Personal Development

A space to help you grow in self-love, master your mindset, and manifest the life you deserve through daily motivation and positive habits.

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My name is Jena, and I’m a 51-year-old woman blessed to be married to my best friend and the proud mom of five beautiful children. Life has given me love, lessons, and more than a few challenges along the way — and through it all, I’ve learned one unshakable truth: you are never too old, too busy, or too far gone to grow into the best version of yourself.

  • When You Wake Up Already Behind ☕

    Some mornings start before your feet even hit the floor. The alarm goes off, and your brain is already running the list: the email you didn’t answer, the laundry that’s been “almost folded” since Thursday, the call you keep meaning to make, the thing you said yesterday that you’re still replaying.

    You haven’t even had coffee yet, and you already feel like you’re losing.

    Can I be honest? I know that feeling better than I’d like to admit. There are mornings I lie there and think, Lord, I’m tired before this day has even started. Not sleepy tired. The other kind. The kind that comes from carrying everything, for everybody, all the time.

    And here’s what I’ve noticed about those mornings: the heaviness almost never comes from the day itself. It comes from yesterday’s leftovers and tomorrow’s worries, both crowding into a morning that hasn’t done a thing wrong yet.

    Today hasn’t failed you

    Read that again, because I needed to hear it too. This day is brand new. It hasn’t disappointed you. It hasn’t let anybody down. It’s just sitting there, fresh, waiting for you to show up as you are.

    “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

    I used to read that as a pretty verse for a coffee mug. Now I read it as a lifeline. It doesn’t say His mercies are new every morning once you’ve caught up. It doesn’t say once the dishes are done and your inbox is at zero. New. Every. Morning. Including the ones where you wake up feeling like a mess.

    That means you don’t have to earn your way into today. You get to start it with grace already in hand.

    So what do we do with that on a Monday?

    Here’s what’s been helping me, and none of it is fancy.

    I stop before I scroll. The minute I pick up my phone, I’m letting everybody else’s needs and highlight reels set the tone for my day. So I give myself two minutes first. Sometimes it’s a prayer. Sometimes it’s just, “Okay, God. It’s me again. Help.”

    I pick one thing. Not ten. One. What’s the one thing that, if I got it done today, would make me feel like I moved forward? That’s my win. Everything else is a bonus.

    I let yesterday stay in yesterday. If I dropped the ball, I can pick it back up today, but I don’t have to carry the guilt of dropping it along with me. Those are two different loads, and only one of them is mine to carry.

    I remind myself that “behind” is usually a measurement somebody else made up. Behind who? Behind what schedule? A lot of the pressure I feel isn’t coming from God at all. It’s coming from comparison, and comparison is a terrible boss.

    You are not behind. You’re becoming.

    Maybe your life doesn’t look the way you pictured it at this age. Maybe the business is slower, the healing is slower, the prayers are taking longer to answer than you hoped. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re in the middle of the story, and nobody judges a book by the middle chapter.

    Jesus didn’t say, “Come to me, all you who have it together.” He said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The invitation is for the tired ones. The behind ones. The ones who woke up already overwhelmed.

    That’s us. And that’s good news.

    So take a breath. Pour the coffee. Pick your one thing. And walk into this day knowing it’s already covered in mercy you didn’t have to earn.

    You’re right on time.

    With so much love,
    Momma J 🤍

    If mornings like this are hard for you, Still, Small Voice was written for exactly that season, learning to hear God’s whisper when life is loud. And if you want a gentle daily rhythm in the Word, Grace Unfolding walks you through the Bible in a year, one day at a time (use code GRACE20 for 20% off). Come say hi on Instagram @mommajscozycottage.

  • Pray, Believe, and Receive 🙏

    Hey you,

    Let me be honest about something. There have been seasons when I prayed the same prayer so many times I could say it in my sleep. I prayed it in the car. I prayed it over the sink. I prayed it at 2 a.m. when the house was quiet and my mind wouldn’t be.

