Postpartum, Deployment & Mom-Life Chaos with Mel

This week on Mom-Life, Sonya sits down with Mel—a mom of three, military wife, entrepreneur, aesthetician, and travel advisor—who shares what life really looks like behind the scenes of motherhood.

Mel opens up about:

 Navigating postpartum depression
 Raising three kids while building two careers
 The challenges of military deployments and parenting solo
 Processing miscarriage and finding healing through therapy
 Why moms need to talk more about hormones, mental health, and the hard parts of motherhood
 Finding humor in the chaos of baseball, toddlers, and everyday mom moments

This episode is equal parts laughter, honesty, and healing—and a reminder that even in survival mode, moms are stronger than they know.

Connect with Mel on Instagram:
@MRuiz0628
@GlamByMel
@MelVentures_1

#MomLifePodcast #MotherhoodUnfiltered #PostpartumAwareness #MilitaryMom #MomLife #HealingThroughMotherhood

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Hello, beautiful. Welcome back to Mome Life. The podcast where we have honest, unfiltered conversations about motherhood, womanhood, and everything in between. The beautiful, the messy, and the moments that shape us. I'm Sonia Flores. And today I'm sitting down with my friend Mel. A wife, mom of three, military spouse, entrepreneur, esthetician, and trouble advisor, who is juggling baseball practices, babies, business, and all the beautiful chaos in between. In this episode, Mel opens up about the realities of postpartum depression, military life, miscarriage, raising boys, motherhood the third time around, and learning how to laugh through the hard moments. This conversation is raw, relatable, and full of those me-to moments that remind us we're never alone in this journey. Let's get into it. Oh, you know, just smell her in paradise. How are you? I'm fantastic. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your family?

SPEAKER_02 1:43

Well, my family is wild. I'm perfect. I uh work too much and I'm tired. And uh I have three beautiful children, two boys and a baby, and the boys are in baseball, so that keeps us pretty busy. And then me, you know, I'm an esthetician, and I also am a travel agent from home.

SPEAKER_01 2:18

Why is your favorite part of motherhood?

SPEAKER_02 2:23

Depends on the day. Um I would have to say I love creating memories with my kids and they are lucky that I like to travel. I I do love traveling with my children and taking them places that I didn't necessarily get to, you know, their age.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

Yeah. What does a typical day look like for you right now with three kids and two careers?

SPEAKER_02 3:00

Well, like I said, it depends on the day. Um today I ordered groceries for delivery. We ran out of milk, had a screaming baby all day. Um, but typically, you know, I try to work out in the morning before the kids wake up. And then once they wake up, it's chaotic. Sunup to sundown. They take the boys to school, they take the bus to and from school, and then on days I work, the baby goes to and I go to work, which are probably my easier days than I'm at home. Um, trying to clean and do household chores and do food, and then the kids get home from school, and then they need to be fed a snack before baseball. We go to really baseball every day, except for Sunday. And by the time we get home, it's like 7, 7:30, and then it's shower time and homework time, which we don't always get those done. And then bedtime, and then I'll have a glass of wine and watch TV and go to bed, and then we repeat.

SPEAKER_00 4:20

I don't know what I was thinking having a third kid me over the head. Oh my goodness. I have to say, um I have to say that the third one just takes you into this tailspin that you do not expect.

SPEAKER_02 4:43

No, not not even all. Like it's a lot. Um everyone have another one, it'll be easy. I'm like, no, no, it's not. But say she does go with the flow. She does go with the flow because we are at the baseball field a lot. And the hard part is right now she wants to get so dirty, and I'm like, no, don't touch that. That's so nasty. Don't put the dirt in your mouth. Please, please. I, you know, so right now we are at a hard age with the baby, but the third one has definitely thrown us over the edge. Mm-hmm. Yep. But I do, I do appreciate it a little differently than I did with the boys because I know that this is my last my last one. So I did enjoy I I do try to enjoy it more than I enjoyed the boys' babies just because they were so close in age.

