Big Announcement: We’re Building Our Own Veterinary Practice!
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one WILD and PRECIOUS life?”
About a month ago, during a housecall day, we drove past a fun, colorful house. It was early spring, and although the many planters outside were still empty, I was struck by how beautifully they were painted. I could see the handmade designs, the bright colors — they popped with so much life and joy.
What a creative family!, I thought.
Homemaker Jeni these days means creating in my garden space. It only took 30 minutes to plant in October, and I’m so glad I did—this year, all of my tulips showed up!
And then, I immediately felt sad. Sad because I realized how hard I’ve been working, and how little time I've had lately to be a creative homemaker. Sad because that creator still lives inside me — and I miss her. I felt a pang wondering if it was a mom and her kids who had made those beautiful pots together... and here I was, feeling like I was missing out.
I love science and veterinary medicine, but my whole life I've balanced that love with creative passions — scrapbooking, pottery, painting, you name it. (I may not be the best at Barbie games or board games, but trust me, I can host a mad coloring contest with the kids!)
However, I’ll admit that these days I rarely make it a priority to spend time on crafts—or even my true love, scrapbooking.
Then it hit me — I am creating.
Since December, I’ve been working with RWE Design Build on our hospital design, pouring heart and soul into it. I’ve found my outlet! We are creating the most wonderful, functional, and pet-parent inclusive veterinary hospital to complement our amazing housecall practice.
It’s going to be BEAUTIFUL.
It’s a dream come to life — blending my passions, my creativity, and my veterinary mission into one.
Whenever something feels off inside you, it's a good time for a gut check. Most of the time, when something doesn't feel right, it’s because a core value isn’t aligned.
And sometimes, our values are aligned — they just show up differently than society tells us they should.
At the start of 2025, I told Matt and the kids:
This might be the one and only year in my life where I get to design a veterinary hospital.
The next few months, I’ll be spending nights and weekends on Pinterest, designing and dreaming—and I’ve been doing just that all year.
The best part? The girls have been with me every step of the way.
RWE’s Design Team with the girls and me at our final "Turn the Page" meeting. The girls were off school, so of course they had to come meet everyone and see some of the design elements. They were shy but intrigued. Exposure is so important!
They’ve joined meetings, met engineers, architects, interior designers — even designed their very own “cat adoption room.”
Now, Madi’s grabbing scissors and designing clothes — she's going to be a fashion designer.
And Lilli’s analyzing all the interior decorating — she's going to be a realtor.
They remind me daily to stay young, play, and that creativity finds its way back to us when we need it most.
✨ Trust your dreams. Even if they look different than you imagined.
✨ Keep creating. Keep building. Keep believing.
It’s been a dream of mine to work with RWE since 2021. I almost started the brick-and-mortar journey back then, but looking back, I’m so thankful I waited. Over these past few years, we’ve built such a special house call practice—something I’m incredibly proud of. Now, this expansion feels like the next beautiful step. Some dreams are worth the wait, even if they take years to come true. RWE is so highly respected in the veterinary world for creating spaces that are not only functional but truly inspiring. I’m deeply grateful they’ll be the ones bringing our future home to life.
I’ll be blogging this entire journey — from the first sketches to opening day. Although I’m no longer coaching, you can follow along on my blog for inspiration, lessons learned, and a behind-the-scenes look at building something meaningful. 🧡