On this episode, I had so much fun chatting with Jennifer Edewaard, a loving wife and mom to Mason! You will absolutely love her perspective on life and embracing where we are each day and God's purpose for us! I loved talking with her about her mission to inspire and encourage others through faith. Reminding us to embrace the imperfect and to take joy in every circumstance of our lives!

Through writing and photography, she portrays the reality of motherhood, marriage, business, and life ~ the good, the bad, the mess, the joy, and the purpose! Writing began for her as an outlet to process everything that was going on, during a difficult time of her life! I love that Jennifer inspires us to live and cultivate an intentional life, believing we are all created for a purpose! And striving to enjoy the simple things in life!

Jennifer opens up about the birth of her son. He was born premature at 23 weeks, weighing 1 pound, with 0% chance to live. She talks about his amazing outcome in the NICU and you'll love to hear how their marriage got even stronger during trying times. She shares with us the challenges as a mom and wife at that time and her continued pregnancy struggles to this day. We chat about healing spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

I know you'll love this conversation and hopefully it encourages you to be more intentional today and find your purpose in everyday life!! Definitely follow Jennifer on Instagram @jenniferedewaard and link to her social circles from there.

To learn more about Happy Playces you can visit us here www.happyplayces.com or on Instagram @happyplayces

Episode #32 is with Ylodia Robinson, a dedicated wife, loving mom of two, and author of Polishing Treasures: Unveiling Your Worth and Purpose. She was born in Jamaica and has lived all over the world. During her time in Barbados, she wrote her book which is full of honesty and openness about own experiences and the importance of pursuing an active, real relationship with Jesus Christ!  We talk about being polished in this relationship with God and seeing ourselves through God's eyes as a treasure!

She and I chat about how her personal life experiences encouraged her to write her book. The struggle of gratification verses fulfillment and feeling complete!  She opens up about wanting to write the book, but didn't know How! Asking herself, "who am I to write a book?" and kept pushing it to the side? Ultimately praying about what direction and asked the Lord to guide her!! When He answered her prayer, He said, "Start with the TRUTH and I will guide you!"

You'll love her story about Birthstones; in relation to how we are cut, molded, and shaped! The process is "hot" and takes time, just as we are cultivated and shaped in the eyes of Christ! While writing about the personal parts of her story, she was shifted from being more concerned with what others thought and how God is using parts of her story to help others!! Such an encouraging conversation for us to share and lift each other up! This book is such a blessing to everyone who reads it!

Definitely check out her on Facebook; Ylodia Robinson. If you haven't read her book, treat yourself to a copy, Polishing Treasures:Unveiling Your Worth and Purpose and the Reflection Journal!

If you would like to learn more about Happy Playces you can visit us at www.happyplayces.com or on Instagram @happyplayces

Episode #31 is with Tabitha Panariso. She is a wife, mom of two, and writer of uplifting words for women on social media! She and I chat about learning to embrace this season of life and finding God here!  Tabitha opens up about motherhood, marriage, and miscarriage. Talking about how God has planted wisdom in her writing and finding Hope is where He stands! We have fun talking about this time of our lives as mom and finding time for ourselves as well!

"Take back Monday!" You can join Tabitha every Monday for a Live Instagram story where she encourages us to Take Back Monday, setting a tone for the week, spiritually. Taking everyday moments and pulling ourselves back up, not only Monday, but every day!  

I love her honesty, wisdom, and encouragement for all of us to remember the people that are put into our lives are by God and the impact we have on them is so empowering! She says, "God doesn't just want more of us, He wants ALL of us!"

Definitely check out her blog www.tabithapanariso.com where she is writing unfiltered words on faith and follow her on Instagram @tabithapanariso for fun pictures, uplifting, and glimpse of her daily life!!

If you would like to learn more about Happy Playces you can visit us at www.happyplayces.com or on Instagram @happyplayces

Thanks for listening!

Episode #30 is with Lori Schumaker, a mom, wife, and blogger.  Lori is a "basketball mom" to two boys and mom to a precious daughter adopted from Bulgaria. At the beginning of our conversation, we talk about watching our kids find their passion and gifts as we guide them along this journey. She shares about grabbing those every day moments to minister God's word to our children and how she treasured their time in the car doing devotionals to and from sporting activities.

She takes us back to the beginning of adoption being laid upon her heart, and you might tear up when she talks about praying, patience, and learning about the power of the cross! The story of her nine year old boy and why he wanted to travel to Bulgaria with them to pick up his sister is heartwarming!!

"Love looks different! Love isn't always perfect, I am being the mom that she needs me to be!" Lori opens up about parenting her adopted daughter with special needs. She is very honest about the hard times, emotions, and striving to be the mom that her daughter needs her to be! You will love her words and connecting to our lives as mothers and how Love looks different in every relationship in our lives.