SPEAKER_00 5:50

What was it like becoming a mom for the first time with your boys?

SPEAKER_02 5:54

Awful. I'm just kidding. Um it you know, with with Jacob, the first one I had really bad postpartum. So it was very hard to enjoy any of it. And we were in San Diego away from family, so we didn't really have any help. And I wouldn't say like with Jacob, I I probably started enjoying it like when he was around like 10 months. And then when Connor was born, you know, Jacob was two. And when Connor was two weeks, um, Miguel had to go back active duty and get deployed. So I was by myself for all of that, and we moved back to family um like when Connor was four months old, and um, I felt like it was flighter, but how do you how do you say that? Flight or fight mode? Like their entire like when they were babies. I look back and I don't know how I survived, but we all did, which is good. Yeah, you did. So, you know, it was very much survival mode when they were little, but as they get older, it is um more enjoyable to see them play. I mean, they fight too, but like they they're they're like buddies, and as they've gotten older, it's gotten a little easier with having them closer in age. Where when they're babies, it's just rough. Like you are literally in survival mode. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

How has your parenting changed now with your youngest being a toddler?

SPEAKER_02 7:39

Um, I would like to say I have more patience, but I I don't. Um I'm not even a little impact today. I wanted to cry and like I would never actually do this, but I wanted to like, you know, shake her a little because I was getting so frustrated. And, you know, sometimes I just have to remember to take a deep breath. And, you know, even even with the the older boys, I like I would get frustrated and I would literally have to go put them in their crib while I cried and took some deep breaths. And I, you know, I haven't I I haven't really had to do that with Harley. She she's a pretty good baby and toddler, but she has gotten like a little spicy, like when she hits and throws fits and throws herself back and on the ground. And like I I have to set it down why she throws her fits, and the boys never really threw fits like this until they were older, so I think I'm gonna be in for it when she's a teenager. Um but you know, it's not it's it's not as hard because I only have one baby as opposed to having like a toddler and a baby. So I don't I still lose my patience and I I envy people that don't lose their patience, but I have learned to just take some deep breaths and try and figure out what she is telling me and working.

SPEAKER_00 9:11

Yeah. I appreciate that you're saying that, Mel, because I know that in my intro episode when I the very first episode of the show, I had talked about how there was like a mom on the news who had hit her baby to the point with the frying pan to the point where the baby uh sadly passed. But it we can we can understand for those of us moms, like we can understand that she got to that point. It's like it takes uh knowing all of the tools to be able to step back and take a deep breath. And like you said, like put them in the crib, let them cry so you can take a step back and reset. It's just so important to do that.

SPEAKER_02 10:06

Right, right. It really is. I mean, I can't, I mean, sometimes I'll even give Harley a little spank on the butt because she bites me and I'm trying to teach her, and it's nothing that's gonna leave a bruise, or you know, it doesn't. She she just cries because she's upset that she got a little spinky. But you know, and I still even then I still feel bad. Right. So, you know, like in those moments, and sometimes even when I lose my patience and I yell at her, you know, I I cry. There was a couple weeks ago, I don't remember if Miguel was out of town or what, but you know, Connor, Connor's my wild child who tests my patience every day. And I had asked him like five times to get ready, and I swear these kids don't listen until I'm cursing at them and yelling at the top of my lungs. And I may have been even like PMSing, and I totally lost it. And Harley was in her high chair, and I screamed at the top of my lungs at Connor, and then next thing you know, my oldest was hugging Harley, who was crying, and Connor was crying, and literally all three of my kids were crying, and like I just fell awful. I think we were rushing between baseball practice before the game, and so they got home from school, and I had to feed everyone and change everyone and find their uniforms, and yeah, it just didn't happen. And you know, I I do like feel bad in those moments.

SPEAKER_00 11:44

It's so stressful. It is so, so stressful. What was it like being married to someone on active duty in the Navy?

