My name is Michelle. Life has taken me on a journey I never planned or wanted. And yet, here I am–a widow.

After 31 years together, 27 of those married, my husband Tensey passed away unexpectedly on March 29, 2024, from a heart attack. We went to bed on a Thursday night, and I awoke that Good Friday morning to find my husband had passed away in his sleep. Shock. Devastation. Despair. Overwhelming pain. 

The hardest phone calls I have ever had to make were to our two children, London and Becket, to tell them about the loss of their father.  And then, having to explain to our young granddaughters Ella and Layla about their Paw Paw–it still seems unbelievable. 

We were always an imperfect family just trying to understand God’s plan and the story of our lives. But, the loss of my husband has forced me to question why my story sent me down this path. I am trying to embrace this new chapter with grace. forgiveness. love. 

And taking one day at a time.  

My life will forever be divided into two parts–the before and the after.

EVERYONE HAS A STORY, I’M JUST TELLING MINE.

So far, one constant in my life has been Louisiana. It is the backdrop of my story. I live, work and play in Baton Rouge.  Raised on the campus of Louisiana State University in married student housing, I spent my childhood walking the parade grounds, cheering on the Fighting Tigers and watching the Tiger Band. Other than a brief Texas detour, I have spent my entire life in South Louisiana. I have lived in Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Slidell and Sulphur.  So it was no surprise that I attended LSU and graduated with a degree in English/Creative Writing.

When I graduated from LSU,  I set my sights on becoming a writer in New York City.  But before my parents would send me to “The Big Apple,” they told me to work for six months. I got a job as a reporter at the local newspaper, and it was there that I met a cute sports writer named Tensey.  I never made it to New York.  That would not become my story. 

I love school.  I always have.  As a child, I remember being so excited to buy school supplies.  I still love the first day of school.  And I love teachers.  There is nothing better than a great teacher–they inspire, they nurture, they love.  I have had some great teachers in my life.  My mother was a teacher.  I never imagined as a young person that I would become a teacher, but that would become part of my story. 

From the first moment I started teaching, I loved it.  I have taught hundreds and hundreds of students throughout my time as a high school English and Drama/Speech teacher.  Some good, some not so good.  But all of them taught me something.  Made me better.  Added to my story.  After twelve years in the classroom, I made the shift to school administration. 

I currently serve as the Director of Admission and Enrollment for a private Christian school in Baton Rouge. 

My story continues to be shaped by people, places and things I love.  

• I love England.  I am a self-proclaimed Anglophile and love all things Royal Family.

• I love music and a great concert.  There is nothing like sitting at a show or dancing to live music.

• I love to travel.  The sights, the smells, the sounds, the food, the culture of a new place.  It’s all magic. 

• I love words and a great story.  Whether it is a story coming to life on stage, in a song, in a book or on a screen – to be moved by that is the best.

Most mornings, you can find me enjoying some quiet time, preparing for my work day and grabbing a Diet Coke from Sonic (my favorite).

Most afternoons, you can find me trying to get my life together at home–washing clothes, figuring out dinner plans and trying to get my steps in.

Most evenings,  you can find me watching something on TV or Netflix, reading a good book or spending time with my granddaughters. 

Some nights, in the before chapter of my life, you would have found me on a date night with Tensey.  We never stopped dating each other. He was my forever dance partner.  My favorite person to talk to. And my favorite person to be quiet with–we didn’t have to talk at all. 

Now, on many nights, in the after chapter of my life, you will find me with my girlfriends–my authentic and loving support group.  I love a good girls night.  A good laugh.  A good cry.  A good dinner.  A good cocktail.  A good trip.  A good story.  

And, that brings me here.  I believe now more than ever that everyone has a story, and this is mine.

I am learning so much from my story. 

About grace.
About forgiveness.
About faith.
About unconditional love. 

About grief.
About loss.
About motherhood.
About family.
About friendship.

And about hope. And about how to look to the future without completely letting go of the past. And how to hold both joy and pain.

So, come along with me.  Come with your Diet Coke (or coffee or cosmo). 

But come as you are–authentic and, if you are like me, broken. 

Our stories are still unfolding.