The Beginning

“In the end, she became more than what she expected. She became the journey, and like all journeys, she did not end, she just simply changed directions and kept going.” – R.M. Drake

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Before my world changed, I was just a small-town girl confused on where I really belonged. I had a degree from WCU, I had a career, friends, etc. I had successes, but something was missing.

Then it happened. I met Joshua in Las Vegas (no I was not a working girl) and knew that my world, as I knew it, was going to change. I called my mom and said, “I am screwed, he is in the Army. “He had called his mother and said, “I am screwed she lives in North Carolina.”

I knew within the first moment of us meeting that he was my soul mate. We married in May of 2011 and in good Army fashion, Joshua deployed in the height of the war.

I had faith he was going to come home. I learned as much as I could about being an Army spouse, while keeping myself busy. We had our whole future planned out, why wouldn’t he come home? Everything was going to be perfect.

My world changed with a ring of a doorbell. The two solemn faces told me everything I needed to know before I let them in the house. I lost Joshua on October 8, 2011.

My world stopped. I began living an erratic lifestyle. I put myself in horrible situations and then decided I no longer wanted to live anymore.

Then one day, as I was lining all my medications up, hoping this would work so I wouldn’t wake up… I realized how disappointed Joshua would be with me in the way I was living. He was gone, but there was so much life to live.

So, I decided to get help, work on my heart and soul, started living, and began writing.

A Widow & Her Shoes originally began on a sunny day in 2012 when I purchased a pair of Manolo Blahniks on our 1-year wedding anniversary. I went home, poured a glass of wine, and began writing… I wanted my story to help others in their darkest times.

Other shoes have made it into my closet, but they seemed to never really make me happy… until I finally figured out what spoke to my soul. Horses. Horses fixed the broken hearted and repair the soul in ways I can’t describe.

My heels went to cowboy boots and saddles, and I never looked back.

After figuring out how to live after death I have become an advocate for military families and veterans. Using my voice for outreach, awareness and giving hope to those who are lost, that there is light after dark.

Welcome to my journey of finding myself, redefining life, finding love again, bringing life into this world and most of all finding my passion in healing and helping others… all while rocking boots and spurs.

I am living life to the fullest and telling the world about my blessings, failures, and just all-around weirdness that I provide to my family.

I hope you enjoy.

Carpe the Hell Out of Diem You Beautiful Souls.

XOXO,
B