SPEAKER_02 11:55

Um, a lot of anxiety. Um, you know, I it's very hard. Like he got deployed after we got married, and so he was gone for 10 months, and I personally love my husband, and so I like him to be home. And it was just very hard. Like you're trying to keep yourself busy and trying to not count down. Time goes by really slow, and then and then honestly, the military doesn't pay their people enough. Like they I feel like military families struggle a lot financially, and it shouldn't never be like that. Um, so it I mean, it was hard. I was very glad when he he got out, um, and then he joined the reserve to finish his 20 years. So when he had to go back active duty and get deployed after the boy, after having the boys, you know, that was probably one of the hardest times in my life. Um, you know, and then they have this date where they're set to come back, and I just remember it got pushed out, got pushed out. I think he ended up coming home like a month later after he was supposed to. So he ended up being on a seven-month deployment instead of a six month. And um, you know, I was just very, very glad when he actually retired. Um and you have to just kind of be understanding and be independent. Uh, because, you know, with them going on these deployments and stuff, you think that they come home and everything's back to normal, but it's not. You know, they have to adjust mentally to being back around family and kids and you know, what they went through over there. Um, so you know, it I'm trying to think of the words I want to use. Um I am very like grateful for military life. Like we have a lot because of it. And so I don't ever want to downplay that. Um, but it's definitely not an easy, easy lifestyle at all. And I am I am glad he's out. And I still have a like PTSD from him being gone.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

Yeah. I it's it's one of those situations that's not highlighted enough, I feel, like what the military wives go through with the deployment, because they too can have the the PTSD from them being gone. Yeah. How did that season shape you as a woman and as a mother?

SPEAKER_02 14:57

Um it taught me that I could deal with vomit if I have to. I it well, first of all, it showed me that I can do anything that I have to do when I have to do it. Um, you know, taking care of two littles when your husband's gone and you have to take their feelings into consideration. And I mean, it definitely like I have a soft spot for it. And um, I would say it just made me more uh like way more in independent and gave me like confidence knowing that I can do it on my own. Or even if it was just temporary. Um and I don't like I don't necessarily um I don't know. I mean, I don't know anything different. Like I don't you know, I don't I wouldn't have even if I could go back, I wouldn't change anything. So I mean I I think it has everything to do with like how it shaped us. I mean the milit we met, we met from the military because we both lived in San Diego. And he was, you know, active. So I mean it definitely made me um appreciate him more. Like appreciate when he's home. And it it um yeah, I would say just made me more like independent. And you know, you have to be really strong, strong for your your kids when when their dad is gone and Connor didn't necessarily understand what was going on. He was just a baby baby, but Jacob understood. And there was this book I still, you know, I'm kind of mean. I like still repeat the book to m Miguel and Jacob, and then they they la they don't like it. But it's called I see the moon and the moon sees me. And it was Miguel Miguel recorded it. Uh-huh. And while he was gone, it was his voice, and we would watch the book, and and Miguel hated it. He didn't want to do it, but you know, I don't Jacob was two. I didn't want him to forget what his dad sounded like, and you know, one day, years later, he was probably floor, he was in the hallway holding that book and crying. And to this day, he still does not like the book. And so every time we're like, oh, there's the moon, I'll be like, I see the moon, and the moon sees me, and then they both get mad at me. So, you know, I I'm a jokester, that's the way I deal with things. So you kind of just have to laugh, laugh a lot, you know?

SPEAKER_00 18:01

Yeah, yep. You're both an aesthetician and a travel agent. How did you get into those fields?