    And somewhere in there, a little voice would whisper, “You don’t really believe He’s going to do it, do you?”

    Maybe you know that voice too.

    “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

    Pray: just show up

    Prayer doesn’t have to be polished. Jesus never asked for pretty words. He asked us to come. Some of my most honest prayers have been three words long: “Lord, help me.” That counts. He hears it.

    Believe: trust Him more than the timeline

    Here’s what nobody told me for years. Believing isn’t pretending you’re not scared. It isn’t forcing yourself to feel 100% sure every minute. Believing is choosing to trust who God is, even when you can’t see what He’s doing.

    Remember the dad in Mark 9 who cried out, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief”? Jesus didn’t send him away for having doubts mixed in with his faith. He answered him. That gives me so much hope.

    Receive: open hands, not clenched fists

    Receiving means holding your prayer with open hands. Sometimes the answer comes exactly how you asked. Sometimes it comes in a way you never saw coming. And sometimes what you receive first is peace, the kind that settles your heart before anything around you changes.

    God is not a vending machine, and He’s also not ignoring you. First John 5:14 reminds us that when we ask according to His will, He hears us. He is good, He is listening, and He knows the way home better than we do.

    Try this today

    Grab a pen and write down the one thing you’ve been carrying. Pray over it out loud, even if it’s just a whisper. Then write underneath it: “I trust You with this.” Every time worry creeps back in, go back and read that line. That’s believing. That’s receiving.

    Hit reply and tell me what you’re praying and believing for right now. I’d love to stand in agreement with you. I read every one.

    With so much love,
    Momma J 🤍

    Want help hearing God more clearly while you wait on Him? Check out Still, Small Voice and Grace Unfolding, and come say hi on Instagram @mommajscozycottage.

  • New Mercies and a Warm Mug ☕

    Hey you,

    Can I tell you what my mornings actually look like? Not the pretty version. The real one.

    I shuffle into the kitchen with my hair doing its own thing, start the coffee, and stand there waiting on it like it holds the answers to my whole life. Some mornings I open my Bible right away. Some mornings I just stare out the window and say, “Lord, I’m here. That’s all I’ve got.”

    And you know what? He takes it. Every time.

    “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22–23)

    New every morning. Not new once you’ve got your quiet time perfected. Not new once you’ve stopped messing up. New every single morning, whether you woke up rested or stayed up worrying half the night.

    Yesterday’s mess doesn’t get the final word. Yesterday’s short temper, the prayer you forgot to pray, the thing you said that you wish you could take back… His mercy already beat you to the kitchen this morning.

    So here’s my invitation for this Saturday. Pour your coffee (or tea, I won’t judge). Sit down for five minutes before the day grabs you. You don’t need fancy words. Just tell Him what’s on your heart and let Him meet you right there in your pajamas.

    Hit reply and tell me: what’s in your mug this morning, and what are you handing over to Jesus today? I read every one.

    With so much love,
    Momma J 🤍

    Want to make your morning time with God a habit? Check out Still, Small Voice and Grace Unfolding, and come say hi on Instagram @mommajscozycottage.

  • The Heavy Stuff Isn’t What You Think

    Okay, can we just be honest with each other for a minute?

    There’s a saying I keep coming back to lately: the pain of discipline weighs ounces, but the pain of regret weighs tons. And every time I hear it, I feel it right in my chest, because I’ve carried both. I bet you have too.

    Discipline hurts. I’m not going to pretend it doesn’t. It’s getting up when the bed is warm and your body is begging for ten more minutes. It’s closing the app when you’d rather keep scrolling. It’s saying no to the thing you want right now so you can have the thing you want most. It’s opening your Bible when you don’t feel anything. It’s sitting down to do the work nobody’s clapping for.

    That stuff stings. But here’s what I’ve noticed: it stings for a moment, and then it’s done. You feel it, you push through it, and by lunchtime you’ve mostly forgotten it was hard.

    Regret doesn’t work like that.

