Hey You, It’s Me, Jenn! 💋
I’m a 44-year-old wife, mom, bonus mom, empty nester, dog mom, author, podcast host, and perfectly imperfect woman navigating the messy middle of life.
I’m a Southern girl at heart, a Christian, a little adventurous, and still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
I’ve navigated marriage, motherhood, heartbreak, changing friendships, complicated family relationships, and more than a few unexpected turns. I’ve laughed until I’ve cried, cried when nobody was looking, and had plenty of conversations with God that started with, “Okay, Lord, what are we doing here?”
And somehow, all those experiences led me here.
How We Got Here
Five years ago, I sat behind a microphone for the very first time.
Y’all, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing or where any of this was going.
I didn’t have some grand vision of becoming an author, sharing my personal experiences, or building a community of more than 170,000 people.
I simply started.
And goodness, there were plenty of times I wanted to quit.
In those early seasons, I interviewed other people. I asked the questions, listened to their stories, and kept most of mine safely tucked away.
Every time I considered sharing something personal, that familiar fear would creep in.
What if someone misunderstands me? What if I upset someone? What will people think?
And underneath all those questions was a belief I hadn’t fully recognized.
Maybe my voice didn’t matter.
For years, I thought silence was my protection.It was my cage.
I’d become so accustomed to worrying about everyone else’s feelings that I’d forgotten I was allowed to have my own.
And that took some time to untangle.
Over the years, I’ve had to face some uncomfortable truths about myself, my relationships, and the expectations I’d spent so much of my life trying to meet.
I’ve experienced hurt, disappointment, forgiveness, and the realization that people can walk through the same experience and carry very different stories.
Today, I have compassion for everyone who’s been part of mine.
I no longer speak from the wound. I speak from a place of forgiveness.
And somewhere through those five years of showing up, making mistakes, having hard conversations, and learning to trust myself, I realized something.
I became a woman I had never actually given myself permission to be.
Somewhere in the Messy Middle
In 2026, life took a few more unexpected turns.
My husband and I relocated to Orlando. My youngest daughter headed off to college, officially making me an empty nester. My first book, Silent to Spoken: A Woman’s Journey Through the Pause, was published.
Oh, and I decided to spend a month crossing Spain on the Camino de Santiago.
Because apparently, midlife wasn’t keeping me busy enough.
I biked 278 miles along the northern coast of Spain before walking the final 100 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela.
And on day one, I nearly quit.
I was scared, overwhelmed, and convinced I couldn’t keep going. I called a taxi after climbing a mountain, only to realize, looking back, that I’d already made it through the hardest part.
I just couldn’t see it while I was in the middle of it.
Funny how life works that way, isn’t it?
That journey gave me time to think about who I was outside of all the titles I’d carried for years.
Wife. Mom. Author. Podcast host.
Who was I when it was just me?
Then I came home to an empty nest, a quieter house, and a whole new chapter I wasn’t entirely prepared for.
And once again, I found myself asking, What now?
Why Just Jelly Unfiltered?
Because I believe we need more places where people can have real conversations about real life.
Marriage, friendships, parenting adult children, faith, menopause, changing relationships, finding purpose, and all those moments when life looks a little different from what we imagined.
Some conversations will make you laugh. Others might bring a few tears. And every once in a while, I might say something that makes you think, “Did she really just say that?”
Probably.
My faith is an important part of who I am, and you’ll hear me talk about God and the lessons I’m learning. I also believe we have a lot to gain from listening to people whose experiences and perspectives differ from our own.
We don’t have to believe the same thing to sit at the same table.
Outside the podcast, I’m the founder of Lavish Life Living, a certified menopause and wellness practitioner, and the author of Silent to Spoken.
My work centers on helping women navigate midlife, understand the changes they’re experiencing, and give themselves permission to pursue a healthier, happier, more fulfilling life.
And through Just Jelly, I get to have the conversations that remind us how much we have in common.
And I’m Still Here
Five years ago, I couldn’t see the path ahead.
When I started the Camino, I couldn’t see what was waiting beyond the mountain.
And today, as I step into Season Five, I still don’t know exactly what tomorrow holds.
But I’ve learned that I don’t need to have the entire journey figured out before taking the next step.
I’m 44, starting a new chapter, making new friends, embracing the empty nest, and learning to enjoy the woman I’m becoming.
There are still questions. Still uncomfortable conversations. Still days when I wonder what comes next.
But I’m hopeful.
Because God is already in my tomorrow.
And if there’s one thing these last five years have taught me, it’s that sometimes you’ve already climbed the hardest part.
You just can’t see it yet.
Come Sit With Me 💌
Whether you’re navigating an empty nest, questioning a friendship, figuring out your marriage, rediscovering your purpose, or simply wondering what’s next, I hope you’ll find something here that feels familiar.
Maybe you’ll laugh. Maybe you’ll cry. Maybe you’ll hear something and think, “Oh my gosh, I’ve been there.”
That’s why I keep showing up.
So grab your coffee, your favorite drink, or whatever gets you through the day, and come sit with me.
We’ve got some things to talk about.
Until our next chat, stay sweet out there.
Love you,
Jenn 💋
Don’t quit in the quiet.