quick heads up. In this week’s catch up, we talk about some heavy subjects surrounding suicide and the death of a loved one. If you would prefer to bypass this particular discussion, please skip ahead to 15:47. 

Julie continues to reflect on the experience she shared with her daughter at Dear Evan Hansen; particularly, how suicide can have such a devastating effect on families, especially when family members are at odds with the person who took their own life. We debate whether or not Julie is in fact the STRICTEST parent ever; and if she is, should this be worn as a badge of honor? If she provides Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream for her daughter, she can’t be all that bad. 

We mourn with Sarah in the loss of her Sito (Arabic for grandmother), and celebrate her life and their close relationship. She talks about what it feels like to live in the “thin place”, the space where heaven touches earth, when she is closely tuned in to her emotions, feelings, and ultimately, the Holy Spirit’s prompting. 

Today’s guest is no stranger to the thin place. Molly Huffman is a mess-cleaner and toddler-wrangler by day, but a writer, speaker, and Bible-studier at heart.  Her unique experiences with grief and loss have shaped her love of Christ and His words, and have birthed a desire in her to comfort and encourage others with Scripture.  She and her family live in Morehead, Kentucky, and they will tell you if you want any of the popcorn, don’t share a bowl with Molly.

Make sure to follow Molly on social media! 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/molly.mccrackenmonroe

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/molhuff 

Website - https://mollyhuffman.com/

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Xoxo - Julie & Sarah

In this week’s catch up, Sarah shares about some of her recent gigs - Indianapolis Airport (best one in the nation, baby!) for the Indy Jazz Fest; When Country Went Pop at the Boone County Flavor Fest; and closing out the weekend with a private event at Newfields. Julie shares about a special trip with her daughter to see the Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen. But as we all know, there is always a story behind the photo. Join us on the pod to get the whole scoop!

Today’s guest is Jen Petro. Jen's a mama of three who runs on beef jerky, naps, and kombucha. She lives in Fishers, Indiana, with her husband, Paul, and their kidlets. Jen's a full-on word nerd who creates content for businesses big and small. Her company, DropLeaf Communications, dishes up big-hearted marketing services for clients who want to make the world a better place. And she's also super passionate about encouraging and equipping women to grow thriving businesses of their own. She likes her music loud, baths hot, and books long. 

Jen shares candidly about a dark period of time in the life of her family when her husband was diagnosed with both cancer and depression. And while it may seem like cancer would be the heavier diagnosis of the two, it was the depression that had her living in a fog for years. Part of Paul’s journey involved counseling and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which turned the Petros into evangelists for this particular treatment. If you or a loved one has struggled with depression, we hope that this episode resonates with you and gives you hope. You are not alone!

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xoxo - Julie & Sarah

Hello, Momnesia land! In this week’s catch up, Sarah shares about celebrating her 18th wedding anniversary with Jeff. (Mazel tov, friends!) They started the summer with a romantic getaway, but still wanted to do something special on the day of their anniversary. While drinking coffee at Cafe Patachou, they began dreaming about how they would like to spend their 20th anniversary together. All this anniversary talk reminds Julie about the year she and Colin celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary in Uganda and Rwanda.  While going on safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, they made a memory together that they will never forget...even if they wanted to! 

Today’s guest is Kate Bolt, dear friend and former college roommate of Julie; Holland, Michigan native; and owner of Living Lark, a food and lifestyle company. Kate is a recipe writer who loves to eat. A few years ago, she got tired of ignoring her creative side and wrote down 100 of her original recipes -- recipes for the home cook who has ignored being creative in the kitchen and longs to slow down and enjoy more life and time at home. She is married to Dan and they have three young kids: Jack, Willem, and Vivian. They love living on the coast of Lake Michigan and going on a LARK together.  We are excited to celebrate with Kate as she gets ready to publish her first cookbook this November! 

Please support Kate by following her on social media and signing up for the Lark newsletter on her website. 

Lark by Kate Bolt - https://www.livinglark.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/livinglark

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/livinglark

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/larkbykatebolt

If you want to learn more about Brain Spotting, check out this quick video. 

Make sure to follow our social media posts this week on Facebook and Instagram as we share a few Living Lark recipes, Kate’s poetry, and of course, a giveaway contest to win a copy of Kate’s new cookbook! Also, make sure to subscribe, rate and review the Momnesia Podcast on Apple Podcasts. 

xoxo - Julie & Sarah

In this week’s catch up, Sarah recommends her recent binge-worthy show on Netflix, Ozark. Our fave, Jason Bateman, is not only the main character in this dark show, but also the Director. He recently won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. If you haven’t seen the show, you may have seen his reaction to winning the Emmy floating around on social media. We love you Jason! Let us know if you want to be on the pod! 

Julie had to take a break from serial killers and true crime podcasts (we’re looking at you Crime Junkie and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile) in order to lighten her mood. John Mulaney’s standup on Netflix was the perfect pick me up. If you haven’t checked out his three comedy specials (Kid Gorgeous, The Comeback Kid, and New In Town), you totally should. Just don’t do it while you are driving on the freeway and laughing so hard that you are crying and possibly get in a car wreck.  

We could not be more excited to introduce you to our guests today - our very own MOMS - Debbie Sebastian, Candy Short, Marlene Scharbrough, and Tammy McLaughlin. They indulged us by coming into the studio to share some stories from their own motherhood journey, ones they want to remember and ones they wish they could forget. 

Debbie Sebastian (Julie’s Mom) is a retired educator, stay at home mom, and pastor’s wife. She now spends her time caring for four grandkids in Indiana and Tennessee, traveling with her hubby of 48 years, and volunteering at the Madison County Literacy Coalition.  