    Regret moves in. It sits at the kitchen table with you. It shows up at 2 a.m. and replays every “I’ll start Monday” you ever said. It whispers about the business you didn’t build, the conversation you didn’t have, the habit you let slide one day at a time until one day turned into five years. Regret isn’t a sting. It’s a weight you carry around so long you forget you’re carrying it, until you notice how tired you are.

    And I’ll be real with you, I’ve had seasons where I chose the ounces of comfort over and over, and paid for it later in tons. I’ve watched things I care about sit unfinished because “not today” felt easier. Nobody warned me that avoiding the small pain would cost me so much more down the road.

    Scripture doesn’t sugarcoat this either.

    “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” (Hebrews 12:11)

    Did you catch that? It’s grievous in the moment. God’s not asking you to love every minute of it. He’s telling you there’s an afterward. There’s fruit on the other side. Peace on the other side.

    Discipline isn’t about being perfect or white-knuckling your way into being a better Christian. It’s about loving your future self enough to show up for her today. It’s saying, “Lord, I don’t feel like it, but I trust You with what this is growing in me.”

    So here’s what I want you to do today. Not next week. Today.

    Pick one thing. Just one. The workout, the prayer, the phone call, the bill, the project you keep circling. Do the ounce-sized version of it. Ten minutes. One page. One step. Let it be small and let it be uncomfortable, and then let it be done.

    Because every time you choose the ounce, you’re taking a little weight off the tons you’d have to carry later.

    And if you’re sitting there already carrying regret, please hear me: it’s not too late.

    “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)

    Due season is still coming. You don’t get yesterday back, but you do get today. And today is a really good place to start over.

    I’m right here doing it with you. Some days I nail it. Some days I’m starting over again by noon. But I’m choosing ounces, one day at a time.

    What’s your one thing today? Tell me in the comments. I want to cheer you on.

    With so much love,
    Momma J 🤍

    Ready to start choosing the ounce with God every day? Check out Still, Small Voice and Grace Unfolding (use code GRACE20), and come say hi on Instagram @mommajscozycottage.

  • You’re Doing Better Than You Think 🤍

    Hey you,

    I just wanted to pop into your inbox with no agenda, no lesson, just a little reminder.

    You’re doing better than you think.

    I know some days it doesn’t feel like it. The laundry’s piled up, the prayers feel unanswered, and you’re running on coffee and grace. You look around and it seems like everybody else has it all together while you’re just trying to make it to bedtime.

    But here’s what I know. God isn’t grading you on how perfect your week looked. He sees the woman who got up anyway. Who kept showing up for her people when she was running on empty. Who whispered a prayer in the car because that was the only quiet minute she had.

    That counts. That matters to Him.

    “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)

    So take a deep breath today. Drink some water. Give yourself the same kindness you’d give anybody else. You’re not behind. You’re becoming.

    Hit reply and tell me one thing you’re proud of this week, even if it’s small. I read every single one, and I’d love to celebrate with you.

    With so much love,
    Momma J 🤍

    Need a quiet place to meet with God this week? Check out Still, Small Voice and Grace Unfolding, and come say hi on Instagram @mommajscozycottage.

  • FREE: 7 Prayers for the Waiting Season

    Some seasons of waiting get so long that you run out of words. You’ve prayed the same prayer a hundred times, and now you just sit there, tired, not even sure what to say anymore.

    I’ve been there. So I wrote these seven short prayers for the days when you need somewhere to start. One for each day of the week, each with a scripture to hold onto. Read them in the morning, pray them in the car, screenshot them for later.

    They’re my free gift to you when you join the Real Talk Believer community. Just pop your email in below and they’ll unlock right here on the page. You’ll also get every new post in your inbox: honest faith, real struggle, and no performance.

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  • He’s Not Late. We’re Just Impatient.

    He’s Not Late. We’re Just Impatient.

    Can we talk about waiting for a minute? Because I’m not good at it. Not even a little bit.

