Shine your Light

25/12/2023

✨ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men // Luke 2:14

06/12/2023

Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of children and I am so excited to be celebrating him with Brooks & Beverly this year ✨

Nicholas was orphaned at a young age and used his entire inheritance to take care of hungry, poor and the sick. (As my husband says: “he’s kind of like Batman”) 😂

He became a bishop and was especially known for his generosity and kindness to children.

I read a blogpost recently talking about how to share about St. Nicholas with kids and the writers daughter explained that St. Nicholas was so holy that God gave him a great job which was to deliver presents all around the world on the eve of Jesus’ birthday. She explained that because he is on a mission from God he knows if children have been well-behaved & it is with God’s help that he is able to fly all over the world in just one evening.

Since becoming a parent I’ve learned so much about myself and more importantly how I want to raise our kids in this world. I pray I live in a way that my kids cannot only see but feel my love for our Lord & keeping Christmas centered around Christ is of the utmost importance.

As a little girl we would always get new slippers the morning of Christmas, but I’m excited to share in this new tradition with our kids, receiving new slippers & something small such as an orange which symbolizes the gold/provision St. Nick shared, on the Feast of Saint Nicholas. 🍊

I know there are many ways to celebrate but we are looking forward to making it our own and laying the foundation of the holidays staying focused on Jesus Christ.

05/12/2023

Tonight we lost power, hours after the snow ended & just before dinner time. I built a fire, lit half a dozen candles & we grabbed flash lights. We had offers from our parents to come over but we found excitement in the simpleness of the night ahead. We had cold leftovers by candlelight & danced around the living room. We read books by flashlight and snuggled together on the floor by the fire.

And then the power came back on…

Both Sam & I looked at each other disappointed… we were enjoying the simpleness & it got me thinking… if something so small as a power outage could bring that much joy I must be doing something wrong.

In a society where BUSYNESS is celebrated and NEW is required we were longing for simple. I’ve read books on minimalism and am consciously working to declutter on a daily basis but I hadn’t considered the mental clarity I’d find. That in a moment of what could have caused great stress and discomfort we welcomed it with joy filled hearts. The simpleness of being together is all we needed & I pray we carry this with us into the holiday season. A season where children are asked: if they have been naughty or nice or “What did Santa bring you?” My hope is that I can stay focused on the feeling of joy from being together, as a family - as a family I’ve spent so many seasons wishing and praying for 🫶🏼

If you’re in the season of praying for your family to grow my hearts are with you and & I trust God has plans for you that are greater than you could ever imagine ✨

📸:

01/11/2023

We’ve endured some dark storms, but I’d say this was the Catch of the year 🦞🦞

03/10/2023

& I would go to the ends of the earth for you ✨

28/09/2023

My heart knew it needed you 🫶🏼

27/09/2023

Watching my best friends be best friends > everything 🫶🏼

25/09/2023

My lil boo thang ✨

Grateful for my daughter on

📸 #1, 4-8 :
📸 #2 & 3 :
📸 #9 & 10 :

25/09/2023

📍 Cumberland Fairgrounds

16/09/2023

📍Oxford County Fairgrounds

14/09/2023

More from this weekend with my crew ✨

Day to day we can get so lost in the mundane: nap schedules, picking up toys, activities, diaper changes, feeding ect. When we are at home I’m reminded of all the house projects we have yet to do, the meals that need prepping, the clothes that needs folding, the dishes that need washing and feeling so overwhelmed with exhaustion I can’t get out of my own way.

By going away this weekend we found time to relax, explore and engage in ways we haven’t in a long time. EVEN WITH OUR KIDS!

I’ve heard and even said that traveling with kids is just parenting in a new space, but this change of scenery really showed me how fun the little moments really are. I’m actively trying to allow myself to be slow in the “mundane” and allow myself to see the beauty of this life even in the hard, the stressful & the overwhelm.

So here’s a post as a reminder to myself that joy can be found wherever you look for it 🤍

05/09/2023

🌼 PSA: Get in the photos Mamas. Your babies will never be this small again. You won’t regret it 🫶🏼

04/09/2023

Sister Weekend ✨

Highly recommend a weekend away with no plans except to nurture your body, nourish your soul and declutter your mind.

It’s amazing how much we hold onto as women, mothers, sister and friends. Taking a time out seems impossible with so any relying on you, however this is how burnout is born. Without filling our own cup we cannot be expected to help fill others.

This was my first time truly disconnecting as a Mom and I can already see how it’s making me better just by taking time for myself. Remembering I’m able to have my own wants and needs, how delicious a hot cup of coffee taste & what eating a meal slowly feels like. This couldn’t have been possible without my loving and supportive husband who encouraged me to take this time away.

What a blessing to have this opportunity to detach and relax with my sis 🤍 Thanks for wanting to take this adventure with me. Love you !

