Finding Joy, Grace, and Strength in the Hard Seasons of Motherhood

When Moms Build More Than Families

What happens when one mom decides to stop waiting for someone else to make a difference? In this episode of Long Days, Big Love, Audrey sits down with friend, nurse practitioner, and philanthropist Amy Fleming, co-founder of 412 Gives Back. What started as a simple desire to build community after moving to Pittsburgh has grown into a movement that's raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local families and organizations. Amy shares the story behind 412 Gives Back, the magic of their kid-powered lemonade stands, and why they believe every dollar raised should directly impact the people who need it most. Together, Audrey and Amy talk about motherhood, volunteering, Make-A-Wish, the incredible work of the Children's Home of Pittsburgh, and the power of ordinary families coming together to create extraordinary change. This conversation is a reminder that community isn't something you find—it's something you build. In this episode, we discuss: * How motherhood led to a life of service * The founding story of 412 Gives Back * Why "kids giving back to kids" matters * The life-changing impact of Make-A-Wish * Supporting medically complex children and their families * Building a nonprofit from the ground up * Finding purpose through showing up for your community Whether you're a parent, volunteer, or someone looking for a little hope, this episode will leave you believing that small acts of kindness can create a lasting legacy. "Because when ordinary families come together, extraordinary things happen."

Finding Joy, Grace, and Strength in the Hard Seasons of Motherhood

What happens when life doesn't look the way you expected—and somehow becomes even more beautiful? In this deeply personal episode, Audrey shares an honest reflection on motherhood, marriage, raising a child with profound disabilities, navigating perimenopause, and finding joy in the middle of life's longest days. She explores the reality that the hardest part isn't necessarily special needs parenting—it's choosing love through exhaustion, overwhelm, grief, uncertainty, and the everyday chaos of family life.  From tag-teaming parenting responsibilities with her husband to raising four children with very different needs, Audrey opens up about what "big love" really means—and why the most meaningful moments often happen during the seasons that stretch us the most.  If you're a parent feeling overwhelmed, a caregiver navigating a difficult season, a woman experiencing the realities of midlife, or someone simply trying to hold it all together, this episode is for you. In this episode:  • The truth about parenting a child with significant disabilities  • Why love is easiest when life is easy—and most important when it isn't  • Marriage, partnership, and surviving the chaos together  • The emotional realities of perimenopause and motherhood after 40  • Learning to embrace seasons of life instead of fighting them  • Finding joy, gratitude, and purpose in the everyday moments  • Why controlling yourself matters more than controlling your circumstances No perfection. No filters. Just real conversations about family, resilience, and choosing love again and again. If this episode resonates with you, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with someone who may need this reminder today. #Motherhood #SpecialNeedsParenting #AutismParenting #DisabilityAdvocacy #Perimenopause #WomenOver40 #ParentingPodcast #MarriageAndFamily #CaregiverLife #SpecialNeedsMom #MentalHealth #FamilyLife #InclusionMatters #LongDaysBigLove #Podcast

Inclusion Isn’t Hard: Building a Place for Every Child | Featuring Coach Mike of Fitness for Focus

What if inclusion wasn’t something complicated—but something we simply chose to make available? In this episode of Long Days, Big Love, Audrey sits down with Coach Mike of Fitness for Focus in Wexford to talk about building spaces where every child belongs. Together, they reflect on the journey that brought Fitness for Focus and The Michael Mackie Project together and the shared mission of creating inclusive, adaptive opportunities for children and young adults of all abilities.  From the growth of Hoops & High Fives to expanding adaptive sports programming through Michael’s Victory Players, this conversation explores what happens when communities stop focusing on limitations and start creating possibilities. Audrey and Coach Mike discuss confidence, movement, friendship, learning through mistakes, and why inclusion doesn’t require perfection—it just requires opportunity. You’ll hear: *  The story behind Fitness for Focus and its inclusive approach to fitness  *  Why adaptive and unified sports matter beyond physical activity  *  How sports build confidence, independence, and connection  *  The impact of bringing neurotypical and adaptive athletes together  *  What’s next for Hoops & High Fives and adaptive football programming  Whether you're a parent, educator, coach, advocate, or someone who believes every child deserves a chance to participate—this episode is for you.  Because every kid deserves a victory. #LongDaysBigLove #MichaelMackieProject #FitnessForFocus #AdaptiveSports #InclusionMatters #UnifiedSports #Parenting #SpecialNeeds #Community #DisabilityInclusion

Navigating Motherhood Through Grief

In this heartfelt episode of Long Day’s Big Love, I sit down with my longtime friend Traci Kovacic-Stein to talk about grief, motherhood, special needs parenting, and finding purpose through life’s hardest moments. Traci shares the sudden loss of her husband at just 32 years old, raising two young children through unimaginable grief, and the terrifying accident that nearly took her daughter’s life. We also discuss parenting children with epilepsy, planning for the future of special needs families, and why financial protection matters more than most people realize. This is a conversation about resilience, faith, motherhood, and learning how to keep going when life looks nothing like you planned.

Becoming Everything for Everyone Else

Motherhood, marriage, identity, and the quiet chaos in between—this episode is an honest reflection on what it means to love your life while sometimes feeling a little lost inside it. I’m sharing the reality of becoming “the unit” in my family—the scheduler, the planner, the emotional center, and the keeper of all the moving parts. From managing four kids, therapies, sports, dinner plans, and everyday overstimulation, to navigating marriage, special needs parenting, and the identity shifts that come with it all, this episode is deeply personal. I open up about raising my son Michael, his epilepsy and autism diagnosis, and how those moments reshaped not only our family, but my marriage with my husband, Pat. We talk about communication, expectations, quiet guilt, comparison, and learning to accept that our version of “more” may look different than everyone else’s. But in the middle of all the noise, there’s also growth—patience, faith, laughter, resilience, and rediscovering the parts of yourself you thought were gone. This podcast is becoming one of those pieces for me—a creative space to reconnect with myself—and I hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone in your own journey. Because sometimes, you can love your life and still be searching for yourself inside it