    I’m the woman who stands in front of the microwave yelling “come ON” when there’s 45 seconds left. I refresh package tracking like my staring at it is going to make that truck drive faster. I’ve been known to hit the elevator button four times, as if the elevator heard me the first time and decided to take its sweet time out of spite.

    So you know I’ve had some real, honest, not-so-pretty conversations with God about His timing.

    “Lord, I prayed about this in March. It’s September. Hello?? Are You there??”

    If you’ve ever prayed something like that, you’re in good company. Grab your coffee and sit with me a minute.

    We Live in a Microwave World

    Everything around us is built for right now. Two-day shipping. Same-day delivery. Streaming shows the second they drop. Answers to any question in about three seconds flat.

    And somewhere along the way, without even meaning to, we started expecting God to work like an app on our phone. Pray it in the morning, see it by dinner. And when that doesn’t happen, we start wondering if He heard us at all. Or worse, if He just doesn’t care.

    But God has never once operated on our schedule. He isn’t slow. He’s intentional. And those are two very different things.

    “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)

    Waiting on Him vs. Him Waiting on the Moment

    Here’s what He’s been teaching me, slowly (because apparently that’s how I learn everything).

    I’m not actually waiting on God. God is waiting on the right moment. And sometimes, honestly, He’s waiting on me.

    Waiting for my heart to be ready. Waiting for my hands to be strong enough to carry what I’m asking for. Waiting for the other pieces, the people, and the doors I can’t even see yet to line up.

    When I look back over my life, I can see it so clearly now. Some of the things I begged for years ago? If He’d handed them to me the day I asked, I would’ve dropped them. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t have the wisdom, the patience, or the backbone yet.

    And some of the doors I cried over staying shut? They were protecting me from rooms I had no business walking into. I didn’t understand it then. I thank Him for it now.

    The Bible Is Full of Waiting Rooms

    If you think you’ve been waiting a long time, look at some of the folks God used.

    Abraham and Sarah waited around twenty-five years for the son God promised them. Twenty-five years! Sarah got so tired of waiting she tried to fix it herself, and let’s just say that didn’t go the way she hoped. (I see you, Sarah. I’ve “helped God out” a few times myself and made a mess every time.)

    Joseph was a teenager when God gave him those big dreams. Then he got thrown in a pit by his own brothers, sold, falsely accused, and locked in prison. About thirteen years went by before those dreams came to pass. But every single one of those hard years was shaping him into the man who could save a whole nation, including the brothers who betrayed him.

    David was anointed king as a young shepherd boy, then spent years running for his life in caves before he ever sat on that throne.

    Not one of these waits was wasted. Not one. God was working the entire time, even when it looked like nothing was happening.

    “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Habakkuk 2:3)

    An appointed time. Not a random time. Not a forgotten time. Appointed.

    What Waiting Is Actually For

    I used to think of waiting as dead time. Wasted time. Just something to get through.

    But the waiting season isn’t empty. It’s where the roots grow. You can’t see roots from the top of the soil, but that’s exactly what keeps a tree standing when the storms come. God is doing deep work in you right now that you won’t fully see until later.

    Waiting teaches us to trust Him when we can’t trace Him. It strips away our need to control every little thing. It shows us what we really believe about who He is. And if we let it, it softens us instead of hardening us.

    “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

    Notice it doesn’t say those who wait will get bored, bitter, or burnt out. It says they’ll be renewed. Waiting on Him, really leaning into Him in the meantime, is where the strength comes from.

    How to Wait Well (When You Really Don’t Want To)

    I’m not going to pretend I’ve got this mastered. I’m still that woman at the microwave. But here are a few things that help me when the wait gets heavy.

    Tell Him the truth. He can handle your frustration. Read the Psalms. David did not hold back. God would rather have your honest heart than your polished performance.

    Look back before you look forward. Write down the times He’s come through for you before. When you can’t see what He’s doing now, remembering what He’s already done will steady you.

    Keep showing up. Keep doing the next faithful thing right in front of you. Waiting doesn’t mean sitting still. Joseph kept serving well, even in prison.