27/08/2023

Little Diamond Island 🦞
2023 🌞 2022

19/08/2023

So happy to celebrate Elena’s first birthday today! 🍊

I’m glad I’ve gotten to witness you in this role .kay - you are an amazing Mom & to have a friend who is in the same season, especially as new moms, has been such a blessing. I couldn’t have made it through this first year without our playdates, your hours of research & our walks where we question everything 🤪

I love watching our babies grow together ! 🫶🏼

23/07/2023

Cannot believe our babies are ONE ✨

It was a perfect day celebrating with friends & family at the lake! So grateful for everyone who celebrated with us today and it goes without saying, still eternally grateful for 🫶🏼

19/07/2023

Beverly, Bevy, Bevy Lu, Lulu, Cutie Girl, Sis, Sissy, Babygirl you are the silliest, sweetest & most determined little soul I’ve ever met. You are fearless and I love being your safe place.

I never knew how much fun it would be to have a little mini to dress up with until you! I love how much you love your brother and Rye & you always know how to brighten everyone’s day!

📷:

18/07/2023

Brooks, Brooksy Bear, Bubba, Bubs, My first born (by 2 minutes 🤪)

You are so much a happy little boy & I love seeing your eyes light up as you explore. Your smile is infectious and your giggles are the melody to my heart. Your snuggles remind me to slow down and soak in the feeling of the precious moments. I love who you’re becoming and I’m so proud to be your Mom 🫶🏼

📷:

12/07/2023

It’s the hat for me 🥹😭♥️

10/07/2023

Today marks 1 week from my 7th Tri for A Cure

Today I swam & ran the course and it felt so good, so familiar…

As we crossed the finish line I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and a tightness in my throat.

All the years of fundraising and participating in this event I never truly understood the magnitude of the event until now…

2018 was the last year I did the and in 2019 I received my Breast Cancer diagnosis.

Next week I will be swimming, biking & running with more purpose than ever before. Putting on my wetsuit today wA the first time in my post-cancer body. I wasn’t sure how it would fit or feel but I managed to zip her up and that felt like the first win.

Next week I will be taking the water alongside my Survivor Sisters and my eyes feel misty as I type this out. It’s a club we never asked to be apart of but I’m damn proud that we are here 🩷

05/07/2023

Happy 4th 🇺🇸✨

25/06/2023

I get it now… 🥹

What it’s feels like to have your heart living outside your body ♥️

What it looks like to see everything as a magical gift 🎁

What it sounds like to hear pure joy and happiness 🙌🏻

What it feels like to be someone’s safe place 🏡

I get it now that I am a Mom 🫶🏼

& I get why people families have a two year age gap 🤪 There is something about planning our babies first birthday that has my heart wondering what God has planned for our family ✨

24/06/2023

My beautiful beautiful Beverly 🦞🤍

23/06/2023

Laughing through the day with my besties 🤍🫶🏼

21/06/2023

Tongue’s out if you’re teething 🤪

19/06/2023

First day of swim & Father’s Day Brunch with our guy 🫶🏼

We sure missed you this weekend , although so proud of you for trying new things and following your passions✨

So grateful for this little family of ours and cannot believe our babies will be 1 next month 🥹🤍

18/06/2023

To my Dad:

Thank you for showing me it’s never too late to chase a new dream, say “I’m sorry” & that everything in life is a direct reflection of the effort you put into it. I’m so lucky that you are my Dad and I love watching you be the most incredible Grampy to my kids 🥹 They adore you and so do I. Forever grateful for your love and devotion to Mom and our family. Thanks for showing me what true friendship in marriage looks like and how marrying your best friend is truly the most beautiful thing ♥️

I love you Dad, Happy Father’s Day !

17/06/2023

One of those “fill your cup kinda days” ☀️

Boat ride, swim, snack in the sand & (last photo 🤣)

13/06/2023

Sometimes when you pray for a miracle, God gives you TWO 🫶🏼🤍✨

👚 & 👕 from

11/06/2023

10/10 kinda day ☀️

It’s so crazy to think a year ago today we were celebrating with friends and family our TWO babies on the way. We had no idea their names, gender or how they would change our lives. We continued to have faith that two healthy babies would be entering this world and today was one of those days where I just need to pinch myself that this is our life.

They were such a dream for sooooo long and knowing they will be turning 1 next month has me at an utter loss for words. Time is a thief! We are so incredibly blessed that these two healthy, fun loving and beautiful babies are ours & look forward to a lifetime of memories together 🫶🏼

Also highly recommend making one on one time with your kids, especially if you have twins. Today I took Bevy & Sam took Brooks, although we love our together family time it’s so nice to give one kid all of our attention and build our individual bond with each of them! 10/10 recommend 🙌🏻

09/06/2023

3 busy little B’s 🐝✨

05/06/2023

Happiest birthday to our favorite 5 year old! 🎀 We love you Adi!

