In this episode of Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected, Amanda sits down with Jasmine, a homeschooling mom and medical mother whose oldest daughter lives with Smith-Kingsmore syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that has brought significant medical challenges, developmental delays, feeding difficulties, and a severe seizure disorder.

Jasmine shares the story of her family, the journey toward receiving a diagnosis, and what life really looks like raising a child with complex medical needs. She opens up about the uncertainty, heartbreak, advocacy, and resilience that have shaped her family’s path.

In Part 1, we discuss:

• The dreams and expectations Jasmine had before motherhood
• The first signs that something might be different with her daughter
• The long road to receiving answers and a diagnosis
• What Smith-Kingsmore syndrome looks like in everyday life
• Navigating medical emergencies and ongoing care needs
• The realities of medical motherhood that many people never see
• Advocacy, resilience, and learning to adapt to the unexpected
• What she wishes doctors, therapists, educators, and others understood about families like hers

This conversation offers an honest look at life behind the appointments, therapies, hospital visits, and daily caregiving responsibilities that come with raising a medically complex child.

Join us next week for Part 2 as Jasmine shares more about her daughter beyond the diagnosis, sibling relationships, a second diagnosis in the family, and the hope that has carried them through some of their hardest seasons.

If this episode encouraged you, please follow, share, and leave a review to help more families discover stories of hope and resilience.

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After a two-week break from the podcast, I’m back with unexpected lessons from Odyssey of the Mind World Finals.

What started as a trip to support my children quickly became a powerful reminder of what it means to grow through challenges, face fears, embrace teamwork, and keep moving forward when things don’t go as planned.

In this episode, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes reality of World Finals—the sacrifices, setbacks, victories, and moments of courage that most people never see. We’ll talk about confidence, resilience, medical motherhood, homeschooling, entrepreneurship, and why success isn’t always measured by trophies or outcomes.

Whether you’re raising children, navigating a medical journey, pursuing a dream, or simply trying to make it through a difficult season, this episode is a reminder that rising often happens long before anyone notices.

In this episode:• The hidden work behind every success story• What Odyssey of the Mind taught me about courage• Why confidence comes after action, not before• The power of teamwork and community• How growth can matter more than winning• What “rising through the unexpected” really means

If you’ve ever felt discouraged, overwhelmed, or uncertain about your next step, this episode is for you.

Because sometimes the greatest victory isn’t winning.

Sometimes the greatest victory is becoming the person who was brave enough to try.

As I watched students solve problems, overcome setbacks, and keep moving forward under pressure, I couldn’t help but see the same lessons I’ve learned through medical motherhood, NICU life, adoption, caregiving, and building Holyoaks Rise. Sometimes growth isn’t measured by the outcome. Sometimes it’s measured by who you’re becoming along the way.

This experience reminded me that resilience isn’t built when everything goes right. It’s built in the moments when things don’t go according to plan and you choose to keep showing up anyway.

Subscribe, follow, and share with someone who needs encouragement today.

Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected

Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

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When we got married 16 years ago, we had plans.

What we didn’t plan for were five kids, a NICU journey, foster care, adoption, complex medical diagnoses, countless appointments, sleepless nights, unexpected detours, and all the ways life would rewrite our story.

In this special anniversary bonus episode, my husband and I sit down together to look back on sixteen years of marriage and the plot twists that shaped our family. We share funny memories, hard seasons, lessons learned, and the moments that reminded us that even when life doesn’t go according to plan, there is still joy to be found.

Whether you’re navigating marriage, parenting, medical challenges, adoption, or simply the unexpected turns life brings, we hope this conversation encourages you to keep showing up, keep loving well, and keep rising through the unexpected.

Because sometimes the best parts of the story are the chapters we never saw coming.

In this episode:• How our expectations compared to reality• The biggest plot twists of the last 16 years• Lessons we’ve learned about marriage through difficult seasons• Humor, survival mode, and finding joy in the chaos• Why we wouldn’t trade this journey for anything

If this episode resonates with you, please follow, share, and leave a review. It helps more families discover stories of hope and resilience.

Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected

Topics discussed include marriage, parenting, medical motherhood, NICU life, foster care, adoption, resilience, survival mode, family life, and navigating unexpected life challenges.

Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

I8h8