Melissa Godinez
Melissa is an Air Force spouse who enjoyed 13 years living along the I-35 corridor in North Dakota, Louisiana, and Texas. The Air Force gods finally broke her free of the Central Time zone this summer and sent the family to Hawaii - just five weeks after baby #4 arrived! She works remotely for a non-profit in Louisiana as the Director of Technology and Strategic Operations and is currently pursuing her Project Management certification. Her oldest son (age 9) has Down Syndrome, and her oldest daughter (age 7) has an undiagnosed genetic disorder, so there are a lot of therapy and medical appointments; however, the chaos is balanced with weekly trips to the beach, hikes, and trying new restaurants.
77 Days for Safe Water: The Hawaiian Water Crisis
77 days.
This was the number of days that we couldn’t drink the water in our home, and the crisis has not ended for many.
If you know anyone in Hawaii, it is all you talk...
My Broken Ankle Taught Me To Ask For Help
“You have got to stand up and go to bed,” my husband said, standing outside the bathroom door.
“No. Just let me sit here. I can’t get up,” I replied as I sniffled between tears.
I...
A Lot of Coffee and Dash of Humor: A Day with a Work From...
3:00 am
Wake up five-year-old so that she can go potty. We went ages with zero accidents, but suddenly, we need a mid-sleep potty break. Why? I don’t have a flipping clue.
4:15 am
Alarm goes off....
You Changed My Life: An Ode to My Son
You Changed My Life
These were the last words that we ever expected to hear…
“I’m sorry, but your son has Down Syndrome. I know there is a lot to fear.”
“Do you see him?” she whispered...
Early Saturdays Are Worth It For This Ballerina
“8:00 am on a Saturday?!?” I asked incredulously.
As my friend reassured me that she really enjoyed getting her daughter out the door for soccer, I just assumed that either she was lying to me...
Boring is Good (If You Are a Military Family)
It was just a regular weekend.
We cleaned the house, ran to Target, took our four-year-old to ballet class, and went out for lunch. There are probably a million other families that had the exact...
I Couldn’t Do This Without Him
My husband and I are admittedly crazy. To be honest, it is really me, in particular. But my husband unabashedly encourages it.
Me: “So, I don’t think I’m going to drop out of the Master’s Program”...
Redefining Failure
“I need to withdraw from the program.”
These are words that my brain would not have even considered in 2019 because I thrive on craziness.
To illustrate my love of craziness: last year my daughter had...
Funny Parenting Moments: Gambling on a Fart…and Losing
We all have our funny parenting moments. The anecdotes that make the rounds at family gatherings; the ones we still giggle about years later. They may not seem humorous at the time, but these...
It Is Really Going to Be OK – Surf and Life Lessons
Ten years ago I found out I was having my first son. I imagined weekends at birthday parties, baseball games, and spending time with the other moms while our kids played.
Then one sentence shattered...
Waiting for a Pineapple Assignment
Everyone has a "dream base". That one base that seems so unrealistic actually to get, but it is everything you want. For us it was Hawaii.
Of course, my husband's career field gave us about a...
How a Birthday Party Taught Me About Acceptance and Love
In the early part of my adult life, if someone had asked me to define love, I may have spent an absurd amount of time thinking about cute dates, beautiful weddings, and my friends...