Ma-Honey's

Brielle and Michael are back after a short break to fix their audio! This week they talk about how becoming parents to their son Roman (21 months) has changed them as individuals and as a couple. 00:00 Welcome back to the Ma-Honeys 00:18 Back after a break (goodbye, audio issues!) 01:04 Recording from home 01:20 Today's topic: how parenthood changed us 02:13 The biggest change: going from zero kids to one 02:40 Brielle: less independence, more structure 04:50 Michael: living and modeling your values 06:35 Sleep, schedules, and night wakings 08:30 More intention in our daily routines 09:33 Filling your cup: faith, prayer, and energy 11:30 Releasing expectations 12:20 The diaper blowout story 14:00 Learning joy from a toddler 16:50 Slowing down and being present 17:45 Mother's intuition and "what if I'm not a good mom?" 20:40 Brielle chasing her music dreams 24:10 Being an example for our kids 28:35 Honoring stay-at-home moms 30:40 Better communication as a couple 31:50 A word for those who aren't parents yet 33:20 Michael on becoming a dad later in life 36:35 The twin baby boys debate 38:07 Wrap-up If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with a friend. Send us your comments, questions, or topics you'd like us to cover! CONNECT WITH US The Ma-Honeys: @ma_honeys.podcast Michael: @the.michaelmahoney Brielle: @brielle_colleen @brielle.colleen.music

Ep. 5: Roman's Birth Story — Our At-Home Birth Brielle and Michael share the full story behind their decision to have an at-home birth — from frustrations with the hospital system to the 46-hour labor that brought Roman into the world. Show Notes: - Intro & static noise apology - Life update: sold the Arizona house, new Jeep, Roman's diaper blowout story - Why they chose to share their at-home birth story - Starting with the hospital system — feeling like "just a number" - C-section statistics & suggestive language from hospital staff - Brielle's anxiety and the weight of restrictive hospital guidance - Talking to friends who'd done an at-home birth - Researching doulas and midwives - Doula vs. midwife — the difference explained - The birth class & taking accountability - Cost comparison: doula/midwife vs. hospital - Finding out it's a boy - Labor begins — November 22, 2024, Brielle's birthday - Early labor, walking, and natural positioning exercises - Hip pain & signs the baby wasn't positioned well - Active labor intensifies — the belly-lift technique - Stalling at 7cm for 10 hours - The tub, wine, and calming the nervous system - The "shock" scare & considering a hospital transfer - Brielle's mental shift — surrendering into the pain - Water breaking & the meconium scare - Final stretch — pushing begins - Roman is born — Michael catches him - The spiritual moment of catching Roman - Brielle's recovery & would she do it again - Wrap-up & final thoughts on the decision Follow along: Ma-Honeys Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/ma_honeys.podcast Michael IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.michaelmahoney Website: http://www.iamconductr.com Brielle IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle_colleen/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle.colleen.music

Ep. 4, Pt. 2: Our Relationship with God (Continued) Part two of Brielle and Michael's conversation on faith — including the story of a life-changing trip to Israel, how they pray now versus how they used to, and what they hope Roman inherits about faith and gratitude. Show Notes: 0:00 – Intro, picking up the story 0:16 – The 2023 trip to Israel begins 1:16 – Meeting IDF soldiers & the mission behind the trip 2:22 – Michael's naivety about religion going in 4:03 – Arriving at the King David Hotel 5:16 – The Garden of Gethsemane & meeting the Catholic priest 7:00 – Michael starts feeling something shift inside 9:38 – Sitting with the weight of Jerusalem's history 11:36 – The priest, the rabbi, and the guitar song 13:06 – Why God put him there — searching for the purpose 15:15 – Sharing the story with Brielle afterward 17:35 – Present day: no church home yet, watching Elevation Church on Sundays 18:00 – The song "Let You Go" & letting go of a fear-based God 20:04 – Wanting Roman to find God through love, not fear 21:00 – Brielle's hopes for how their kids come to faith 22:00 – Relationship with God as a two-way relationship 23:01 – Morning gratitude practice & nightly prayers with Roman 25:00 – Brielle on praying from vulnerability and gratitude 27:04 – Praying from gratitude vs. praying from need 29:18 – Letting go of timing and expectations 30:22 – Learning to ask different questions in prayer 33:14 – Wrap-up, Roman wakes up 34:00 – Clarifying: Mormons are Christian 35:15 – Outro & call to action Mentioned in this episode: Elevation Church IG: https://www.instagram.com/elevationworship Follow along: Ma-Honeys Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/ma_honeys.podcast Michael IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.michaelmahoney Website: http://www.iamconductr.com Brielle IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle_colleen/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle.colleen.music Website: http://www.theballroomedit.com

