Page 123 of Cooking Up My Comeback

In the middle stands Mason, wearing his button-down shirt and enough sparkles to blind aircraft, holding an empty jar.

“I wanted to make restaurant confetti,” he announces proudly. “But the jar was really full.”

“Mason,” I say slowly, “what happened to the jar?”

“It jumped!”

“Jars don’t jump, Mason,” Tally says, brushing sparkles off her dress. “You got excited and squeezed too hard.”

“I was being very careful! But then Crew sneezed and scared me!”

“My sneeze was completely normal,” Crew protests. “You’re easily startled.”

My living room resembles the scene of a festive crime. My kids are covered head to toe in sparkles.

And you know what?

I start laughing.

Not the hysterical kind leading to padded rooms, but real, honest, from-the-belly laughter.

“You know what?” I say, and joy bubbles up in my voice. “We embrace it. We’re going to be the most memorable restaurant opening in Twin Waves history.”

“Really?” Mason asks, his whole face lighting up.

“Really. Sometimes the best stories start with the biggest disasters.”

“But, Mom,” Tally says, examining her glitter-covered reflection in the hallway mirror, “we appear to have lost a fight with a craft store.”

“And won,” Crew adds cheerfully. “We definitely won.”

Twenty-two minutes later, we’re in the car, running late but sparkling. Despite our cleanup efforts—frantic vacuuming while Tally held Mason hostage in the bathroom—we’re still shedding glitter with every movement.

“I appear to be a mermaid,” Tally announces, checking herself in the rearview mirror.

“I resemble a space robot,” Crew adds with scientific satisfaction.

“I resemble a person who needs to learn how to say no to kids with artistic vision,” I mutter, but I’m grinning.

The truth is, I love us like this. Ridiculous and running late and covered in craft supplies,but together. Driving toward our dream with hearts full of hope and anxiety.

Maybe courage resembles this. Not perfect Instagram moments, but real life with all its beautiful mayhem.

My phone buzzes.

Brett: Can’t wait to see you and the restaurant filled with people who love you.

I glance down at my sparkle-enhanced appearance and actually snort.

Me: About tonight...

Brett: ?

Me: Let’s say Mason had some creative ideas about celebration decorations.

Brett: Should I be worried?

Me: Only if you’re allergic to glitter.