Husband in Law

This week, Matt, Steve, and Jessica discuss some of the trials that can come up with co-parenting. Matt and Jessica share their experience helping Ann move out and get an apartment for herself and the kids. They describe their hopes that showing support would help strengthen their relationship with her.  And for a while, it did until miscommunication got in the way and disrupted the progress they...

In this episode, Steve, Matt, and Jessica talk about how Steve and Sebastien decided to get back together and give their relationship another try. Steve could never quite get over Sebastien after they first broke up. He struggled to date anyone else for three years as his heart still very much belonged to him. The second time around, it became incredibly clear that they just weren’t the right matc...

This week, Matt, Steve, and Jessica go over the timeline of Jessica and Ann’s relationship. The beginning of their relationship was pretty promising, and they got along quite well. Jessica discusses what she did to keep the relationship positive and as happy as possible. She explains what it was like to let her guard down around Ann and their growing relationship. They also cover the moment the re...

This week, Matt, Steve, and Jessica discuss Matt and Jessica buying a home together, and Matt and Jessica’s dinner with Jack and Ann. Buying a home was a pivotal moment in Jessica and Matt’s relationship. They struggled a lot during the early years of their marriage and questioned whether they would even stay together.  The home signaled a unifying moment between them that they were hopeful of sti...

You might remember Jessica, Matt, and Steve discussing this in previous episodes. It's the meeting Steve had with the bishopric council to decide how he moved forward in his relationship with the church and Jessica. At this point, he still had hope that they could be together as he was unwilling to accept himself fully.  A disciplinary council meeting is conducted when a church member has sinn...

In this episode, Matt, Steve, and Jessica interview Tyler Christensen about being raised in the LDS church as a closeted gay kid and his subsequent journey coming out and finding solace in literature and Queer studies.  K. Tyler Christensen is a Ph. D. Candidate in American Literature & Culture in the English Department at The George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, DC. There, he tea...

In this episode, Matt, Steve, and Jessica pick up where they left off last week regarding Hank's situation.  Matt was surprised when Ann told him they were going to reveal the truth to Hank. He thought he had a couple of more years to plan the conversation that he wasn't Hank's biological father rather than just a few days. They talk about how Matt prepared for that potentially life-al...

In this episode, Matt, Steve, and Jessica discuss when things really started to fall apart with Ann, Matt, and Jessica. Co-parenting can be incredibly difficult. Especially when the parents involved struggle to communicate effectively. Matt and Jessica know this first hand in their experiences with Matt’s ex-wife. In previous episodes, they’ve alluded to the challenges that have come up, as a resu...

In this episode, Matt, Steve, and Jessica interview the Poor Bishop from last week's episode, Jerry Sturgill. Jerry has played a prominent role in each of their lives and encourages them to live boldly in all that they do.  Today, he is sharing his viewpoint on the events of Steve and Jessica's relationship, and Matt and Jessica's. If you remember from last week, Jerry was the catalyst...

In this episode, Matt, Steve, and Jessica discuss the time Jessica decided to leave Matt. They examine the nature and complexities of entering a second marriage. About a year after their marriage, they decided it was time to get sealed in the church. But at the time, they were going through some serious marital strain. Jessica felt as if Matt didn’t really care if they were together and struggled...

In this episode, Matt, Steve, and Jessica have a conversation with Chelsie Dort. Chelsie runs a popular blog and Instagram account dedicated to all things related to family life. Her content often refers to her experiences, raising a blended and biracial family. Chelsie’s oldest child is from her first marriage and youngest three from her current one. Unfortunately, though her first marriage ended...

In this episode, Matt, Jessica, and Steve discuss the importance of sticking to your guns. It can be difficult to adhere to your values as a parent especially when they’re continually being challenged.  There are always challenges to overcome when raising a blended family. The influence of multiple parental figures can present new obstacles and modes of communication. Jessica reflects on a time sh...