Candy Short (Julie’s Mother-in-law) is also a recently retired educator, former working mom, and Mimi to two grandkids and two grand-doggies. Candy worked for 40 years as an elementary school teacher and principal in the Anderson Community Schools and Greenfield Central School districts. She continues to volunteer in these two school districts, various educational foundations, her church, and as the official E-Learning Day teacher for Matthew and Mary Kate (well, she shares this roll with Debbie.) . 

Marlene Scharbrough (Sarah’s Mom) is living proof that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. She and her husband of 42 years, Bill, have instilled their love of music into all three of their children. Marlene has served as a minister of music, a music and piano teacher, and an accompanist on the piano and organ throughout her career. One of her greatest joys has been playing in the weddings of her students. And of course, being grandma to all nine of her grandchildren! 

Tammy McLaughlin (Sarah’s Mother-in-law) has worked in a variety of settings, from nursing homes and in-home care, to start-ups and higher education. This momma completed her college degree while working part-time, and graduated alongside her youngest son. She also has nine grandchildren and loves being their Mimi! 

Make sure to follow our social media posts this week on Facebook and Instagram as we share photos from the past. Also, make sure to subscribe, rate and review the Momnesia Podcast on Apple Podcasts!  

xoxo - Julie & Sarah

It's time for season two of the Momnesia Podcast! Sarah and Julie spend time catching up on life by doing a deep dive on four important topics - health, family, careers, and our current faves (what we are listening to, watching and reading). Grab you favorite drink and settle in with us as we fill you in on all the details!  

Julie starts us off by sharing about some major health issues she encountered at the beginning of the year. A uterine fibroid was making life unbearable - ridiculous bleeding, shortness of breath, changing clothes every every few hours, emotional rollercoasters, lower back pain, and sleepless nights. The solution was a DaVinci hysterectomy, which brought about the relief she was hoping for, but left Julie out of commission for three weeks. Family, friends, and our online community surrounded her with love and support, for which she is eternally grateful!

Sarah gives us an early glimpse into her work on a new health and wellness plan with certified health coach. She's focusing on what she calls, "the holy work of inner peace" - learning how to identify and capture the negative messages and emotions that bounce around in her subconscious mind, and retraining her thoughts to be more loving to her body. 

The Shorts are going through a big transition as Colin ends his job at Anderson High School and pursues a dream of becoming self-employed with Colin Short Creative. He's writing a book and offering copywriting services to companies big and small. 

School is back in session for the McLaughlin kiddos. Sarah lives out her dream of playing the cello through Soren; Joseph is killing it in math drills and earning the dollar bills (yo) in fourth grade; Anna was successful at roping mom into becoming a Girl Scout Leader, so get ready for cookie season (Do you love Troop Beverly Hills as much as we do?); and the twins could not be more excited to start preschool!

Julie is over the top excited to be attending an Enneagram Intensive in Colorado this fall as a part of her professional development plan at work. The training is provided by the Narrative Enneagram Program and is the first step in becoming a certified Enneagram coach, so get ready for more Enneagram discussion on the pod! She's also taking an online course with our new best friend (and future podcast guest) Jen Petro. 

Sarah just released a new album - Reverie (available on Spotify and Apple Music) and is already preparing for the holiday season. She will have six shows at The Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis (December 6-8), featuring friend and winner of The Voice, Josh Kaufman. Sarah will also be performing with the Carmel Symphony at the Carmel Palladeum in December. Make sure to check out her website for details. www.sarahtunes.com

So what's our current jam? Julie can't get enough of the Second Life Podcast with Hillary Kerr and Sarah can't stop listening to the Highwomen album. 

Make sure to check back for details on our first Momnesia Meet Up! And don't forget to subscribe, rate and review.  

As Momnesia Podcast’s first season wraps up, Sarah and Julie sit down and talk about surviving this Indiana winter weather, their careers and projects on which they're each working, and what’s in store for Season 2 and beyond. Their guest for this episode is Renee Travis. Renee is a Mama Warrior to one exceptional boy, Austin, and wife to her redneck husband, Barry. In her previous life she was a marketing executive, singer, and amateur shopper…and then her world was turned upside-down when autism entered the picture. At ten months old, her son was given an unprecedented, extremely early autism spectrum diagnosis. Her world became silent when his world became silent, and all that mattered from that point forward was improving his life as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Because of their success and her son’s amazing transformation, Renee’s biggest passion lies with helping other parents like her. It’s never too early. There are signs. There is help.

In this week’s episode, Sarah and Julie sit down with Lani Nunes Willbanks. Lani’s story is raw and vulnerable, complex and layered, hard and beautiful. Lani has lived from coast to coast and is married to her retired military husband in Washington D.C.. She has four daughters and a son and talks about life as a single mom, as a blended family, and all kinds of other seasons. She works in the church world, centering her efforts on social justice and human rights and is a self-proclaimed “recovering pastor’s kid”. She gives a glimpse into “Asian shame”, talks about the benefits of “shellac”, and expresses gratitude for a safe space at Momnesia to share her story for the first time.

In today's episode, Sarah and Julie interview Turae Mumford. Turae speaks to her co-parenting journey and the non-traditional road that led her there. As a beautiful woman of faith, Turae shares about the village it has taken in parenthood, being a minister's wife, her role as female leader in the African-American community, and her career in the political world. This episode includes chats on New Years' resolutions, celery juicing, Weezer, choir nerds and Gantt charts.