Feb 18 2025 88 mins
Show Notes In this heartfelt episode, Cally and Emily welcome Elise Hoogendyke, a mother of four whose story spans decades and embodies two profound journeys of matrescence. Married at 19 against everyone's expectations, Elise's first transformation began with her oldest children, now 23 and 20. Years later, she experienced a second matrescence with her younger children, now 6 and 4, with her youngest facing extraordinary medical challenges including heart surgery and feeding difficulties. Through hyperemesis pregnancies, NICU stays, and learning to tube-feed her son, Elise's journey showcases the incredible resilience of mothers. Her story beautifully illustrates how motherhood can both shatter us and forge us into something entirely new. This episode offers powerful insights for mothers at any stage and anyone seeking to understand how we can find profound joy even in our most difficult seasons.
Main Topics & Discussion
Finding Your Path: Elise's motherhood journey began when she married at 19 – a decision that went against her family's expectations and her own previous plans. As a student valued for her academic potential, choosing early motherhood left her without support from friends or family who understood her choice. Through creating community with mothers who validated her decisions, Elise eventually found her footing and built confidence in her path, teaching an invaluable lesson about trusting yourself even when your choices don't align with cultural norms.
A Second Matrescence: After raising two children into their teenage years, Elise experienced what she describes as a complete "second matrescence" with her younger children. The birth of her son Remy, who was born with Down syndrome, FPIES, a collapsed lung, and a heart condition, transformed her understanding of motherhood. Through NICU stays, learning to tube-feed, and countless medical appointments, Elise discovered a new dimension of maternal strength. The lesson: every milestone is a precious gift, and despite extraordinary challenges, ultimately, she experienced a deeper joy than she had ever known before.
Cultivating Marriage: Throughout Elise's two-decade marriage and four children, her relationship has remained a cornerstone of stability while continuously growing stronger. Elise shares practical insights about staying connected. During their son's medical journey, they became even closer when many couples would have fallen apart. Their story shows how a strong marriage isn't about perfection but about creati
Host & Show Info
Hosted by: Cally & Emily O’Leary
About the Hosts: We’re real moms and real sisters. We may look and sound alike, but our motherhood journeys are uniquely ours. We all do Motherhood differently, and thank goodness for that. Let’s learn and grow together. ours.
Podcast Website: https://therealmomhub.com/
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