SPEAKER_02 18:10

Um, aesthetician, I originally went to school for special effects and beauty makeup. Um, and I loved it and I still love it, but I hated New York and I hate LA. So it was really hard to like make a living off of it in San Diego. And um I had gotten laid off from a job, and I decided to go to school for esthetician. And they don't after I got done with school, they don't they don't pay you enough. And I'm like, they tell you not to start your business fresh out of school, but I did, and I've done really well with it. I used to do it full-time, and then um once once I had I did it full-time through Jacob and Connor, but I stopped my business with with after having each child for about eight months to a year. And with Harley, I didn't have the luxury of stopping, but I have cut back majorly. And in between, in between Connor, I had a miscarriage, and that's when I decided I wanted to go to uh become a travel agent so that I can work from home because I knew it was going to be my last baby. Um, and I do, I do enjoy both, and I'm you know getting a little busier with travel agent, and so it's it's kind of hard to get the household household chores done. But I have to remember that I also like to travel and take the kids to do things, so I have to work. But I really I do I do enjoy both of what I do. You know, I do my esthetician twice a week and and I do my travel agent from home, like whenever, and I I like to do it after the kids go to sleep, so I can try and be present when they're here.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

Um yeah. Um now you mentioned your miscarriage. How have you processed the loss and do you feel you've healed from the experience?

SPEAKER_02 20:22

Um you know, it took me a really long time um to process it. Like you don't you don't really it's really hard to process something like that. And I don't even know that I I am healed from it. Like I'm tearing up just talking about it. Um, and it's been, you know, I had a client of mine tell me um they had several miscarriages, and she kept telling me like the best thing you can do for yourself is just have it like try for another one. And having Harley has really helped, but I can't say that it's taken away the pain.

SPEAKER_01 21:10

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:11

Um and I just you know, I had to go to therapy and it was hard. I had a a friend who was pregnant at the same time as me, so I was constantly comparing myself to her. And um, but you know, you kind of just therapy helped a lot, and I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. So it's not like it's not necessarily like I was ups upset because it was like, why me, why me, why me? Uh it was more of just, you know, dealing with a loss like that.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:51

You know, like and um I don't know if I'll ever be healed from it, to be honest. Uhhuh. Like, you know, it's just something that you'll never know, but I do believe, like I said, that everything happens for a reason and you know, maybe the baby wasn't healthy or would have had something severely wrong with her. It was a girl. And um yeah, I don't I do so yeah, I don't think I will ever be healed from it.

SPEAKER_00 22:25

How do you take care of yourself while taking care of everyone else?

SPEAKER_02 22:30

Um, I like to have my nightly wine. Um it, you know, I I did just get back from a three-day cruise. My husband took care of the kids, and it was very weird to not have to pack for anybody, to take care of anybody. I even took a nap, which was weird. Um but I don't do that a lot, and I don't like to. I actually was like, dang, I really wish my kids and my husband were here with me. Um but I, you know, I I try to get my workouts in because that helps, that helps me feel better. And I do try to take some downtime, whether I try to like meditate, which doesn't always happen. I also have animals that bother me in addition to my family. But uh, you know, my workouts, I try to get my workouts alone, and if not alone, then I have my sidekick with me and I just I watch TV. But working out, I would say is my way of taking care of myself.

SPEAKER_00 23:41

Has becoming a mom changed how you see yourself?

SPEAKER_02 23:48

Uh no, no, it doesn't. I mean, I I've always struggled. Like, what do you mean when you say see yourself? Like physically, mentally?

SPEAKER_00 23:58

Just the even the way that you may portray yourself, because I know that I've gone through so many different changes because um after having my kids, it was like I had to go through this, I felt like I had to go through this whole shift, even with the career I have now versus where I was to accommodate this change in my person. So I feel like I was going in one direction, and then here comes the uh the babies, and then I felt like I had to shift to a completely different direction. So I don't see myself how I was in my 20s or in my mid-20s, like even at that time, you could have asked me, like, where do you see yourself in, you know, five, 10 years? My answer then would be completely different from my answer today.

