Every adventure begins with a moment—small, almost forgettable—when something inside us whispers that life is about to shift. Sometimes it’s a choice. Sometimes it’s a chance. And sometimes it’s simply the feeling that the ground beneath us is nudging us forward, asking us to trust what we can’t yet see.

In today’s episode, I’m inviting you into one of those journeys. It’s a story shaped by curiosity, by the unexpected, and by the quiet bravery it takes to follow a path without knowing where it leads. Along the way, there are detours, discoveries, and the kind of moments that stay with us long after the adventure ends.

So settle in. Let’s step into this together—one breath, one mile, one unfolding moment at a time.

• (00:00:01) - What I Learned From Camping With My Ex-Husband
• (00:08:38) - What I Wish I Knew About Backpacking
• (00:18:32) - Camping at the Grand Canyon
• (00:20:55) - Backpacking Trips

Looking Ahead: The Future of Milkweed and Monarchs

• (00:00:01) - No More Milkweed and Monarchs Podcast

Some stories arrive softly, and others enter our lives like a storm — disorienting, humbling, and transformative all at once. When my daughters first came to the United States, we stepped into a season filled with new language, new routines, and new fears we didn’t yet have words for. Those early days were tender and chaotic, threaded with moments that tested my resolve and revealed just how much courage two young girls carried inside them.

In today’s episode, I’m taking you back to those first weeks — to the dentist visits that shook us, the school moments that pushed me into full mama‑bear mode, and the unexpected lessons that taught all three of us what it means to belong to one another. These stories aren’t polished. They’re real, vulnerable, and foundational to who we became as a family.

So settle in. This is a chapter about resilience, advocacy, and the quiet beginnings of trust — the early days with our girls.

• (00:00:01) - The Journey of Bringing a Daughter to the US
• (00:08:45) - The Romanian school system's failure to help parents
• (00:18:12) - An American Parent's role in teaching her daughter to swim