Do not fear the flames—for it is in the ashes that life begins again.
Welcome. I’m Emily.
I’m a mother of seven, raised in the woods of Mississippi and shaped by both stillness and movement. Ash and Bloom is where I gather the stories of motherhood, burnout and starting again—finding the gentle truths, hope in the quiet, meaning in the mess and grace in the details.
Please grab a seat and stay a while.
From the Journal
“The Burning Comes First”
I used to think healing would come quietly. That if I was faithful enough, gentle enough, good enough—the hard things would melt away in time. That I could sidestep the pain if I prayed right. That I could outrun the unraveling by working harder, loving better, managing more. But it doesn’t work like that. Healing is not soft at first.
It’s fire.
“Bless This Boat and the Bird That Tried to Warn Us”
We set out to make memories and bring home scallops. What we got instead was a sinking boat, a snack-fueled survival scenario, and a peacock that definitely tried to warn us. A story of chaos, kids, and learning to laugh when the rails come off—literally.
“The Night I Listened”
One night, a whisper interrupted my bedtime prayer:
“Fire.”
Only, it wasn’t my thought--but it may have saved our lives. This is the story of a glowing figure, a gas leak, and the moment I stopped doubting my intuition—and started listening instead.