"Married Shmaried" | Falling for a Married Woman, Coming Out & Our Rocky Beginning

“Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater?" | Breakups, Jealousy & Finding Our Way Back

In this episode, we finish the story of how we got together—and honestly, it’s a miracle we made it. After breaking up, moving to different cities, dating other people, making questionable decisions, and repeatedly finding our way back to each other, we finally share the messy middle of our love story. This is the chapter where long-distance, jealousy, bad timing, and a whole lot of emotional confusion collide. We talk about what happened after Ryann moved to St. Louis, why staying friends after a breakup was way more complicated than we expected, and the relationships we both explored while trying to figure out who we were and what we wanted. From Pride hookups and dating apps to awkward dinners, jealousy, heartbreak, and setting boundaries, this episode is a raw look at how complicated love can be when you're still figuring yourself out. We also reflect on the lessons we've learned about commitment, communication, emotional infidelity, cheating, forgiveness, and why relationships aren't nearly as black and white as people like to pretend they are. Looking back nearly 20 years later, we're the first to admit that if someone told us this story today, we'd probably tell them to run. Somehow, despite all the red flags, confusion, and chaos, we found our way back to each other and built the life we have today. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next, and find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thestoriesweleaveyou/] to be part of the conversation. We’d love to hear your questions! Julie is a podcast manager who helps people tell the stories they’ve been too scared to share. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast… this is your sign. Home - Julie Beck LLC [https://juliebeckllc.com/]

"Married Shmaried" | Falling for a Married Woman, Coming Out & Our Rocky Beginning

In this episode, we’re finally telling the full story of how we got together—and spoiler alert: it was messy. What started as a friendship through a summer job turned into flirting, late-night conversations, complicated feelings, and a relationship that definitely didn’t take the easy road. We take you back to 2006 and 2007, when we first met working at summer camp, became friends, and eventually found ourselves developing feelings for each other under less-than-ideal circumstances. We talk honestly about navigating attraction, coming out, marriage, divorce, guilt, heartbreak, and all the bad decisions we made along the way. If you've ever looked back at your younger self and thought, "What the hell was I doing?" this episode will probably feel familiar. We also dive into the reality of ending a long-term relationship, grieving a marriage even when you know it's the right decision, and the complicated emotions that come with discovering your identity later than expected. From awkward first dates and emotional conversations to breakups, moving away, and questioning everything, this is the beginning of a love story that almost didn't survive its first chapter. This episode is part one of our relationship origin story—a raw, honest look at how two very imperfect people somehow found their way to each other. There are plenty of laughs, a little cringe, and more than a few moments where we wonder how we're still together nearly twenty years later. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next, and find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thestoriesweleaveyou/] to be part of the conversation. We’d love to hear your questions! Julie is a podcast manager who helps people tell the stories they’ve been too scared to share. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast… this is your sign. Home - Julie Beck LLC [https://juliebeckllc.com/]

"Sad Little Pancakes" | Big Boobs, Breastfeeding & Body Image at Every Size

In this episode, we’re talking about boobs—loving them, hating them, feeding babies with them, and in Ryann’s case, getting rid of them altogether. What starts as a funny conversation about aging bodies and “sad little pancake boobs” quickly turns into a deeper discussion about breastfeeding struggles, body image, gender dysphoria, and the complicated relationships we can have with our bodies. Julie opens up about her experiences trying to breastfeed all four of their children, the emotional toll of pumping for years, postpartum struggles, tongue ties, feeding specialists, formula guilt, and donating breast milk to other families. The conversation explores the pressure many parents feel around infant feeding and the reality that sometimes the “natural” thing doesn’t come naturally at all. Ryann shares what it was like growing up with an extremely large chest, the physical pain and limitations that came with it, and the journey from wanting a breast reduction to ultimately realizing top surgery was the right decision. Together, they discuss body image, gender identity, chest dysphoria, breast reduction versus top surgery, and how differently people can feel about the same body part. This episode is funny, honest, emotional, and surprisingly relatable—whether you’ve breastfed, formula fed, struggled with body image, considered surgery, or just have complicated feelings about your own body. It’s a conversation about expectations, identity, and learning to make peace with the body you’re living in. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next, and find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thestoriesweleaveyou/] to be part of the conversation. We’d love to hear your questions! Julie is a podcast manager who helps people tell the stories they’ve been too scared to share. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast… this is your sign. Home - Julie Beck LLC [https://juliebeckllc.com/]

"Luckily They Weren't D*cks" | Meeting My Half-Sister, Deadbeat Dads & Family Reunions

In part two of this unexpected family story, we finally meet the half-sister Julie discovered through a DNA testing website—and things get even more emotional. After weeks of processing the shock of learning she existed, Julie shares what it was like preparing to meet her 16-year-old sister for the very first time. From the nerves and overthinking leading up to the visit, to instantly clicking during a chaotic birthday weekend with kids, reptiles, and family dinners, this episode captures the strange mix of emotions that comes with building a relationship with someone who is technically family… but also still a complete stranger. We also dive into one of the hardest parts of the entire experience: bringing her sister to meet their biological father in the hospital. Julie opens up about the anxiety of seeing her dad again after years of no contact, the complicated feelings surrounding his addiction and abusive past, and the painful reality of watching her sister realize in real time that their father still seems emotionally disconnected. This episode explores the emotional fallout of abandonment, the long-term impact of toxic family dynamics, and the complicated question of whether people who hurt us should ever truly be held accountable. Throughout the conversation, we talk about therapy, emotional processing, family trauma, and the unexpected responsibility that can come with discovering a sibling later in life. There’s humor, awkwardness, honesty, and a lot of reflection about what family actually means when biology, abandonment, and healing all collide at once. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next, and find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thestoriesweleaveyou/] to be part of the conversation. We’d love to hear your questions! Julie is a podcast manager who helps people tell the stories they’ve been too scared to share. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast… this is your sign. Home - Julie Beck LLC [https://juliebeckllc.com/]

"Your Dad Was a Big Old Slut" | DNA Tests, Half-Siblings & Family Secrets Revealed

In this episode, we share one of the wildest plot twists our family has experienced so far: finding out Julie has a 16-year-old half-sister she never knew existed. What started as a casual search into ancestry and possible Canadian citizenship quickly turned into a shocking DNA discovery through AncestryDNA. We talk through the moment the “half-sister” match appeared, the emotional spiral that followed, and the complicated reality of learning your estranged, drug-addicted father secretly had another child. As the story unfolds, we dive into the messy emotions surrounding family secrets, generational trauma, addiction, and what happens when DNA testing changes someone’s entire identity overnight. Julie opens up about her dad’s history with addiction, infidelity, and abandonment, while also navigating the guilt, curiosity, anger, and hope that come with suddenly gaining a sibling later in life. We also talk about the emotional weight of meeting a biological sibling for the first time, how this impacts existing family relationships, and the unexpected way this discovery may force Julie to finally confront her father again after years of no contact. This episode is part family mystery, part emotional processing, and part “this sounds fake but somehow it’s real.” From awkward Facebook stalking and therapy breakthroughs to preparing for an emotional first meeting, this conversation explores how complicated family connections can be—and how DNA tests can completely rewrite the story you thought you knew about your life. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Follow the show so you don’t miss what’s next, and find us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thestoriesweleaveyou/] to be part of the conversation. We’d love to hear your questions! Julie is a podcast manager who helps people tell the stories they’ve been too scared to share. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast… this is your sign. Home - Julie Beck LLC [https://juliebeckllc.com/]