The holidays don’t come with a manual, especially when blended families, shared custody, and big emotions are involved.

In this episode, Jess and Jay unpack the real-life challenges of navigating family dynamics while keeping their children’s hearts at the center of it all. They share what it looks like to set aside their own expectations, embrace changing relationships, and create meaningful moments, even when circumstances aren’t ideal. With faith as the foundation and grace as the guide, Jess and Jay remind us that resilience, love, and connection can carry us through even the most complex seasons.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

00:18 - Finding Balance

09:38 - Returning to the Gym

23:49 - Navigating Christmas After Divorce

52:00 - Holiday Emotions and Family Dynamics

About Jess

Jess is a storyteller and seeker of meaningful connections in Texas by way of Baton Rouge, LA. Geaux Tigers! With a passion for humor and authenticity, she explores life’s complexities and embraces each experience with wild grace. You can find Jess rearranging her room for the third time this month, designing the perfect outfit for an upcoming rodeo, or hugging a friend for way too long! She has been married to her Texas farmer for eight years, and the two have blended a beautiful crew of five children, ages 12-19. You can hear all about their marriage and world over at their joint podcast, Moving On Again.

Together, the duo has set out to get ALL of the goodie from this life they have graciously been given! Deeper connections with themselves and others, an even stronger family, a bulletproof marriage, and a life you have to recover from in the end! Giddy up!

This week, Jess sits down with Emily Sharkey, key voice of the Shark Farmer media world, for a fast-paced, funny, and heartfelt conversation. Shark Farmer is a storytelling hub spotlighting the real, raw, and often hilarious lives of rural America, spanning podcasts, radio, TV, and a whole lot of Midwest charm. Em talks about career plot twists, the chaos-and-charm combo of motherhood, and the magic of embracing the unexpected.

Packed with plenty of laughs, real-talk moments, and a dash of “wait, how did we get here?”, this episode celebrates the messy, hilarious, heartwarming ride of figuring life out, with a little help from your people.

About Jess

Jess is a storyteller and seeker of meaningful connections in Texas by way of Baton Rouge, LA. Geaux Tigers! With a passion for humor and authenticity, she explores life’s complexities and embraces each experience with wild grace. You can find Jess rearranging her room for the third time this month, designing the perfect outfit for an upcoming rodeo, or hugging a friend for way too long! She has been married to her Texas farmer for eight years, and the two have blended a beautiful crew of five children, ages 12-19. You can hear all about their marriage and world over at their joint podcast, Moving On Again.

Together, the duo has set out to get ALL of the goodie from this life they have graciously been given! Deeper connections with themselves and others, an even stronger family, a bulletproof marriage, and a life you have to recover from in the end! Giddy up!

This week, Jess grabs the mic to take you right into the heart of her beautifully blended life, joined by her guest, co-parent, and husband, Jay. Together, they unpack the wonderfully weird dynamics of merging families, comparing their totally different upbringings and how those backgrounds still clash, or blend, into their everyday routines and parenting choices.

Jess gets real about what it’s been like learning to loosen her grip on control, while Jay tags in with his own take on navigating love, boundaries, and the chaos of step-parenting. Along the way, they share the surprisingly practical strategies, communication hacks, and mindset shifts that help stepparents and kids actually understand each other (or at least try to).

About Jess

Jess is a storyteller and seeker of meaningful connections in Texas by way of Baton Rouge, LA. Geaux Tigers! With a passion for humor and authenticity, she explores life’s complexities and embraces each experience with wild grace. You can find Jess rearranging her room for the third time this month, designing the perfect outfit for an upcoming rodeo, or hugging a friend for way too long! She has been married to her Texas farmer for eight years, and the two have blended a beautiful crew of five children, ages 12-19. You can hear all about their marriage and world over at their joint podcast, Moving On Again.

Together, the duo has set out to get ALL of the goodie from this life they have graciously been given! Deeper connections with themselves and others, an even stronger family, a bulletproof marriage, and a life you have to recover from in the end! Giddy up!