light, littles, + lavender.

We’ve never lived slowly, that’s for sure. Drew + I always say that we’ve lived a lot of life in the 9 years that we’ve been together, and last year I was given the opportunity to share our story. Which turned out to be perfect timing, since we had found ourselves at yet another crossroads (do they ever end!?). Mallory Brown from The NFL WifeHandbook reached out, asking me to share how I’ve seen God working in our lives. It was an amazing opportunity to reflect on God’s grace during times that we felt weak. It was incredibly eye opening, and now I’d like to share our story myself, along with how we’ve continued to grow. (Since then, the wonderful platform of the NFL WifeHandbook has turned into a non-profit organization called The Increase Women. Women elevating women, for His glory. I encourage you to follow along on Instagram @theincreasewomen, or their website The Increase Women.)

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30

The season of Fall has always meant changes for our family. Cool nights and crunchy leaves used to mean another football season was upon us, and man oh man… were we fortunate to have experienced that life! I sense the days start to turn, and I still feel the rush. The nostalgia brings a huge smile to my face, despite the fact that our path was nowhere near what a sports fan would expect; there is so much more to life in the NFL than the media portrays. I’ve questioned God so many times, and begged for clarity and discernment. What I’ve come to learn is not what I expected. We all want to know and fulfill our purpose, but sometimes the end goal is not the most important. Sometimes it’s about the journey. My mom used to tell me that “Everything that you are doing now is preparing you for something later in life. Be present and embrace it.” The first time that I found this to be true was went I went to college. I absolutely hated being so far away from home, and making the transition wasn’t easy. As a college athlete, I had a lot of pressure to perform on the basketball court as well as in the classroom. Chemical engineering isn’t exactly forgiving on your off hours, so forget a social life! God’s plan started to make sense for me when I met Drew. We met as college athletes when we were 19 years old. We shared common ground amidst late night studying and early morning conditioning. We found home away from home when our best friend’s family parked their RV on campus to give us a holiday meal before practice. God put Drew and I in a position to grow up together. We learned how to uplift each other during our struggles and celebrate each other’s victories.

Old blurry pictures make me smile.