30/05/2023

I see the world in light
I see the world in wonder
I see the world in life
Bursting in living colour
I see the world Your way
And I'm walking in the light ✨

23/05/2023

This is for the Moms 🫶🏼

The day starts with morning snuggles, a clean diaper & outfit change. As the laundry grows so does the list of things to accomplish…

Do we have enough diapers?
Do we need more wipes?
Are the bottles clean?
Was the dishwasher run?
Did I switch over the laundry?

It can be a very thankless job sometimes. Their little smiles and snuggles feed my soul with joy but motherhood is so much more than the love and bond we share.

This weekend I got sick. The sickest I’ve been since the twins were born. It’s been awful & you know what, it’s made me realize just how superhuman we are as Mom’s 🫶🏼🦸‍♀️

It’s amazing how much we store in our brains and just take care of for the household. It’s only with our absence do we truly notice ALLLLL that we do.

I’m not saying our partners aren’t capable because they ARE! And if yours is anything like mine I am extremely blessed.

But the weight that we carry as Mom’s has me over here feeling guilty for being sick. Guilty for needing rest. Guilty not keeping up with the laundry & the dishes & the vacuuming & toy rotating…

The weight of motherhood can be heavy especially when we realize all we are doing for our family.

It took 3 days of being sick for me to realize I don’t give myself enough credit for all that I do for our family & I’m proud of how I’ve grown in this last 10 months.

I’m not sure anything can truly prepare you to become a Mom. You just step up and do it. Today I hope you take a moment to REALIZE how much of a SuperHero you really are because whether you believe it or not you are doing an amazing job - STOP criticizing yourself so much and take a second to soak it in. You were chosen to be their Mom & No One can or will do it better than YOU! ✨

10/04/2023

Blessed beyond measure on this gorgeous Easter Sunday ✝️

Today was one of those days I’ve dreamed about my entire life. Rejoicing in the resurrection of Jesus with my husband and our babies by my side (/in our arms).

Brooks decided that Holy Week was the perfect time to start crawling & Bevy girl is dancing up a storm and working on her singing voice, along with 2 teeth!

We are reminded that without the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we would not be able to experience these glorious memories as a family 🤍

03/04/2023

“But Jesus said YOU ARE MINE”

How blessed are we (believers) that God picked us to be who we are, where we are. It’s not always where we imagined we would be but when we can trust it’s where we are needed to be at this moment in time it’s then & only then that we can ask God how to best serve Him.

These miracle babies are a daily reminder that His plan is always far greater than we could ever imagine. 3 years ago I had just finished chemo and had 9 more months of hormone therapy left and all I wanted was to be a Mom. But I knew I needed to be healthy first not just physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Over the last 3 years I’ve never been closer to God than I am now and I am so grateful for his grace being revealed to me through my suffering to get to where I am today.

A MOM to these two sweet healthy babies.
A WIFE to my best friend.
A DAUGHTER to the worlds best parents.
A SISTER to 3 amazing ladies.
A niece, granddaughter, daughter in law, cousin, aunt, friend….

“the enemy thought he had me, but Jesus said YOU are mine!” ♥️

05/03/2023

✨Thank you
Thank you✨
✨Thank YOU

I started this page as a place for me to share my journey through breast cancer. Those of you who have been following along since then, thank YOU. For seeing my in my darkest of days and loving and supporting me through it.

Since beating cancer 💪🏻 and looking to grow our family I have used this page to share that we were looking for a surrogate in 2021! For those of you that started following then, thank you! This platform is how we found our amazing surrogate that brought our babies into this world! I’m so thankful for all the amazing people we’ve met along the way & grateful for the connections I’ve made in sharing the most vulnerable parts of my adult life.

If you’re new here, Hiiiii 👋🏻

Besides being a Breast Cancer Survivor & a Twin Mama thanks to Surrogacy here are some fun facts about me:

- I bought my first house at 23.
- I have 3 amazing sisters.
- I am married to my absolute best friend & we had our dream wedding in Mexico.
- My first baby will always be our yellow lab, Rye.
- I’ve run the Boston Marathon twice.
- I have my L1 CrossFit Certification.
- My Bachelor’s degree is Exercise Science & I have a Masters in Business.

I’m so glad you’re here! Thank you again for your love and support 🫶🏼

📸:

26/02/2023

26/02/2023

25/02/2023

Back in 2021 I booked an empowerment photoshoot and up until now I've kept most of the photos to myself. I recently saw a photography friend post about how clients will let their photos get "dusty" by not doing anything with them.

So here I am.

In this photo I was 2 months out from active treatment for breast cancer and trying to love, accept & appreciate the NEW me... I was afraid. But today, I am no longer afraid....

Who else has a photo of themselves that they have kept hidden for FAR too long?
Well, it's time to let your light shine...

Post your photo in the comments. Let's SHINE together