Brave Heart, Brave Soul. She who is brave is free.

  “True love doesn’t happen by accident. It’s deliberate, it’s intentional, it’s purposeful, and in the end...it’s worth it.” ~ Darleen Schachet  I used to think growing old together was some far-off place.  And when we arrived, we’d have it all together. Little did I know. At 22 the world was still so young and wild to me. The years couldn’t pass that quickly, could they? Oh yes, yes, they most certainly could. And they have.  I don’t know when it happened. Or how really. But life has flown by. That’s the thing about life though. Isn't it? It’s gone in the blink of an eye. One moment you’re 22 and welcoming your first baby into the world and the next you’re almost 50 and he’s no longer a baby, but a man of 26.   It’s crazy for me to think how young my husband and I were when we got married. Honestly, we were babies with no clue or idea how marriage worked. Or what becoming parents really required of us. We were simply in love. We said our “I dos” and becam...

It's crazy how quickly time flies! Just yesterday Joshua was turning 8 now he’s 18. How is it possible that was 10 years ago? Life was so much simpler back then it seemed. Johnny and I were still babies ourselves, the boys were holding on to 1 digit birthdays and thirty was a novelty. The early 2000’s was also long before words like breast cancer, autism or traumatic brain injury became a staple in in the Olachia household. Now some 10 years later we are preparing for Joshua to graduate high school, Micah is half way through the 10 th grade and Johnny and I are well past 40. It’s unbelievable how you just blink and life has suddenly raced ahead of you. Life has a way of moving forward whether you are ready or not. I’ve learned in my 40 plus years, you can’t hold it back and you can’t predict anything life has to offer or where it will ultimately take you, all you can do is buckle up and hold on. Life lesson #19: Raising boys to men… Life doesn’t come with a manual. It tak...

I can’t tell you how many times Johnny and I have been asked how we've raised such chill kids. To be honest, I’m never quite sure how to answer this question. Our boys are good kids, with big hearts and a view on life which many times are very different from their peers. Growing up in the shadow of cancer’s grip has a way of keeping life in perspective. Our family story is not unique; it’s just full of random chapters, out of order, which have ultimately shaped our views and perspectives. Johnny and I were both raised in small, close families. I was brought up as an only child, yet our home was full of people on any given day. My parents were in ministry so I learned early how to share, love unconditionally and to roll with the ups and downs. Johnny is simply a very easy going man with a big heart. From the time we were married we made the decision to bring our kids up in a way they would never fear us or doubt our love for them. To this day our dinner table is a place of la...