A Bit About Hope and Heartache

Thank you for checking out my website! I am a middle school english teacher by trade but have found a creative and healing outlet through sharing my story. My husband and I met when we were serving at a summer camp in New Mexico. I played hard to get according to him and he somehow still stole my heart. We dated long distance for two years and racked up A LOT of frequent flier miles. As much as we enjoyed pieces of the experience of long distance, we knew that if we wanted this to continue living in the same state was a must. Dilan moved to Kansas and we were able to build our life together in once state. Since then, our life together has been exciting and terrifying altogether. Learning to live together through heartache and triumph, learning to love each other in the midst of it all, and growing together in close proximity instead of thousands of miles away has been nothing short of an adventure. 

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The last few years have been less than ideal to say it nicely. Through a miscarriage, cancer diagnosis, and recurrence of the cancer my husband and I have been through the wringer and back. You can read more about the entirety of our journey in my blog. Throughout our journey over the last few years I have realized that it is difficult to find the right words for many. To be honest, I have struggled deeply with knowing that people want to help and do or say the right thing, but sometimes just don't know how or what to do. That's how the idea for Hope and Heartache was born.

 

The name Hope and Heartache came from the idea that even in the deepest of shadows and sorrows, there is hope to be found but that doesn't make the heartache go away or make it any easier. The two coincide together endlessly. My hope through this website and that you are able to find support, a way to remember what has been lost, and to find a voice when you don't know what to say in unthinkable situations - whether it be cancer, child loss, miscarriage, infertility, or something else that seems impossible.