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This episode takes a little break from our Hudson Month "Meet Baby Dub" book reading to bring something that's been on my heart since summer 2026 into focus. I actually started writing this one back in June and never finished it... which, as it turns out, is kind of perfect, because I had no idea how the story was going to end. What you'll hear in this episode: The 12U All-Stars journey — My son Anson's team hadn't won a tournament game in years. Two games, two L's, go home — every single year. But this year felt different, and I take you through the whole wild ride, starting with a tough 2-0 loss in game one. A prayer from my journal: Back in May, I wrote down a prayer asking God for victory, success, and an incomparable experience for these boys. When that first game was an L, I had to wrestle with what "answered prayer" really looks like. Coach Dad goes down, a comeback game, and Triumph Stories The tension of unanswered prayer — I don't want to retrofit every disappointment into a neat "God answered it, just differently" bow. Sometimes the story goes somewhere you couldn't have written ahead of time. Sometimes you're still disappointed. And that's where we live — in the tension. Scripture referenced: John 16:33 — "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." The real question: Not just "what triumph story do you need to write today?" — but "what triumph story have you already lived that didn't end the way you thought it would?" Go back and revisit it. You might be surprised by what you see now that you couldn't see while you were in it. Until next time — work hard, mom harder, love hardest, and let's go change the world.

'Cuz I'm almost out of hosting space on my account this is going to be the last podcast for July.  But that doesn't mean you can't support our Hudson's Heroes fundraising efforts!  Buy the book on Amazon! Run a 5K and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder!  You can also donate directly by clicking here.

A quick fun one!  Can you believe I was talking about iPhone 5 in this episode? Sheesh. This was recorded on my 2 year old iPhone 16 LOL. Buy the book on Amazon if you want to see pictures of Hudson! Run a 5K this weekend use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. You can also donate directly by clicking here.

One entry and a longer ramble about the book of Esther and how even when God isn't mentioned, He's working. I meant to say this when I recorded it (I thought it while on a walk) - God doesn't need credit.  More links I made sure to include:  Buy the book on Amazon  One final weekend left to run a 5K and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. You can also donate directly by clicking here.

We finally had the birthday cake for Hudson with family today. I had high expectations of myself and my ability to communicate very deep and loving things to the people who carried us through those tough weeks after Hudson died. But I was basically a shell of a human. And sometimes you just have only that much to give.  I'm realizing how much of our experience with Hudson has been sanded down to only reveal the uplifting, the 'what we get because of her' stuff instead of the 'what we don't get and were robbed of' angle. And maybe its heavier than I'm realizing, or maybe I'm just exhausted from the day I had. Either way I felt like these show notes were important to include something about the fact that you can be both - both angry and hopeful, totally zoned out but still a good parent, great at loving your family but bad on this particular day with words. This is the more eloquent way of saying what I ramble on for 5 minutes about at the end of today's episode. But hopefully you're still enjoying the listen. I'm so grateful for the support. More links I made sure to include:  Buy the book on Amazon  Run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. Donate directly by clicking here.

How am I having LESS time on non-play days to get to this than on play days? This one recorded in my car waiting for groceries + on the drive home... safety first. Buy the book on Amazon if you want to see pictures of Hudson! Run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. You can also donate directly by clicking here.

...complete with random closet-floor musings, I present to you the 20th day in a row of publishing a podcast episode!  I don't have to come up with new content, but I do have to read content I wrote in some of the saddest days of my life. And you're listening to it, you brave souls!  Buy the book on Amazon  Run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. Donate directly by clicking here.

Another day of Disney's Newsies means this is another shortie episode, just ONE little snippet from the Meet Baby Dub book for you. Suspense killin' ya? Wish you could get your hands on the whole shebang, plus pics? Buy the book on Amazon and you can read the whole thing in one sitting (or just have it and donate to a great cause)! You can also run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. Speaking of which, you can also donate directly by clicking here.

Can you believe we are still doing this? Haven't missed day.  Buy the book on Amazon if you want to see pictures of Hudson! Run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. Speaking of which, you can also donate directly by clicking here.

Hudson Month continues with a few quick memories that I had forgotten... and some musings on how, even when we face the worst things and think we're going to have a totally reframed perspective, life still lifes. A little grace for you if you're in a season where life is lifin' you. Buy the book on Amazon if you want to see pictures of Hudson! Run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. Speaking of which, you can also donate directly by clicking here.

Our Hudson Month read-through of the Meet Baby Dub book continues, this time with a short detour into the heavy world of 'what if.'  What if I hadn't gotten the epidural? What if I had accepted the suggestion of a C-section sooner? What if I hadn't let people in the labor room while I was having contractions? What if is dangerous territory, territory I don't like to hang out in too long. So we kept today short, and we'll be back and perhaps a bit lengthier tomorrow. Until then - work hard mom harder love HARDEST. We are changing the world, bit by bit. Buy the book on Amazon if you want to see pictures of Hudson! Run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. Speaking of which, you can also donate directly by clicking here.

Today I finish reading the descriptions I captured of Hudson and the memories that were just a few slivers of her 3 short days on earth. I also share where I am today, 14 years later... reading the Book of Job on the anniversary of the worst day of my life, and finding it anything but a coincidence. If you're in a season where you don't understand, this one's for you. Look for your miracle today. Work hard, mom harder, love hardest. Buy the book on Amazon if you want to see pictures of Hudson! Run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. Speaking of which, you can also donate directly by clicking here.

I wrote a better description but alas. Libsyn ate it. And I'm not going back. Here's what you should know. Hudson dying is the worst thing that has happened in my life. And yet even in this devastating loss, there is beauty. And in this short episode I'm reminded of so many things that I had written about in the moment so I wouldn't forget. So I'm grateful that even in the devastation writing was an escape, that has blessed me with little nuggets I'd let fade over time. Until tomorrow, which was maybe a better day 14 years ago, maybe not...  work hard, mom harder, love hardest. Buy the book on Amazon if you want to see pictures of Hudson! Run a 5K ANY TIME in July and use the #hudsonsheroesrunners + tag me @workhardmomharder! I'm running one every weekend and donating the 'race fees' to the Forget-Me-Not Program. Speaking of which, you can also donate directly by clicking here.

Choking up a little closing today, so I'm keeping this bad boy short. More amazing memories, ones I'd forgotten... ones you'll love to hear.

Hudson's feet. Her hands. The Red Sox socks. This episode captures some of my favorite little parts of our sweet girl, first impressions, first texts from my husband during the agonizing wait to get to her in the NICU.  As Hudson Month continues, grab your hankies and prepare to contribute in whatever way makes sense to you: Support the Forget Me Not Program: A portion of every book sale goes directly to the Forget Me Not Foundation. You can also make a tax-deductible donation directly here:  Donate to the Forget Me Not Program Buy the Meet Baby Dub Book: Want to follow along and see all the pictures? Grab your copy on Amazon:  Buy Meet Baby Dub on Amazon Work hard, mom harder, love hardest. See you tomorrow.