Melissa B
Raised outside of Orlando, Florida, redheaded Melissa is an avid sunscreen and shade enthusiast. She left Florida in 2007 to serve in the United States Air Force as a radio and television broadcaster. After basic and technical training she was stationed in Illinois, South Korea, Italy, and Alabama with two deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan sprinkled in between.
In 2013, she met her husband Gregg and in 2015, they were married. This gave Melissa the new title of Bonus Mom to Gregg's daughter, Isabella. That year also welcomed Melissa back into the civilian world as her eight years of service came to a close due to medical retirement. She has called Birmingham home for the past 3.5 years.
Shortly after they were married, Melissa and Gregg found themselves wading through the confusing and emotional world of miscarriage and unexplained infertility. They excitedly welcomed a son in November of 2017 after two years of trying for a little miracle.
Melissa dedicates her extra time to spoiling their three rescue dogs Ginger, Typsy, and Bruno. She also fosters dogs before they find their furever homes.
Veterans Day and Birmingham’s Ties to Its Creation
Mark your calendars! Veterans Day mattress sales are upon us! You probably have a reminder set in your phone already, because who passes up those big Veterans Day bed and boxspring sales?!
You can...
Being Embraced as the Bonus Mom: The Other Side of Blending a Family
A fellow Birmingham Moms Blog contributor recently penned a post that struck all the Bonus Mom chords in my heart. I connected to every word. By the end, I was celebrating her story like...
A “Thank You” to the Dad I Never Had
Father’s Day has always been a thorn in my side. I celebrate it now, but for a big chunk of my life, it was sort of a blank canvas for me. I didn’t have...
Sleuth-y Podcasts for the True Crime Mama
I've had quite a few passions in my life that when spoken about spark a light in my eyes and a fire in my heart. My son is numero uno, Target (obviously), and my...
PTSD :: A Mom’s Confession
I want to start by noting something very important. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), suicide, and veterans are not always tied to one another. These things can live separately and not be related. PTSD and...
A Letter to My Son on Veteran’s Day {Part II}
My Darling Boy,
Last year for Veterans Day I shared our military lineage in a letter to you. I laid out a figurative patchwork of military colors and stories. This year, I want to share...
Breaking Baby News to an Only Child
The day my bonus daughter opened a package and pulled out a shirt adorned with the words “Big Sister” was the day her world experienced an unexpected shift in the atmosphere. Her only-child-orbit was...
5 Touchdown-Worthy Recipes for Football Season
We are entering into the greatest time of the year. I'm not talking about pumpkin spice lattes or leaves changing from green to shades of autumn, although they fill the void when it's Tuesday,...
I Am Not Cool (Anymore)
Life has many phases. Some are so subtle, it's hard to know that a phase is even existent. And some are as subtle as a purple giraffe wearing high heels. Years ago, I thought...
The Choice of Passing on a Genetic Disorder to My Child
We make choices every day. Simple choices like what to wear, what to eat, where to go. There are also bigger life choices related to our career, buying a house, starting a family. A...