“You can’t say PeeWee Smoots without smiling.” Trust us, this episode will leave you smiling.

Expressing vulnerability doesn't come easily to many of us, Charlotte included.

Former middle school principal Matt Pope shares a poignant student story that has stuck with him over the years.

Author Mitch Albom had his Tuesdays with Morrie. I'm honored to say I had my Wednesdays with Minister George Gordon.

"Hard work." It's the American way — so much of our self-worth is tied to how much we can produce. But does that daily grind keep us from leaning into our gifts?

"There's a word from the ancient Celtic tradition: limen. It means threshold. The doorway. The edge of one thing before it becomes another.”

Anne and Victoria join Charlotte and Lauren—four very different women whose wisdom, passion, and talents are woven together to create the Connecting Our Stories team.

In hindsight, we scattered a lot of seeds in 2025, even when we didn’t see it that way.

In a world that tells us we must always be moving, it’s hard to get rolling sometimes. And, that’s okay.

COS PODCAST: Lauren and Charlotte get to bask in the aura of Austin pastor, convener, and artist Jennifer Cumberbatch.

Our only rule from the start was to be real. That’s why I knew years ago I wanted to do a podcast with Charlotte. And now is the time.

The Summit we filmed was more than a gathering—it was a call to action. Racial equity experts, social workers, and faith leaders addressed the harms facing Black children and families.

“It’s hard to be human.” I say this all the time. And yet, it’s our shared humanity that not only gets us through our hardships and struggles, but it’s what we live for – connections, relationships, experiences.

Deep listening is valuable in any environment, but in the context of creativity and storytelling, it can be the difference between a good story and a transformative experience.

People (and creatures and nature) should see my values. They should be visible. They aren’t just for me, tucked away in my journal, my personal reflection exercises, or on a questionably artistic legal-sized paper in my office. They must be lived. 

These stories capture the love, gratitude, and community care that drive Warm Heart and my connection with it.

At Connecting Our Stories, we always start storytelling projects with the same first question for our clients: “What is the story of your people?” 

This journey reminded me that gratitude creates abundance. Connection is healing. My answers lie within. And rain is a sacred blessing.

It was important to me to enter into year three with clarity. I wanted our COS team to be able to easily describe what we do and for whom. And now, we can. 

I didn’t know what would manifest when I signed the lease (something I feel often as an entrepreneur), but it felt a bit magical from the start.