Baggage Claim
Baggage Claim is a space for blended families, marriage, and friendship. Here, we dive into real-life conversations about the ups and downs of relationships, from navigating second marriages to unpacking the baggage we all bring. Hosted by Greg and Jessica, who both have rich experiences with love, loss, and family, this community is about sharing stories, learning together, and growing stronger as couples and individuals. Grab a drink and join us as we unpack, laugh, and claim our baggage—one conversation at a time
Episodes
What happens when you bring a bromance to the podcast table? Pure magic. This episode of Baggage Claim features our son Thomas and his best friend AJ as we explore the fascinating intersection of friendship and marriage.
These two young men began as bitter enemies over a girl at the barbecue restaurant where they worked, with "hate" being "a light word" for their initial feelings toward ea...
The dance between loving our children and setting appropriate boundaries can be one of parenting's greatest challenges. This becomes even more complex when guilt enters the equation—whether from divorce, loss, or simply wanting to give our kids "better than we had."
Have you ever caught yourself saying yes when you should say no? Buying gifts to compensate for time apart? Working longer hours t...
The foundation of any successful blended family begins with intentionality, especially when it comes to involving children in the process. In this deeply personal episode, Greg and Jess take listeners back to the earliest days of their relationship, sharing how they purposefully included their four children from the very beginning.
Rather than presenting their new relationship as a fait accompli, they created...
There's something powerful about admitting you're in a valley. In this raw and unscripted 20th episode, we break from our usual format to have an honest conversation about the seasons of life we're currently navigating.
Greg, Jess, and Producer Michael (making his on-mic debut) dive deep into what it means to practice genuine self-care versus slipping into selfishness. We carefully define the d...
What's the real enemy of a thriving relationship? According to Greg and Jess, it might be something we don't like to admit: selfishness. In this deeply personal and sometimes emotional conversation, the Baggage Claim hosts unpack the complex tension between selfishness and selflessness that exists in every meaningful relationship.
The discussion begins with Jess sharing a thought-provoking statement...
Ever notice how marriage comes with an instruction manual for everything except the bedroom? That silence might be more damaging than you realize.
We tackle the conversation every couple needs but few actually have – honest communication about sex in marriage. Despite being married for years (13 for Greg, 24 for me), discussing intimacy can still make cheeks flush with embarrassment. This vulnerability highli...
Ever sit across from your partner during an argument and wonder why the simplest disagreement suddenly feels like World War III? You're not alone. Every couple fights—it's how you fight that makes all the difference between relationship growth and relationship destruction.
When we planned this episode on fighting fair, something ironic happened—we found ourselves in a heated disagreement while prepa...
Ever wonder why some couples seem to navigate conflicts effortlessly while others get stuck in endless loops of misunderstanding? The secret might be simpler than you think.
In this heart-to-heart conversation, we explore a powerful three-word phrase that has transformed our relationship: "Help me understand." This deceptively simple tool creates space for curiosity and empathy—two essential ingred...
Marriage is a team sport that nobody prepared us for. What happens when two different people try to build a life together? How do you create a truly functional partnership rather than just two people sharing space?
Greg and Jess dig deep into what makes relationships work as teams by examining three crucial elements: shared vision, effective communication, and the delicate balance between trust and leadership...
"We had no idea what we were doing." Those words might not be what you expect to hear from podcast hosts sharing advice about blended families, but that's exactly what makes Baggage Claim so refreshingly honest. In this vulnerable episode, Greg and Jess pull back the curtain on their 13-year journey of blending families to reveal the messy, beautiful truth: nobody really knows what they're doing.
What happens when a bank teller and a marketing guy fall in love over karaoke at a country bar? In our first-ever guest episode, we're thrilled to welcome Nick and Brandy Kastner, who bring 19 years of marriage wisdom to the table.
Their story begins with workplace animosity (Brandy wasn't thrilled when Nick got quickly promoted at the bank where they both worked) and transforms into a relationship ...
Have you ever wondered how to make each child in a blended family feel uniquely valued? Sometimes the answer lies in being purposefully present in both big adventures and small everyday moments.
When Greg and I merged our families, we quickly realized that intentionality would be our lifeline. After a chance encounter at Target revealed how our daughter Callie felt about sharing "her time" with us, ...
What happens when your faith gets shattered? How do you rebuild trust in something bigger than yourself when life deals devastating blows? This deeply personal episode reveals the spiritual journeys that have profoundly shaped our marriage and blended family.
Greg shares his transformation from substance abuse to ministry after a rock-bottom moment in a bar bathroom. His story includes unexpected miracles—lik...
The scheduling dance of blended families might be the most challenging choreography you'll ever learn. In this heartfelt episode, Greg and Jess dive deep into the complexities, frustrations, and unexpected joys of figuring out who gets the kids when—and how to do it with grace.
Drawing from their 13 years of experience navigating the waters of shared custody, they reveal how color-coded calendars became ...
We're all guilty of seeking that elusive "silver bullet" – the one magical secret that transforms an ordinary marriage into an extraordinary one. But what if the answer isn't found in grand gestures or revolutionary techniques, but rather in simple, consistent choices made day after day?
In this deeply personal episode, Greg and Jess pull back the curtain on their 13-year relationship to s...
Family culture doesn't happen by accident. Drawing on corporate experience, we discovered how establishing core values could transform our blended family's dynamics and create an intentional environment for our children to thrive.
With sticky notes spread across our kitchen table, we invited our children (ages 8-12) to help identify what mattered most to our family. This collaborative process result...
Picture this: a well-worn table, rescued from an old hunting lodge, standing at the heart of a bustling blended family home. Not particularly beautiful or expensive, but carved with a "P" by small hands and refinished with love. This humble kitchen table became the gravitational center of our family life - where boundaries were established, hearts were mended, victories celebrated, and a family culture was f...
Your perspective shapes everything about how you experience your marriage. Are you constantly focusing on what your partner does wrong, or are you actively looking for the good? In this candid conversation, Greg and Jessica share how their vastly different life experiences shaped their mindsets about family, relationships, and overcoming trauma.
Jessica reveals the profound shift that occurred when she had to...
Greg and Jess share their dating journey from first meeting through getting engaged and married, exploring how they've maintained their relationship while raising four children in a blended family.
• Started with Facebook messages and texts before meeting at Waffle House for their first date
• Second date was at a rock climbing gym in Atlanta
• Realized they were in love on the same day while G...
Join Jess and Greg as they unpack how they handled expectations for all four kids. We unpack how we handled discipline with all the children and how we managed expectations for everyone in the house on a weekly basis. We also briefly dig into what kind of environment they wanted to create in their home including specific word choices used to support the culture they created.
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