SPEAKER_02 25:02

Oh yeah. I mean, I honestly never thought I'd have kids. And here I am. Yeah, I had one and I'm like, we have to have another, and then you know, we were good for a long time, and I was on the fence, and you know, here we are with the third. Um, but if you asked me when I was 25, even 30, I there was no way in hell I would have three kids. No way. But you know, it does it it changes how I view myself because I I well I never thought I was even gonna have kids. And you know, you really have to um slow down sometimes and uh put your kids first and but I have no problem doing that. Like I no longer put myself. Um I used to be really selfish. Um and then I had kids. And you can't you can't really be that way anymore once you have them. Yep. It's all about them. But in all honesty, like me and Miguel talk about it all the time, and like uh I don't like when we're home, I'm like, what do we do with ourselves? Like what do what do we do? What do we do? Like, I don't know any different. I you know, my life is full of baseball games, sports games, and practices, you know, like I literally don't know what I would do if I didn't have these kids. Like, I look at my friends who don't have kids and I I can't say I envy their lives. Mm-hmm. Yeah, same. Like my kids make our life exciting. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 26:51

Yep. What is something about motherhood people don't talk about enough?

SPEAKER_02 26:59

I'm gonna say like the postpartum aspect and even like even miscarriages, people don't talk about it. People don't talk about postpartum, they don't, you know, they don't really say the struggles of it. You know, like keeping calm, getting upset, like I never hear people talk about that. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 27:27

Or like you're scrolling, like I'm not I'm not huge on social media. I mean, I considering especially with you know the podcast, you would think I would be a bit more active, but I just feel like for me in my stage of life, especially with the littles, I I feel like it takes away from them, and that's when I start getting uncomfortable. But those times that I do happen to scroll, I will see like maybe there's a meme or maybe there's some type of post, and it's like talking about like the good things or multitasking or other things. But then I mean, there is this other side to it. I know I've battled with postpartum depression after each one of the kids. I'm still struggling with my my daughter, and she's 18, it's 16 months, and I'm still, you know, trying to climb out of it. I'm better now than I was when I, you know, when she was first born, but it's still a daily, it's still a daily struggle, and we don't talk, we don't talk about it enough, and we don't um talk about miscarriage. And I know that I too had one. Um and it's something that does make me emotional, even thinking about, and so I know where you're where you're you come from you're coming from. Um too. Yeah. But I mean, um, because we don't talk about it an enough or we don't shed light on it, um those women who do go through it feel so alone.

SPEAKER_01 29:17

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 29:20

And yeah, it's wild. Like even when I was going through it, like I felt alone and I wasn't alone. Like I have Miguel, and he's always been super supportive. Right. And you know, he's a godsend because I'm I can be pretty crazy. Even today, I'm like, man, maybe I need to get back on my Zolo because I am just between yesterday and today, I've wanted to cry all day, and I'm like, what is wrong with my hormones?

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Oh my gosh. Well, that's another thing too, the hormones. It's like, it's like when you're in postpartum depression, it's like you're you're going through the postpartum, the hormonal chaos from having given birth. So you're going through the postpartum depression, and then when you start your period again, and then it's like that first period where you feel like a psychopath. Like even with the damsoloft. Like I know I will feel like a psychopath.

SPEAKER_02 30:37

Oh, and then you stop breastfeeding and you still feel like a psychopath again.

SPEAKER_00 30:42

Oh man. So I'm nervous about stopping breastfeeding. Like I'm still nursing her. And you know, there are people who say that, oh, breastfeeding helps with the postpartum depression. I'm like, who the hell said that? It had to have been the male who said that because I've nursed all three of my babies for over a year, and it didn't it didn't help with the snow, it made it worse.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

I would get, you ever like, I would get this excruciating nipple pain with Harley. Like, I don't even know how to explain it. They had a name for it, but I can't remember. But it was like this nerve pain in my nipples. And finally, after like five months, I'm like, I I can't do this shit anymore. Like I can't, I can't do it. Like it hurts, I'm done. And then you know, your constant I was crying because I'm like, oh, I can't, you know, I can't give her formula. I just uh yeah, no, none of it, none of it is good. All the hormones, the hormones are awful, breastfeeding's awful. And I remember like, when was it? It had to have been at least six weeks after I stopped breastfeeding, maybe even two months. And I was very like hormonal and like felt so angry, and then I was changing, and then my boobs started leaking, and I am like, what the hell is going on? Like, I my milk has been dried for two months now, and then I start crying, and I'm like, I should be nursing my child. So I put Harley to my boob to try to nurse her, and she just didn't even know what to do with it. And I'm like, now what are you doing? What are you doing? Stop. You're not doing this, you're not gonna start breastfeeding again. Like we're done. This is just hormones, but it was just funny because as soon as my boobs started leaking, I was like, oh my god, it's my hormones. Okay, my hormones are just off here.

