10/17/2026
Truth is… I’m not good at talking about me. Especially the parts that hurt.
But if you’ve wondered where I’ve been, I promised to be transparent.
In 2010, after five years of being constantly sick, I was diagnosed with Lupus. For 16 years, I’ve lived with an immune system that attacks my own body—my organs, blood, and tissues.
Earlier this fall, my bloodwork showed my disease was more active than it had ever been. And I’ve felt every bit of it.
Daily flares. Crushing pain. Exhaustion that rest doesn’t fix. Brain fog, vision problems, skin changes, and organ complications. Now my hair is falling out, too.
Some days I look in the mirror and recognize myself. Other days, I don’t.
There’s a grief in watching your body change, in missing moments you can’t get back, in realizing that loving your life fiercely doesn’t mean your body will let you live it the way you want.
And I am grieving.
I grieve the mother and wife I want to be. I grieve the energy I used to have. My heart breaks for my husband and children, who have to walk through this with me. I’m frightened by the uncertainty and by treatments that can be powerful and aggressive.
I’ve also had to take a step back from physically being at The Whimsy Place. And that hurts more than I can explain.
Whimsy is part of my heart. I miss the children, the families, the everyday magic. I’m still guiding our vision and dreaming of what comes next, but right now my body gets a say in what I can do.
I’m endlessly grateful for our extraordinary team, who keep creating that magic when I can’t be there.
I’m not sharing this for sympathy. I’m sharing because we’ve built real bonds here, and because sometimes the person creating a place filled with joy is quietly carrying tremendous pain.
I miss feeling like myself. I’m scared. I’m sad. Some days I’m just trying to get through.
Thank you for loving Whimsy, supporting our team, and giving me the grace to be human through this season.
I love you all. 💕