Ep. 4: Our Relationship with God Brielle and Michael open up about faith — their different upbringings, the moments that pulled them away from God, and the experiences that brought them back. A raw, personal conversation about belief, doubt, and what they hope to pass down to Roman. Show Notes: 0:00 – Intro & welcome back 1:07 – Framing today's topic: our relationship with God 3:00 – Where they are now — gravitating toward Christian faith 4:12 – Different upbringings: Catholic vs. LDS 5:22 – Recommended resources: Wesley Huff, Dr. Jordan Peterson 7:12 – From atheist/agnostic to belief — Dr. John Lennox's influence 9:42 – Brielle's LDS upbringing & early questioning 12:53 – The "take care of the men and children" moment 15:06 – The patriarchal blessing & turning point 17:14 – Rebellion, marriage, and stepping away from God 17:58 – Hitting bottom during divorce — praying as a last resort 19:43 – Feeling seen again & rebuilding the relationship 21:00 – Michael's take: generalizing one experience onto a whole religion 23:19 – Michael's Boston Catholic upbringing & the Spotlight-era context 26:56 – The Joshua 14:10 passage — "kept me alive, not kept me waiting" (Pastor Steven Furtick, Elevation Church) 30:38 – On faith, certainty, and passing it down to their son 32:15 – The dog attack story — part one 35:23 – The second German Shepherd attack, two weeks later 41:06 – Finding gratitude & recognizing the pattern 43:52 – The friend's question: "Is this the program you want to pass to your kid?" 45:29 – Committing to a relationship built on love 48:44 – Teaser: the Israel story, coming in Part 2 Mentioned in this episode: Wesley Huff IG: https://www.instagram.com/wesley_huff Dr. Jordan Peterson IG: https://www.instagram.com/jordan.b.peterson Elevation Church IG: https://www.instagram.com/elevationworship Follow along: Ma-Honeys Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/ma_honeys.podcast Michael IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.michaelmahoney Website: http://www.iamconductr.com Brielle IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle_colleen/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle.colleen.music Website: http://www.theballroomedit.com

Ep. 3: Our Health & Wellness Choices Brielle and Michael get real about their health journeys — what changed, why they eat the way they do, their daily routines, and how they're raising Roman with awareness and autonomy around food. Show Notes: 0:00 – Intro & health disclaimer (not doctors/fitness pros) 1:33 – Michael's transparency: working with Elevation Health on fertility/biomarkers 5:10 – What got you interested in your health & what changed 13:44 – Brielle's shift: from restrictive eating to learning PFC (protein/fat/carb) 20:06 – A day in their life: meals, protein powder, honey, sweets in moderation 28:02 – What they want their child to inherit — awareness & autonomy over food 34:01 – What fills their cup: morning routines, prayer, journaling, spirituality 38:27 – Handling it when others' choices don't match theirs 42:40 – Final advice: get clear on what you want, examine your relationship with food 48:00 – Wrap-up & next episode teaser Mentioned in this episode: Katie's Creations IG: https://www.instagram.com/dliteswenham Heart and Soil IG: https://www.instagram.com/heartandsoilsupplements Elevation Health IG: https://www.instagram.com/elevetionhealth Follow along: Ma-Honeys Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/ma_honeys.podcast Michael IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.michaelmahoney Website: http://www.iamconductr.com Brielle IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle_colleen/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle.colleen.music Website: http://www.theballroomedit.com