When Summer Becomes a Masterclass in Controlled Chaos
This summer has been anything but normal.
I was thinking that I should write some profound reflection about "balance" or "having it all," but honestly, I'm just trying to figure out how we survived the last three months.
May: When Nature Decides to Rearrange Your Plans
May 16th - an F3 tornado ripped through St. Louis, and my boys were at their beloved school when it took a direct hit. It happened right before pickup time, and I was at work when the messages started flooding in. First was from our nanny arriving on scene, then the Mom's WhatsApp chat exploded with updates.
The guilt of not being there myself to get my boys was immediate and crushing. Trees were down everywhere, the playground they love was completely destroyed, but (thankfully) the school buildings stood strong and everyone was safe.
You think about priorities a little differently after something like that - what matters, what doesn't, what you can control.
June: Building While Everything Shifts
Early June brought our newest team member who splits her time between St. Louis and NYC, giving us a little more help and breathing room. We also welcomed two new interns, one for each business, and suddenly our quiet office had energy and questions and the kind of enthusiasm that reminds you why you love what you're building.
We were just settling in to the new team dynamic when...
The Day Everything Changed
June 19th was supposed to be a quiet Thursday. Our (super)nanny had taken the boys to my mother-in-law's country property in Labadie, MO, for an overnight so my husband and I could have a rare night off.
At 9pm, we got the call. My six-year-old had been bitten by a copperhead snake.
We found ourselves driving out to Washington, MO to meet them at the hospital at midnight. A venomous snake bite - on my baby - during what was supposed to be our one night to breathe.
Hospital on the 19th, sent home on the 20th feeling cautiously optimistic, then back in the ER at St. Louis Children's Hospital on the 23rd. It was a complete whirlwind. Two rounds of anti-venom later, they sent us home with a walker because my strong, wild little boy suddenly couldn't walk properly.
There are no words for watching your child struggle to do something as basic as walking. There's no business strategy that prepares you for sitting in a hospital room wondering if the swelling will go down, if this is the new normal.
Back to Reality
The following week, I returned to work to pick up the pieces. Emails had piled up, client calls needed to happen, the interns had questions. The world kept spinning while mine had completely stopped.
By the Fourth of July, I was the kind of exhausted that sends celebrities to rehab.
Meanwhile, Life Keeps Building
But here's the thing about building something you believe in - it doesn't stop for tornadoes or snake bites or sleepless nights in hospital rooms.
On July 2nd, while I was still processing everything, our first publication in Frederic Magazine hit newsstands. Months of work, finally in print. Retta Jane featured in one of the industry’s most coveted publications.
The womenswear collection we've been developing was taking shape, new interior design clients were calling, and the business was growing even as I felt like I was barely holding it together.
What They Don't Tell You
No one tells you that some of your biggest professional wins will happen during your most challenging personal moments. That you'll be celebrating magazine features while your child is learning to walk again. That sometimes "having it all" feels less like balance and more like controlled chaos.
Maybe that's the real story. Maybe building something meaningful isn't about perfect timing or ideal circumstances. Maybe it's about showing up anyway, even when summer decides to test every limit you thought you had.
As August Rolls On
Watching this summer come to a close, I cannot believe all that happened. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows, sometimes within the same week.
My son is walking again. The tornado damage is being repaired. The magazine feature opened doors we didn't even know existed. The team is stronger, the businesses are growing.
And somehow, in the middle of all this beautiful chaos, I'm more committed than ever to what we are creating at Retta Jane.
Not because it's easy, but because it's worth it.
How was your summer? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.