    Stop trying to “help” Him. If you’re forcing doors open that He’s keeping shut, it might be time to take your hands off. (Me first, raising my hand. 🙋‍♀️)

    Find your people. Don’t wait alone. Let somebody pray with you and remind you of the truth on the days you forget it.

    He Hasn’t Forgotten You

    So if you’re sitting in a waiting season right now, tired, discouraged, and wondering if He forgot about you, please hear me.

    He didn’t forget. He’s not late. He’s not ignoring you. He’s not punishing you. He’s working in ways you can’t see yet, and He’s getting you and everything around you ready for what’s coming.

    “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

    His time. Not microwave time. Not two-day shipping time. His time. And His time has never once been wrong.

    Keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep walking. The answer is on its way, and it’s going to be right on time.

    I’d love to hear from you in the comments. What are you waiting on God for right now? Let me pray for you. 🙏

    With so much love,
    Momma J 🤍

    Need somewhere to sit with God while you wait? Check out Still, Small Voice and Grace Unfolding. And come hang out with me on Instagram @mommajscozycottage.

  • Even God Rested: Giving Yourself Permission to Slow Down

    Even God Rested: Giving Yourself Permission to Slow Down

    Friend, can I tell you something I have to remind myself of more often than I’d like to admit? Resting is not the same as quitting. I used to think if I sat down before the laundry was folded, the dishes were done, and every single person in this house was fed and happy, I was being lazy. Selfish, even. But somewhere in the middle of running myself completely dry, I remembered something so simple it almost embarrassed me: God rested too.

    Genesis doesn’t say God rested because He was tired. He’s God — He doesn’t get tired. He rested because rest was part of the design. He built a rhythm into creation itself: work, then rest. Sow, then Sabbath. If the Creator of the universe paused to be still, who am I to think I’m supposed to run on empty forever?

    I know the guilt that creeps in the second you slow down. The mental list that starts scrolling the moment you sit still. But hear me on this — rest is not the absence of faith. Rest is faith. It’s you saying, “God, I trust that the world will not fall apart if I stop moving for a minute.” It’s you believing He’s still holding everything together even when your hands aren’t.

    So tonight, I want you to do something small but sacred. Dim the lights. Light a candle, turn on something soft and warm, and just breathe for five minutes without apologizing for it. I keep a little praying angel night light glowing in my own home for exactly this reason — a small, gentle reminder that even in the quiet hours, grace is still in the room with me. If you need something like that for your own space, I have one in my shop that might just become your new favorite corner of peace.

    “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

    Journal Prompt for Today

    Grab your journal (or the notes app, no judgment) and finish this sentence: “I feel guilty resting when…” Sit with your answer. Then ask yourself — would I hold anyone else to that same standard? Usually the answer is no. Give yourself the grace you’d hand a friend in a heartbeat.

    Small tip: Pick one thing off your to-do list tonight and just… don’t. Let it wait until tomorrow. Notice that the sky does not fall.

    You are allowed to rest, mama. You are allowed to stop and just be still and know that He is God. Tomorrow will still be there, and so will His grace. Sending you so much love tonight — go put your feet up, you’ve earned it.

    If you’re looking for a few more cozy, faith-filled touches for your own home, come sit a while and Shop My Cozy Cottage Collection. 🤍

  • Yes, No, or Wait: How God Answers Every Prayer

    Yes, No, or Wait: How God Answers Every Prayer

    Let’s be honest for a minute. Have you ever prayed for something with your whole heart, then felt like heaven went quiet? Or worse, the door slammed shut right in front of you?

    I’ve been there more times than I can count. And for a long time, I thought the only “answered” prayer was a yes. Anything else felt like God wasn’t listening, or like I’d done something wrong.

    But here’s what I’ve learned, sometimes the hard way: God answers every single prayer. He just doesn’t always answer the way we expect. And each answer carries its own kind of love.

    When God Says Yes, He’s Blessing You

    A yes from God is a gift. It’s the job that came through, the healing you prayed for, the relationship restored, the bill that got paid right on time.

