Forged in Fire, Living IN Joy

Welcome to IN Joy today

"Joy is not the absence of fire. It is the light we find inside of it."

In Joy Today isn’t just a brand name. It is a survival strategy born from the ashes.

The name comes from a note left behind by my stepfather, Wally—a blacksmith by trade and the anchor of our family. He didn't write "Enjoy." He wrote "IN Joy."

He left us a command to exist inside of joy, no matter what storms—or fires—are raging outside. He taught us that if you wait for the fire to go out before you let yourself smile, you might wait forever. You have to find the moment today.

The Blacksmith’s Lesson

Wally spent his days amidst the heat, the dust, and the clanging of metal. To the untrained eye, the forge looks like a place of destruction. But Wally taught us to see it differently.

He taught us that cold, rigid metal cannot change. To become something useful—to become something strong—it must be introduced to the heat. He gave us the philosophy that guides everything we do

"The fire that threatens to destroy us is the very same fire that reshapes us into something stronger."

That is who we are. We are not broken people. We are simply being reshaped.

The First Heat

Our story of resilience began in 2009. My four children and I were home when a fire broke out. We evacuated safely, but we watched as our home—and everything inside it—was taken by the flames. We rebuilt, believing the worst was behind us.

The Restructuring

Ten years later, life put us back in the forge. 2019 and 2020 became years of massive transition. I found myself navigating the end of a long marriage while simultaneously facing a second, devastating house fire in October 2019.

This time, the loss felt total. I was standing in the ashes of my home while trying to build a new life for myself and my children. But looking back, I realize the ground was being cleared for something new.

The Anchor & The Rebuild

Just as I was finding my footing, I lost my guide. Wally passed away on November 15, 2021.

I felt lost in the dark. But a blacksmith never leaves his work unfinished. Exactly four days later, on November 19, I received the call that we were finally approved to rebuild our home. I believe with my whole heart that was Wally, helping us lay the first brick from the other side.

Walking Through the Fire With You

I share this timeline not to focus on the loss, but to tell you: We know what it feels like. We know what it feels like when the path forward isn't clear.

Through the smoke of the fires and the grief of loss, we learned that the big moments define your life, but the small moments save it. We realized that "In Joy Today" means actively hunting for those sparks. It means pausing in the middle of the stress to notice the blue sky. It means realizing that tomorrow, today will just be a memory—so we must be present in it now.

Why We Create "Tools," Not Just Products

Today, I am happily remarried, living proof that you can find love, stability, and happiness after everything burns down. In Joy Today is here to help you do the same.

We realized that we need more than just "positive vibes." We need actual tools to help us regulate, ground, and process. That is why every single item in our shop serves a specific purpose in your journey:

• The Journals (The Work): You cannot reshape the metal without swinging the hammer, and you cannot heal the mind without processing the pain. Our Journals are safe spaces for you to dump the noise, track your gratitude, and make sense of the chaos.
• The Apparel (The Armor): When you put on our Hoodies and Tees, you are wrapping yourself in a physical reminder of your resilience. They are the "soft shell" you wear when the world feels too sharp.
• The Tumblers (The Anchors): In the rush of anxiety or stress, our Tumblers serve as a cue to stop. To take a breath. To fuel your body and ground your mind in the present moment.

Welcome to the Forge

We are not here to "fix" you. We are here to help you reshape yourself, and to walk with you in the process.

We have been through the fire. We are still here. And we are choosing to find the moment.

We are choosing to be In Joy Today.