This chapter of my life begins in late March of 2007 when I officially became a single mother. After much desperation and working to save my marriage, I had to face the fact that this marriage was not a healthy one. In a moment of picking myself up by the "bootstraps" and after a heart to heart with my grandfather (whom is one of my most favorite people in the entire world) in where he reminded me that in the African plains nothing is more feared that the lioness and God help anyone who messed with her cubs (in other words, toughen up, Jessica), I ended it.

My journey since has been one of heartache, overwhelm and a gut wrenching fight to make life better for my kids and I. It has also been laced with the sheer joy and pleasure of watching two incredible beings bloom right before my eyes.

In April of 2010, again in a moment of picking myself up by my "bootstraps", I moved us to Nashville. Or rather, I had come to Nashville to sing at a church and decided while I was here that I was going to make this church MY church and call Nashville "home".

I don't recommend moving the way I did as it was unplanned and therefore incredibly stressful but I will say that sometimes a big, drastic action is what is needed to turn your life around. In this case, I was right. So here I am, in love with a city, in love with a genuinely good man (something I never thought would happen again), and in love with my life. Amazing how things can change!*

*And change they did. My relationship ended in June of 2011 and is the topic of my post, "When Does "Working On It" Become Too Much Sacrifice?"

This 6 year old budding musician's intrinsic character can be summed up by one incident: On a Summer morning in 2010 I had just gotten some not so great news and was feeling pretty down. I was trying to keep my "mom face" on, as we moms do, but my son was just not buying it. I sat down on a porch outside and Michael sat down next to me. He put his hand on mine and said, "Mom, I just want you to know everything is going to be ok. So you just don't worry because if anyone ever hurt you I would hurt them real, real bad. So you just don't worry, I'll take care of you. Everything's gonna be ok." And in that moment of personal despair I realized he was right, because in that moment I realized I was raising a son who had and incredible heart, personal integrity and morals and things were, just as he said, going to be ok.  

Also occasionally known as "Tee-Lee" from a time since past when her then 2 year old brother could not fully pronounce her name, Kaylee could be summed up in one word: Firecracker. This sassy, out-going 5 year old will put on her heels, do her "make-up" and then proceed to climb and jump of a tall dresser or roll around in the dirt.

She's been dancing and making up her own songs since before she could talk and walk and, as is true with most performers, nothing lights up her face like a good applause.

She's outgoing, mouthy, artistic and and all around rough and tumble diva and neither she, nor I, would have it any other way.