SPEAKER_00 33:00

Yes, oh my gosh, these damn hormones, man. Oh my gosh. Well, I know. I know. What advice would you give to new moms after our rant about the hormones?

SPEAKER_01 33:17

Don't do it. I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_02 33:21

You know, all I I just me personally, whenever someone's a new mom, I will always tell them, you know, you're gonna cry, you're sleep deprived for at least a couple of months, and that's really hard. Um, but I always tell new moms to watch out for postcardum because nobody ever told me that. And so anytime like I'm talking to somebody, you know, I just I tell them like it's it's okay to not be okay, you know, like especially to new moms who think that it's so easy, and then you have a baby and you're just like, what the fuck did I do? Like I have to wake up every three to two to three hours to feed this thing? Like, what did I do? Yes, you know, and so I always just warn people about the no sleep and just tell people, you know, it gets better as they get a little bit older and just really try to warn the moms about postpartum because people don't.

SPEAKER_00 34:27

Yes. I mean, I don't remember being warned about postpartum, and I had older siblings who had had their kids, so yes, yeah, yeah. Be mindful, yes, of it. Yeah, you're not feeling well, it's normal to not feel well.

SPEAKER_02 34:47

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember being at the doctor and just crying, and it was probably like I don't know, four months after I had Jacob. And then they were like, you know, I think you have postpartum. And then I'm like, I don't have postpartum. Like, no, there's no way. And they wanted me to try Zoloft, and I'm like, no, because I'm very anti-medicine. Um, but I ended up trying the Zoloft and it helped. So, you know, obviously I had postpartum. You know, and I I didn't, yeah. Yep, yep, that's all. So that's what I like to warn new moms about because I just remember being in a dark place and you know I don't I don't envy I don't I don't like when I look back at it, I don't miss that stage.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

Yeah. If your kids could describe you as a mom, what do you hope they would say?

SPEAKER_02 35:54

What they would say that I'm the most perfect mom and I do everything for them and I give them everything. However, they will probably tell you I curse too much, I drink too much wine and espresso martinis. But you know, when I was gone this weekend they did miss me, so it reassured me that they do love me.

SPEAKER_00 36:17

Mm. Unconditionally, they're such sweethearts. They're so good.

SPEAKER_02 36:24

You know, it depends on what what child you ask. Jacob would like say very kind things where Connor would be like, eh, who cares about my mom? Where's my dad?

SPEAKER_00 36:45

What is your most recent mom life moment that you can share?

SPEAKER_02 36:51

So we were having some friends over, and I have a bowl full of lemon on the counter. And the little friend goes to Connor. Wow, you guys have a lot of lemon. And so what do you think one child would say?

SPEAKER_01 37:16

Uh yeah, we do.

SPEAKER_02 37:20

Uh no, my child said, Yeah, my mom likes martinis hanging out with these people.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 37:45

I love it. Oh my goodness. Yeah, and like, and it and that like that week we were taking the same kid that said the lemons to baseball practice, and he is talking about how he goes to church on Sunday. And Connor goes, Yeah, we don't go to church on Sunday because my mom likes Sunday fun day. And I'm just like, okay, can we tone it down with my Sunday fundays and martinis? Like, I really, I really don't, just to clarify, I don't drink that much, but I do wind down at night with a couple glasses of wine or a martini. But like my kids make it seem like I like to party. You're completely the opposite. I am like, dude, I don't, I don't even know. Like, I like what sometimes I'm just like, where am I going wrong? And actually, I'll tell you one more story. Okay. One more story. And this one is like gross.