    “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” (James 1:17)

    But a yes isn’t just about getting what we asked for. It’s God saying, “I see you, I hear you, and this is good for you right now.” When the yes comes, don’t rush past it. Stop. Say thank you. Write it down so you can remember it on the harder days, because those days will come, and you’ll want proof of His faithfulness in your own handwriting.

    When God Says No, He’s Protecting You

    This one stings. I won’t pretend it doesn’t.

    A no can feel like rejection. But a no from God is never Him withholding good from you. It’s Him standing between you and something you can’t see yet.

    “No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” (Psalm 84:11)

    Think back on some of the things you begged God for years ago. Be real with yourself. Aren’t there a few you’re now grateful He didn’t give you? That man. That house. That opportunity that turned out to be a trap. God saw the whole road when all you could see was the next step.

    A no isn’t a closed heart. It’s an open hand pulling you back from the edge.

    When God Says Wait, He’s Preparing You

    Oh, the waiting. If I’m honest, this might be the hardest answer of all. A no at least lets you move on. Waiting asks you to stay in the in-between with no timeline and no guarantees.

    But waiting isn’t wasted time. It’s growing time.

    “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

    Sometimes God says wait because the blessing is ready but we aren’t. Sometimes the timing, the people, or the circumstances need to line up. And sometimes the waiting itself is the lesson, teaching us patience, trust, and how to lean on Him instead of our own plans.

    Think of David. He was anointed king as a teenager, then spent years in fields and caves before he ever sat on a throne. God wasn’t ignoring him. He was building him.

    So How Do We Keep Praying?

    Keep showing up. Keep asking. Keep being honest with Him, even when you’re frustrated, even when you’re tired, even when it feels like nothing’s happening.

    And when the answer comes, whatever it is, try to hold onto this:

    Yes means He’s blessing you.
    No means He’s protecting you.
    Wait means He’s preparing you.

    Every answer is love. Every single one.

    So what are you praying about right now? I’d love to hear it in the comments, and I’ll be praying right alongside you.

    With so much love,
    Momma J 🤍

    Looking for a place to sit with God in the quiet? Check out Still, Small Voice and Grace Unfolding. And come hang out with me on Instagram @mommajscozycottage.

  • Everything Is a Countdown to Something

    Everything Is a Countdown to Something

    I was standing in my kitchen the other day, watching the coffee pot drip like it owed me money, silently counting down the seconds till it was done. And it hit me — isn’t that just life? We are always counting down to something.

    We count down to birthdays. To paychecks (please hurry). To the weekend. To the blessed moment the kids finally go to sleep and you can hear yourself think again. To vacation. To retirement. To “when things calm down” — which, let’s be honest, is basically a myth at this point, right up there with folding a fitted sheet correctly.

    Here’s what I’ve been sitting with lately, in between my third cup of “I promise this is my last coffee”: God never promised the destination would feel different than the journey. Scripture doesn’t say “be anxious for nothing, except during the waiting part, feel free to spiral then.” It says in everything — right smack in the middle of the countdown, the traffic jam, the inbox that refuses to hit zero — bring it to Him with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). Not after. Not once the timer buzzes. Now. While your patience is hanging on by a thread and a prayer.

    I think we treat waiting like a waste of time — like real life starts once we get the job, the healing, the answer, the relationship, whatever it is we’ve got circled in red on the calendar. But friend, I promise you, no season you’ve “just gotten through” was ever actually wasted. It was being used. Shaped. Prepared. Even when it looked like you in sweatpants, eating cereal for dinner, wondering if you were doing any of this right. (You were. Mostly. Some days.)

    So maybe the goal isn’t to stop counting down. Maybe it’s just to stop pretending the countdown doesn’t count — messy middle and all.

    What are you counting down to right now? And what would it look like to let today matter just as much as the day you’re circling on the calendar?

    With so much love (and mediocre coffee),
    Momma J 🤍