small town living in maryland

A New Chapter: Helping Students Shine

/ stlmaryland / Leave a comment

It’s been four months since I made the cross country move to Maryland, and what a whirlwind it’s been! I had hoped to start school, aka work, back in August, but a series of interview delays had me close to tears at times. Sometimes life has a funny way of testing your patience, but finally, everything aligned, and I was able to finally step into the interview process.

Starting a new position at any elementary school is both exciting and a little nerve-wracking. This is new territory for me since I’m used to being an Instructional Para, but every day is a chance to learn, grow, and sharpen my skills in my trade as a one on one Paraprofessional. Meeting new co-workers, connecting with students, and learning the ins and outs of this new environment will shape up to be an adventure I know I’ll be grateful for.

As for extra cash, DoorDash will be my little side gig, and just when needed, probably more during the summer months when school is out of session. It’s a small way to supplement my income without taking away from the focus I want to put into my work at the school.

Here’s to a successful school year filled with learning, laughter, and new connections (both with the students and my new colleagues). New beginnings are always a little scary, but there’s nothing quite like stepping into something that challenges you and helps you grow.

☕ Support the Journey

If this post resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele

🌾 A Day at Kincaid’s Ranch in South Jersey

/ stlmaryland / Leave a comment

The kids and I spent the day with our friends, Jim and Beth, at their beautiful ranch in Bridgeton, New Jersey, recently, and what a blast it was! It’s the kind of place that makes you instantly breathe a little deeper. Wide open land, blue skies stretching forever, and that peaceful South Jersey calm that stays with you long after you leave.

Their ranch produces soybeans, stretching across acres of rich soil that shimmered golden-green in the afternoon light. I’ve always admired the work that goes into growing something so simple yet so essential. All around the property were walnut trees (the big, old ones) dropping what looked like green tennis balls scattered across the ground. I had no clue they were walnuts at first until Jim laughed and explained it. The kids wasted no time turning them into a makeshift baseball game, cracking a few open in the process and learning something new without even realizing it.

The 4-wheeler rides were another highlight — the sound of laughter chasing behind them as they zipped along side the fields. And the kittens… they were plenty, each one friendlier than the last. It took every ounce of willpower to leave without one tucked in a jacket pocket.

We spent the afternoon talking, laughing, and soaking in that quiet, easy rhythm that comes with life on a ranch. My grandfather was a produce farmer in California, so I know and deeply admire the hard work and dedication it takes to run a farm. Watching Jim and Beth care for their land and crops reminded me of the same kind of heart and grit my grandfather carried — something that never leaves you once it’s in your roots.

Easily a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ afternoon of fun and laughter; the kind that fills your heart and reminds you why small-town life on the East Coast is something special.

☕ Support the Journey

If this post resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele

When the Universe Closes a Door, You Learn to Trust the Path

/ stlmaryland / Leave a comment

There was a time I wanted the Universe to give something back to me, a love I wasn’t ready to lose. I kept hoping the door that closed would open again. But it never did. And for a while, that hurt more than I could explain.

It took me a long time to realize maybe the Universe wasn’t being cruel. Maybe it was protecting me. Maybe it knew I needed time to find myself again, to stop pouring so much energy into trying to understand someone else and start putting that same energy into healing my own heart.

When your heart breaks, it changes you. It makes you look at things differently. You start to notice where you gave too much, where you accepted less than you deserved, and where you confused chaos for connection. You start to see how often you held on when you should’ve let go.

I used to think healing meant forgetting. Now I know it’s more about remembering, remembering who I was before I lost myself in someone else. It’s learning to sit with my feelings instead of running from them, to find peace in quiet moments, and to trust that every ending has a purpose, even when I can’t see it yet.

There are still days when I miss what I thought my life would look like. That’s okay. Healing doesn’t mean the memories stop showing up. It just means they don’t control you anymore.

Now, when a door closes, I don’t chase it. I pause. I breathe. I remind myself that not everything that ends is meant to be lost. Sometimes, it’s just the Universe making room for something better, peace, clarity, and a deeper kind of love that starts within me.

Trusting the path isn’t always easy. Some days, it’s just one step at a time. But even in the hardest moments, I can feel something bigger guiding me forward. And for now, that’s enough.