SPEAKER_01 38:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 38:50

Um, okay, Connor and Jacob have to wear cups for baseball. And it's Connor and a game on Thursday. Friday night, they stayed the night at my mom's. Saturday night, I picked them up in the morning. And me and Miguel were looking for his cup underwear. And I'm like, I don't know where they are. So when we get home, I'm like, Connor, dude, you gotta find your cup underwear. And he goes, Oh, I'm still wearing them from Thursday. And it's just like, dude, I look at Miguel like what am I doing? Like, come on, do not be a coccino. Queen, like, change your ponies, man. Like, I don't, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 39:41

I don't know what to do. Like, oh my gosh, that's hilarious.

SPEAKER_02 39:49

No, like, yes, no, it's not, but I almost died. I'm like, I don't understand. Like, I'll be doing laundry and there will be one pair of one underwear for one kid and like five for the other. And I'm like, okay, we got a theme here. What kid is not changing their underwear? I can't, I can't. And like, I make them shower, and then I have to be like, are you putting the same underwear on? Like, change your underwear. Oh my goodness. Those are my stories.

SPEAKER_00 40:22

I told you I could think of a couple. I love I love them. What is one piece of advice that you can give to families as they start planning and thinking of their summer vacations?

SPEAKER_02 40:37

Um, you know, I always go places where they have alcohol. I won't go anywhere without it. Um, as long as you're a drinker. But when people start planning their vacations, I always tell them to go somewhere that is kid friendly. Like when we when me and the gals on our vacations, it has to be somewhere that's kid friendly, somewhere that has beverages, if alcohol is beverages if we want them. And then we kind of prepare ourselves for the worst and hope for the best.

SPEAKER_00 41:09

That's great.

SPEAKER_02 41:10

And then we have good vacations.

SPEAKER_00 41:12

Yeah, that's great advice. That's great advice. Now let's close out with your favorite quote.

SPEAKER_02 41:20

My favorite quote, let me pull it up because I wrote it down. Um a life well lived isn't just where you go, but who you bring along and the memories you build together.

SPEAKER_00 41:42

That was beautiful. That was beautifully said. And if anyone wants to connect with you, how can they get a hold of you or connect with you?

SPEAKER_02 41:52

They can connect with me on on my Instagram. My phone number if they want to send me a text, it doesn't matter. Okay. No, no phone calls though. I don't do phone calls.

SPEAKER_00 42:04

Okay. And could you uh say your Instagram handle?

SPEAKER_02 42:11

Yeah, let me look it up because I don't know it by heart. Oh, you know what? In my defense, I do have three Instagrams. One personal, one travel, and one estation one. So my personal is going to be MRuiz0628.

SPEAKER_01 42:38

0628.

SPEAKER_02 42:42

And then my glam one is glam by mal. And then my travel agent one is Melventures underscore one.

SPEAKER_00 42:56

Melventures underscore one. Okay. All right. So we heard it here. Find her on Instagram. Any three. Any one of the three. All three. All three, why not? Mel, it was so fun having you today. Thank you so much for being with us. We appreciate it. And we hope to see you guys in person soon. Sounds good. Thanks, girl. Thanks for the laugh.

SPEAKER_02 43:31

Of course. Bye-bye. Bye.

SPEAKER_00 43:40

What an honest and powerful conversation with Mel. From navigating military deployments and motherhood in survival mode to processing pregnancy loss, postpartum struggles, and finding herself through it all. Mel reminds us that motherhood isn't about perfection. About showing up, growing, and giving ourselves grace along the way. And of course, she reminds us that sometimes mom life also includes baseball fields, forgotten underwear, martinis, and a whole lot of laughter. Mel, thank you for your vulnerability, your humor, and your heart. And to every mom listening, if something in this episode resonated with you, please share it with another mama or three who may need the reminder that she's not doing this alone. Until next time, this is Mom Life, where every mom has a story and every story matters. Please follow so you never miss an episode.