Life takes us down winding roads — sharp turns, unexpected curves, long stretches of smooth pavement, and sometimes a few potholes along the way. I’ve traveled all of them. And what I can say, with a full and grateful heart, is this: life keeps moving forward in both beautiful and challenging ways.
One thing I know for sure — without this wild, resilient, compassionate food allergy community and the lifelong friendships it brought into my life, the journey would have been much harder… and far less joyful. Dare I say, even a little boring.
And so here we are.
At this very moment, I’m bringing Gratefulfoodie back to life — with a twist.
A New Season
My two children are now adults. Well… mostly. One has a fully developed brain at 27, and the other — at 22 — is still proudly “in progress.” (Science tells us the brain develops until 25, so I’m holding onto that one just a bit longer.)
Our life with food allergies and asthma looks different now. The daily management baton has been passed. They carry epinephrine. They ask the questions. They navigate menus. They advocate for themselves.
And yet…
My life feels both the same and entirely new at the same time.
Because while the logistics have changed, the love has not.
What Gratefulfoodie Will Be Now
Gratefulfoodie will continue to share:
- Medically vetted resources
- Thoughtful recipes
- Encouragement
- The wins
- The whoops
- And the very real imperfections of life
But this next chapter will also focus on something new.
It’s for the women who have raised children with food allergies or other chronic health conditions and are now stepping into the next phase of life. The women who have poured themselves into caregiving, advocacy, education, and protection — and are now quietly asking, What about me?
Our unconditional love for our families and this community did not end when the baton was passed. Many of my closest friends are fellow allergy moms — and allies — people who love our families fiercely and continue to show up with support and strength.
But here’s my truth:
Handing off the baton didn’t shrink my heart.
It expanded it.
Growing Into Joy and Health
My heart has grown into something wider — into eating for joy and health, into tending to my own well-being, into putting my health back near the top of the list.
That realization still surprises me.
After years of managing labels, appointments, emergency plans, and advocacy work, I am learning what it feels like to care for myself with the same devotion I gave my children.
And it turns out, the heart keeps stretching.
The Mission Continues
The need to educate, advocate, and support families navigating food allergies isn’t slowing down. Even as groundbreaking treatments and evolving management options emerge, so does the ongoing need for compassion, clarity, and community.
This world now includes conversations around Alpha-Gal, FPIES, Mast Cell Diseases, asthma, and so much more. Our community continues to grow and evolve — and so will this space.
Gratefulfoodie is not just coming back.
It’s growing up.
With gratitude.
With wisdom.
With a few more laugh lines.
And with the same fierce love for this community.
Thank you for being here — again, or for the very first time.
We’re just getting started.
How’ve you been?
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..