If a door has closed for you recently, maybe it’s not the ending it feels like. Maybe it’s the Universe quietly shifting things to protect your peace, even if you don’t understand why just yet. Be gentle with yourself while you wait for what’s next. Sometimes, the hardest goodbyes lead to the most peaceful beginnings.

☕ Support the Journey

If this post resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele

California Vacation Coming to an End

/ stlmaryland / Leave a comment
Having brunch with Aunt Sherie and the kids at Leo & Lily in Woodland Hills, CA.
Beautiful day at Seacliff Beach in Aptos, CA.
At Will Rogers State Beach in Malibu, CA

Our California vacation is coming to a close here shortly. We started off in Aptos, spending a few days relaxing at the beach and celebrating my brother’s 50th birthday. The ocean was calm and peaceful, and it gave us a chance to just slow down and enjoy some family time.

From there, I rented a car and we made the drive down to Los Angeles to see Grandma, who is turning 101 years old on Sunday. We stayed with our Aunt while we were there, which made it feel even more like family time.

Then today was the big drive up to my dad’s house in San Jose. What should have been a 5.5 hour drive turned into a long, tiring 7.5 hours instead. And of course, after all that driving, I still had to cook dinner for eight people because family still needs to eat.

Now it’s almost time to head back to Maryland, get the kids ready for school, and settle back into daily life. It’s been a full trip—long drives, family meals, celebrations, and plenty of memories to take home with us.

☕ Support the Journey

If this post resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele

The MVA Chronicles

/ stlmaryland / Leave a comment

✅ I’ve got my Maryland driver’s license
I’ve got my Maryland insurance… but it doesn’t start until August 20th, which means I can’t even make an MVA appointment until the 21st. One hoop at a time, right?

In the meantime, I figured I’d knock out the vehicle inspection. Easy. Or so I thought.

The inspection went just fine — until the guy pointed out a tiny rock chip in my windshield. One little nick from a road trip to Fort Bragg, California… in June of 2021. It’s been there for years with no issue, but in Maryland, that’s a fail.

So I drove straight to a local glass place. They charged me $97 to fill it — and honestly, it didn’t look like they did anything at all. No joke.

I took the receipt back to the inspector and showed him the “repair.” He squinted at it, then looked at me and said:

“They did a HORRIBLE job.”

😳

Then he smiled and said:

“But I’m not going to ding you for their mistake. You’re good. I’ll pass it.”

Welcome to small-town Maryland — where the rules are strict, the inspections are honest, and sometimes the guy behind the counter has enough heart to give you a break when it counts.

One more step closer to those Maryland plates. 🛻
One more day closer to not driving around with California plates like a lost tourist. 😅

☕ Support the Journey

If this post resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele

When the Universe Hits Pause: A Car, a Delay, and a Bigger Lesson…

/ stlmaryland / Leave a comment

Our car, which my daughter drives, has been sitting in Philadelphia since late Friday afternoon. That’s three days ago. Just 51 miles away. Close enough to reach, yet still out of reach. And every day that passes, it gets a little more frustrating.

We were expecting it to arrive by now. We planned, rearranged, and made space, emotionally and literally, for it to show up. But it hasn’t. It’s just been sitting there. No movement. No updates. Just… stillness.

And if I’m being honest, it’s taken everything in me to not let the frustration bubble over.

But here’s the thing I’ve come to realize in times like these: Sometimes the universe puts things on pause for a reason.

I don’t always understand why, and I won’t pretend I do now. But I’ve seen it enough in my life to recognize the pattern. When there’s a delay, when something doesn’t happen exactly when I want it to, it usually turns out that it was never supposed to.

Maybe this wait is protecting us. Maybe it’s redirecting us. Maybe it’s just slowing us down so something else can catch up.

Maybe that car, sitting in the city, is keeping us from a moment or a road or a situation we were never meant to cross paths with. AND maybe it’s not about the car at all.

Maybe it’s about trust.

And patience.

And letting go of control, even when everything inside of me wants to scream, “Just deliver my damn car already!”

So I’m sitting with it. All of it – the irritation, the surrender, the mystery. Because I know that even when things don’t make sense, there’s often something bigger at work. Something unseen.

And when the car does arrive? We’ll appreciate it a little more. Not just because we waited, but because we trusted the timing.

☕ Support the Journey:
If this post resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele