Hi, I’m Rebecca—a middle-aged (gulp) mom of three teenagers who are busy chasing their own adventures while I’m still wondering how they grew out of my lap so fast.

For years, my identity was wrapped in being a stay-at-home mom. My days were full of laundry mountains, sporting events, half-finished homework searches, and learning to interpret teen grunts like a second language. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of me—what I loved, what gave me purpose, what made me feel alive.

On top of that, I walked through the bittersweet season of being a “sandwich parent”—caring for my kids while also helping my once strong, supportive, crazy and unconditional loving parents through illness and loss. It was exhausting and heart-cracking and, somehow, the most rewarding experience of my life.

Out of all of this—out of the messy middle— came Ol’ Plain Pretties.  I started picking up forgotten furniture, just like I was picking up forgotten pieces of myself. Stripping away old layers, sanding through the rough spots, and giving things new life became more than a hobby. It became a reminder: transformation is always possible, even in overlooked seasons. It became a reminder that the foundation and strength of a piece (or of me) is where the value really is.

That’s what this space is about—stories of resilience, motherhood, loss, laughter, family and the surprising ways we can find ourselves again… sometimes in a paint-splattered garage with a dresser that just needed a second chance.