In this episode, Matt, Jessica, and Steve talk about their experiences with Steve introducing his new boyfriend to them. Navigating their unique relationship continues to present interesting scenarios in each of their lives.  The dynamic Steve, Jessica, and Matt share is undoubtedly fascinating. They tend to be reminded of this whenever inviting anyone new into the fold in the form of relationship...

In this episode, Matt, Jessica, and Steve discuss Steve’s recent encounter with harassment at his work. A guest at his hotel spoke in a derogatory manner to one of the staff, which led to Steve confronting the guest and kicking him out. The guest used slurs against Steve, which led to how people are treated based on appearance.  As a gay man, Steve is often the subject of attention, and sometimes...

In this episode, Matt, Jessica, and Steve interview Charlie Bird, a gay active member of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. Charlie is most famously known as the BYU mascot, Cosmo the Cougar. He gained notoriety for his impressive dance skills and many of his video clips have gone viral.  Since his time at BYU, Charlie has become an advocate for LGBTQ identities within the LDS church...

In this episode, Matt, Steve, and Jessica discuss dive into why it was so hard for Jessica the first few years of our marriage. They start breaking down some of Matt's false beliefs and the stories he was telling himself about why he couldn't show up for her.  Matt and Jessica describe the hardships of the early years of their marriage. For Matt, he dealt with a lot of security issues and...

In this episode, Matt, Steve, and Jessica discuss the ups and downs of co-parenting and how to keep your relationship healthy. It all starts with Steve’s story witnessing a custody battle (over a dog) while at work and leads into each of their own experiences with splitting custody. Matt and Jessica describe the interesting situation they are in dealing with two custody situations on each end of t...

In this episode, Jessica, Matt, and Steve move through their timeline of Matt and Jessica’s relationship. They talk about how their relationship created new roles for Matt in the church and how he struggled to find his place in it during this transition with Jessica. Before Matt and Jessica started dating, Matt served the church as a Sunday school teacher. He was moved to the role of executive sec...

In this episode, we welcome the Inclusive Step-Mom, Beth McDonough. Beth is a certified step-parent coach who uses her experience as a child of divorce, a step-mother, and attraction to women to help others adjust and find success as a step-parent. Beth specializes in LGBTQ+ issues, being a childless stepmom, infertility, and strengthening stepfamilies. She talks to us about her mission to make ev...

In this episode, Steve, Jessica and Matt discuss jealousy and how it gave them perspective on the changes that were happening not only in their lives, but the lives of their ex’s and their children. Matt and Jessica’s new beginning meant a new normal for their children too. They talk about teaching their children that it is okay to show your step-parents the same amount of love they show their bio...

In this episode, we are talking about the meaning of the word sonder, the realization that everyone has a life as complex as one's own. It’s a timely way of thinking as we all reflect on how we are showing up in our countries current climate. This year has been a tough one. It has been a year of economic setbacks and, as of recently, a movement for change. Jessica begins this episode reflectin...

This episode marks the one year anniversary of Husband In Law. Steve, Jessica and Matt thank their listeners for following their story and share some of their favorite moments recording. Taking the first step and deciding to start a podcast wasn’t an easy decision. Jessica has mentioned before that she felt a calling to help make a difference in people’s lives. For her that calling led to this pod...

In this episode, Jessica talks about her trip to the Grand Teaton and how the vacation turned out to be a giant hurdle emotionally and physically. The beginning of Jessica and Matt’s marriage has been the topic of the last few episodes. Jessica and Matt have been struggling to have the open conversations they need work through the transition of a second marriage. This week, Matt and Jessica reconn...

In this episode, Jessica Matt and Steve continue their conversation about the early days of Matt and Jessica’s marriage. In previous episodes, Matt talks about immense responsibility settling in after the wedding. He was struggling to open up to Jessica about his feelings and it came off seemingly distant and less interested in the relationship. The three talk more about those feelings while focus...

In this episode, Matt opens up about how financial stress weighed on him in the beginning of his marriage with Jessica. Debt accumulation from his past relationship put up a temporary wall with new experiences with Jessica. They get on the subject when Steve starts a conversation about his involvement in Jessica buying a new car. He shares how he still felt a responsibility for Jessica’s well-bein...