Definitely check out her blog www.lorischumaker.com where she encourages and equips women to live a hope-filled life and follow her on Instagram @searchingformoments for some great pictures and insight into her daily happiness!

If you would like learn more about Happy Playces you can visit us here at www.happyplayces.com or on Instagram @happyplayces

Thanks for listening!

On this episode, I had so much fun chatting with Ashlee Gadd, a mom, wife, blogger, photographer, and author. She is the founder of Coffee and Crumbs a collaborative blog about motherhood! She and I talked about the beginning of Coffee and Crumbs and feeling called by God to create a storytelling blog of motherhood; building a sense of community among mothers to help encourage others! If you're not already following, go check out their fabulous website at www.coffeeandcrumbs.com. Wonderful posts written by a collaborative group of moms, with newsletters, a year of creativity, and much more!

I love the story behind the beginning of their book Magic of Motherhood! She shares the honesty of challenges and insecurities, while writing the book and how God pulled her through the experience. And now she is happily celebrating the book and Coffee and Crumbs! Definitely grab a copy for yourself, as well as it makes a great gift, for a new mom or a mom that is already in the throws of motherhood!

Ashlee and I talk about being moms and how we've changed and grown in the different ways of nurturing our children! She talks about her oldest son starting Kindergarten in Fall and I give her a little advice on enjoying every minute of summer and how Friday nights have a whole new meaning!

We talk about her personal blog, being the place where she fell in love with storytelling and "fell into herself." She encourages us to stay true to what makes us happy! Check out her personal blog at www.ashleegadd.com

You'll absolutely love our easy going, down to earth conversation about motherhood, marriage, media life, and being happy! Definitely check out her website, blog, and follow her on Instagram @ashleegadd for some great pictures and insight into her daily happiness!

If you would like to learn more about Happy Playces you can visit us at www.happyplayces.com or on Instagram @happyplayces

Thanks for listening!

On this episode, I had so much fun chatting with Caitlyn, she is 24 years old from California currently living overseas as part of a Missions Organization of young adults, serving in 11 countries in 11 months. When she and I recorded this conversation, she was in Africa. You will love hearing about the World Race their background, how they are set up, ministry, mission work, and her wonderful heartfelt stories!

She and I talked about the beginning of God shifting and changing her perspective of her future and dreams of full time mission work. Then being accepted into the World Race program, fund raising, and the process of preparing for her trip. I loved her personal journey and hearing God's timing during her story! You will love her explanation of the fundraising part of her story and talking about being called by God; therefore He would provide! Hearing about the opportunities for others to give and share with her financially. Letting others step in and support her was so special for family, friends, and strangers, to be a part of the journey and experience her mission with her.

Caitlyn talks about her parents coming to visit her and serve with her for a week. She explains their mission in the Red Light District, working with an organization called; Wipe Every Tear and seeing God's presence in the bars, "serving bar ministry as a family!" 

I love her explaining that she believes, "The simplicity of the Gospel is Loving People!! In our simple everyday life! We can live missionally in America, the way God has called us to, don't over complicate it, talk about the Gospel and the Truth, every day with every day people!"

Definitely check out her blog at http://caitlynduffy.theworldrace.org/                   and read some of her past posts from the different countries and missions she has been blessed to be a part of, as well as follow her on her continued journey of mission work! Read more about the World Race here https://www.worldrace.org/ And follow her on Instagram @caitlynduffy

I know you'll enjoy our conversation and you may hear a couple of roosters in the background! You will love her contagious happiness for spreading God's love everywhere she goes!!

If you would like to learn more about Happy Playces you can visit us at www.happyplayces.com or on Instagram @happyplayces

Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Episode #27, I was super excited to chat with Jen @thejenweaver a mom, wife, author, speaker, blogger, host of the Declare conference, faith builder, and much more!! She and I talk about her book A Wife's Secret to Happiness.  She takes us back to the beginning, the concept of the book and when God started laying the ideas on her heart! The book highlights the idea that we all strive for a happy marriage and encourages us to celebrate our role as a wife!

Such a great frame work and a fun read with eleven powerful, practical blessings that God wants to pour into us. Her phrase "wifestyle" habit is a unique way to describe the trends in your habits as a wife. Such a cleaver creative book making us dive into where we are as wives and inspiring us to align our actions to what God has in store for us as a wife and a married couple!

I love her analogy in the book about running shoes and I ask her to talk a little bit about that! I think you'll love when she talks about analyzing where are we running to for comfort and instruction in our relationships! We talk about our homes being a "safe place," she gives advice for married couples to adjust and adapt, and I absolutely love it when she talks about "Happiness is not cookie cutter!"

Definitely check out her blog at www.thejenweaver.com for great blog content, book materials, plus bonus content, information on the Declare Conference http://declareconference.com/ (October 2-4), and everything about Jen. Join her on Facebook Blog Book Tour and follow her on Instagram @thejenweaver to catch a glimpse of life as a Happy wife and Happy mom!!