Drew had his first opportunity playing in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent in 2012. He took his last semester off of school for training and headed south. I was graduating and had a job lined up in Michigan, and didn’t know what the future would hold. God, as always, had his hands working in our lives. Following my graduation, Drew proposed. Drew and I were married and headed south together. We had absolutely no idea what to expect from life in the NFL. He changed positions from defense to offense, which is pretty much unheard of, and was doing everything in his power to be successful. I really had no idea what I was doing at all! I quit my job in Michigan and hadn’t found another yet, so I remember trying to support him while figuring out how to make Jacksonville feel like home. I felt like Dorothy in the Land of Oz. We were as far away from our families as we could be (or so we thought), and as newlyweds living together for the first time, we were in a new stage of learning how to depend on each other for faith and perseverance. On top of it, neither one of us knew one single person. But, that changed quickly! Jacksonville has been our favorite place to live! We met our lifelong friends there! One in particular considers herself a mermaid and runs beach cleanups in between her explorations of the intercostals and islands. My own personal Labor & Delivery Nurse/Certified Lactation Consultant is on speed dial, and one of my best friends is an amazing wife and mother who can do literally anything that she sets her mind to. Our friendships span coast to coast, where in the east lives the kindest teacher you will ever meet. My husband has had the honor of meeting countless players, coaches, and trainers that he looks to as close friends and mentors. One of his mentors in particular, has an incredible wife and six children, yet found the time to take us in during the holidays and has always treated us like family. Never would I have thought, in such an unexpected place, that we would find these people who could give our life such fulfillment. In 2014, our journey in Jacksonville ended. Drew was let go at the end of preseason, and we were devastated to say the least. Waiting for a call that Labor Day weekend was hard. Would we get one? Active or practice squad? Where would we be? We felt like little kids again. God laid out another stepping stone when the Seattle Seahawks called Drew to be placed on their practice squad. You can imagine the excitement and nervousness of moving just about as far across the country as we could possibly get. Yet off we went, and I can honestly say that we fully embraced living in Seattle. I picked up a job at Lululemon, which was absolutely perfect for my background in athletics- those girls do not sit still!! On my first day, we found our person. She looked at me and said, “I heard you’re an athlete. You and I are going to be friends.” Then, she tried to kill me a few times trail running through the mountains (apparently I fall very gracefully), but she made up for it by taking us to explore the most stunning parts of the Pacific Northwest. She has an incredible family who did not hesitate taking Drew and I under their wings. I will always consider her mom a second mother to us! Drew had an incredible football experience there. He won an NFC Championship against his hometown of the Green Bay Packers, and got to go to a Super bowl. Yet, he remained on practice squad that year, and we anxiously thought “God, what is your plan for us here?” God answered our prayers again, so in many ways. In 2015 we found out that we were pregnant with our first daughter the day before he left for the Seahawks training camp. Talk about lighting a fire under your belt!!! Drew made the active roster that year, and started seven games at center, a position he had just learned in the four months prior. He got to start in his hometown, at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers, with all of his family and friends cheering him on. We gave birth to our daughter, Acilia Marie, in Seattle on April 14, 2016. It was that special day that we truly recognized God’s plan for us. Our role as parents is the greatest calling that we could ever receive. It is a holy privilege to be blessed with the responsibility of raising a family, and we are overjoyed that God chose us to do it. Two weeks after giving birth to Acilia, Drew was let go from the Seahawks and our journey there ended. Up to that point, our lives together had completely revolved around sports, but the day that our world turned upside down in Seattle, all Drew and I had to do was look at our tiny daughter to be reminded that God is faithful. Our family matters most. Our family is now, and will always be, the center of our world and the reason for all that we do. Shortly there after, Drew received a call from the Kansas City Chiefs. We were ecstatic to be going to a great organization and moving so much closer to home! Our families were able to visit quite often, and the three of us were able to make an easy trip home. It was wonderful for our daughter to get to know more of the people who love her so much! Our time spent in Kansas was short, as we were let go at the end of preseason. In the midst of a trial, it was still clear that God was laying out the path of our lives. Following Kansas, we made the move back to our college town, so that Drew could finish up school while he decided what he wanted to do professionally. We were in our first REAL home and so much closer to family! Drew was welcomed back with open arms, and we have had more family time than we could have imagined was possible— it is so important that our kids know each of our families. The last year has been an absolute whirlwind! Drew was offered an opportunity to continue his football career, but ultimately decided that it was time to hang up his cleats for his own well-being and that of our family. He graduated with his degree in Engineering and works as a Project Engineer. I couldn’t be more proud of the example he has set for our kids! And yep— KIDS. Plural. We gave birth to our second daughter, Elliana Anne, on February 5, 2018. Her name means “God has answered me,” and that couldn’t be more true. I am COMPLETELY overjoyed to have a set of sisters. Life gets crazy, but they really couldn’t love each other more! The uncertainty of life in the NFL can leave you with an uncertain feeling about who you really are; and not just the players. When you’re in it, you’re in it together. For everything. The rollercoaster of emotions, the travel and training, the double-bed-in-a-450-sqft-apartment-that-you-share- with-a-giant-lineman and only one suitcase to your name… You get the picture. Drew + I have been hand in hand on this journey. Our crazy life, where one small step seems more like a giant leap. But let me tell you, I am certain that my husband does not question who he is when he hears the shrieks of “Daddy!!” when he gets home at night, followed by a fresh little crawler trying to bite his feet! Nor do I question my purpose when this scene plays out in front of me. I’m so thankful for the calling of motherhood, and the opportunity to stay home. It’s the hardest and most fulfilling thing I have ever done in my life; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I mean… you name it, and I’ve sweat, cried, and rejoiced over it. Pre-kids, I couldn’t fathom the importance of raising these beautiful babies. How the little things would be big things in my eyes. How with every decision I would be a nourisher of life. So with that in mind, motherhood has led me on a really cool path to exercise my degree in a roundabout way! Drew and I have always been on a wellness journey. With both of us being athletes, we’ve always tried to make informed decisions on what we put in and around our bodies, which has carried over to our family life. I had no idea how much that passion would magnify once I had kids, especially girls. Mama don’t need no hormone disruptors in the house! I started using essential oils for immune and emotional support, and to replace candles (we were kind of addicts). As the plant juice began replacing some common household items, I started telling family and friends how big of difference it had made in our lives. We sleep better, we’re happier, we feel GOOD. It rollercoastered from there, since I really couldn’t keep my mouth shut about it. So last year, I decided to start sharing our journey with Young Living Essential Oils! Giving my girls a non-toxic way of life, fulfilling the science nerd in me, and connecting with a million amazing people?! It’s a no-brainer. I feel deep down in my soul that this is my true calling as a mother and nurturer of life. Like I said, September comes and it still gives me the chills. Here we are again, with more decisions and the feeling of change. The difference is that now I know what it feels like to be built. I’m starting to thrive on the challenge. Every time that we were in the midst of a trial, we realized that we were done learning and growing where we were, and God had a plan for us in another place. God provides. Maybe not in the way that we want at that time, but most certainly in the way that we NEED. We were able to find friends that have turned into family, and were blessed with family that would travel across the country to see us. Now, our girls are teaching Drew and I what a privilege and responsibility it is to nourish life. Every time we think we’re being broken down, we’re being sharpened into who we are meant to be. “I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Phil 4:11-13 #thesecrettohappiness #itswrittendown

essential oils faith girl mom lululemon marriage motherhood NFL travel WAG young living