In 2020, we made the move back to Minnesota – not just to be closer to family, but to walk alongside my Mom during her cancer journey. She had already survived a stroke years earlier that left her with aphasia and apraxia, and now faced multiple myeloma, a terminal diagnosis. Watching her navigate each challenge with grace and grit changed something in me. She showed me what real strength looks like. And my Dad, faithfully by her side through every hospital visit, appointment, and medication set-up/change, modeled selfless, steadfast love. 

We came to support them – but in truth, they gave us a front-row seat to legacy in action. 

At the same time, my husband, Victor and I were stepping into a new chapter. He dreamed of growing his real estate work to include investment properties, and part of our decision to move home was tied to that vision. Our first purchase: a 1912, craftsman, foreclosure we won at auction. (Mrs. Planner meets Mr. Goal Getter!) While the world shut down, we rolled up our sleeves – renovating that house and three more properties in the Twin Cities. All while I was working full-time in healthcare marketing and we were still navigating a city in pandemic limbo. 

In 2021, after hoping and praying, we found out we were expecting. Our son was born in January 2022 and quickly became the heart of our days. Though he slowed our renovation progress, it was in the best possible way. Balancing a newborn, full-time jobs, and home projects made it clear something had to shift. With encouragement from Victor’s amazing team at Engel & Völkers, I stepped away from my career to focus on motherhood and our family. 

As Victor’s portfolio grew, so did my reawakened love for design. What began as casual help for his clients turned into something more. With support from friends and clients, we launched Bradford Home Collective this past March 2025 – our staging, design, and renovation business. It’s a creative reflection of our story, and a reminder that legacy isn’t only what we leave behind – it’s what we shape daily. 

Coming home to Minnesota felt full circle. But this time, I brought my “home” with me. I’ll never forget introducing Victor to his first Minnesota spring & fall – he had never seen tulips bloom or fall leaves turn. A lifelong southerner, he’s now a fan of snowball fights with our son & s’mores by the fire (though he still won’t claim to love the cold). 

But even with a fresh start, we brought ourselves with us. A new location doesn’t erase internal or relational work. We’ve had to keep learning how to communicate, support one another, and build the kind of family culture we hope to pass down. Legacy, we’ve learned, is about becoming – together. 

While we came home for family, we also were blessed with community. ‘Doing life’ with both family and life-long friends has been a gift. Rekindled friendships have brought deep joy. We’ve found belonging in a new church and small group that’s helped us walk through life’s highs and lows. These connections have been lifelines – reminders that we were never meant to do life alone. 

And in the quieter parts of our story, there’s still longing. After the blessing of our son, we hoped and prayed our family would continue to grow. That dream hasn’t yet come to fruition, and the waiting has stretched us. But in the midst of it, we’ve taken a step of faith. Launching this business during a season of uncertainty has been one way of planting hope – creating, building, and believing even when the future feels tender and unknown. 

As we mark nearly five years back in Minnesota – through relocating in a pandemic, career pivots and home renovations – we’re learning to live with open hands. Less striving. More listening. More trust in God’s timing. This season isn’t about having arrived. It’s about becoming who we’re called to be. 

Legacy isn’t one grand decision. It’s the small, faithful steps. The tired glances that still say ‘we’re in this together.’ The courage to start something new. The way we love, even in unseen moments. It’s what we’re building in the quiet – in faith, hope, and love. 

We came home to support someone we love. What we gained was a deeper understanding of what it truly means to build a life worth remembering.