If you would like to learn more about Happy Playces you can find us at www.happyplayces.com or on Instagram @happyplayces

Thanks for listening!

Welcome to episode, #26!  I had so much fun chatting with Lindsay, a mom, wife to a pastor, teacher, podcaster, encourager, and creator of a fabulous website! She lives with her family in Fairbanks, Alaska and loves it there! You'll love her story of her saying "NO" to moving and God changing her heart, as she admits He has done a couple of times in her life!! She says God's plans are greater than our own and it is so fun to watch them unfold!

Lindsay hosts a podcast called Let's Be Real! The podcast encourages authentic relationships, where moms can be transparent and honest about their journeys in life, linking arms, and committing to walking together as we draw near to Jesus! She is also the creator of the blog Motherhood Inspired, which is a community of moms who write to encourage and equip other mothers! I love that the Lord gives her dreams and she steps out in faith!!

She and I talk about how social media can be such a positive platform to connect friends, family, and ministry! We both love how intentional sharing of hope, truth, and scripture can be present and powerful through Instagram and other social media outlets! You'll definitely want to check out her Instagram which is full of wonderful pictures of her precious families and you love her gift of writing in her captions, as well as her personal blog and the blog Motherhood Inspired!! Personally, I love her contagious smile and happiness about life that God is blessing her with!

We talk about our love for reading and I mention that I would list a couple of books that she loved! She has a great list of her favorite books on her website if you're looking for a new Summer read!!

The Lucky Few by Heather Avis; My Story Elizabeth Smart by Elizabeth Smart and Chris Stewart, and  : A House in the Sky: A Memoir by Amanda Lindhout and Sarah Corbett

Make sure to follow her on Instagram at @lindsayldryer and be sure to check out her website at www.linktr.ee/lindsayladon

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, two moms chatting about their shared loved for their family and doing God's work in our everyday lives!

You can learn more about Happy Playces at www.happyplayces.com or on Instagram @happyplayces

Welcome to Episode #25!!! On this episode, I had so much fun chatting with Melissa; she is a wife, mom, and lead pastor at her church! She has an amazing story of faith, being called to ministry at a young age, and truly trusting God during an uncertain time of her life and seeing God's Mercy!

We talk about her full-time ministry and motherhood with two active boys. She describes each of her boy's unique personalities and passions in their lives!! I ask her how she stays grounded and balances out family time and ministry!? Listen to hear about how her son is going to spend his summer and her bravery for letting him go and have life experiences!!

Melissa opens up her life changing diagnosis and you'll be moved by her story of brain tumors. The piece by piece retelling of that time on her personally, her faith, marriage, and as a mom~which is actually how they found the tumors! I loved hearing about the impact of answered prayers and how she reminds us that God is with us and will lead us through every day of our life!

Melissa is an amazing woman with such a blessed story of life!! You'll love her laughter and her joy for life! She talks about what makes her happy and how she truly cherishes the outdoors, photography, snuggles with her boys, family breakfasts and time with friends!! Definitely follow her on Instagram @miswall and catch a glimpse of her happiness, their Summer, and listen to her wonderful sermons link in her bio on Instagram.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did, hearing about God's mercy and blessing on her life!

If you would like to learn more about Happy Playces please visit us at www.happyplayces.com or on Instragram at @happyplayces

Welcome to Episode #24 with Jessica @gracewhilewewait I am so grateful to share this conversation with you. Jessica has an amazing story of God's grace upon her life story! She is on a journey of finding Him in the pain of infertility and the joys of adoption and life's other journeys!

Jessica shares about years of brokenness that have faded into beauty. She and I chat about her special story of falling in love with her husband, battle of infertility, and her two heart grown kids! You will ABSOLUTELY love her detailed story of the beginning of their adoption and the story her family!! I promise you will love every minute of this story!

Jessica is an amazing writer, speaker, mom, giving all of herself to her family and women around her.  She is an encouragement for ALL moms, but especially waiting moms, adoptive moms, and moms of special needs babies. Jessica writes, "God loves that baby with special needs more than you ever dare. And those things that make him so special, are not mistakes. He was formed perfectly in the dark, in the uttermost parts of his birth mom's womb. The Father was there, intently watching him, purposely forming him to be special, creating him for great things. He was carefully planning out the days of his life and choosing YOU to be his mama!"

You'll love her southern accent, her happy life, her big heart, and her countless stories of a faithful God! Gracewhilewewait can pertain to so many people in so many different circumstances in life!

You can find her on Facebook live cooking up her homemade baby lotion, Instagram @gracewhilewewait with some amazing pictures and inspiration, her Blog http://www.gracewhilewewait.com/and on http://www.motherhoodinspired.com/

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did and have a little "grace while you wait!"

If you would like to learn more about Happy Playces you can visit us at www.happyplayces.com or on instagram @happyplayces