Honoring the Road Traveled and the Joy Ahead

As I approach my 40th birthday, I am reflecting on a journey marked by perseverance, growth, and resilience.

Over the past decade, I have balanced single motherhood, full-time employment, MBA coursework, and the challenges of living with an autoimmune disease. Each milestone — personal, academic, and professional — has been hard-earned and deeply meaningful.

I realized recently that despite all the important moments — graduations, achievements, and life milestones — I’ve never had a wedding, a honeymoon, or even a graduation party. There have been very few times in my life where anyone has truly celebrated me.

To celebrate this season of growth and usher in a new chapter, I am inviting friends, family, and supporters to contribute to a celebration fund.

Your support will help create lasting memories — whether through a special experience shared with my daughter or by investing in self-care and joy that has been long overdue.

This is not about need — it is about honoring perseverance, celebrating growth, and creating moments of happiness that recognize how far this journey has come.

If this is something you are not interested in, I would ask that you consider making a small donation in my name to The Sjögren’s Foundation at sjogrens.org. Your support in any form would mean the world to me.

Thank you for being part of this story. Your encouragement and belief have already meant more than words can say.