It's my turn to say goodbye...

This morning, I announced I am leaving the morning show on WKYC.

If you're here, it means I've been a part of your morning routine for the last 15+ years. And since we’ve been through a lot together, I owe you an explanation.

My answer can be as simple as, "it's time." But the truth is that my reason for taking a huge step back from the news department is because of a million little things all added up at the same time. I realize now, I've outgrown this chapter in my life that I've loved for so long.

Growing up in Cleveland, I had the goal of becoming a local news anchor. When I was in college, I set my sights on the morning show at WKYC. I started as a general assignment reporter 17 years ago, but several months into the job, I became part the morning team.

One month after that, I met my husband. We went on lunch dates, dinner dates were at 5pm (and even that was pushing it) and I was always exhausted. Somehow, this brilliant and handsome man who hated any sort of spotlight asked me to marry him, signing up for a life of 2am alarms. We've been together for 16 years and we've never spent our evenings sitting on the couch with a glass of wine chatting about our days.

When I came back from maternity leave with my oldest daughter more than 10 years ago, I took on an anchoring role on the morning show and anchoring weekends with my dear friend Michael Estime. It was the job I wanted ever since I could remember. I decided that somehow I would juggle everything, no matter what.

Over those 10 years, I went through two more pregnancies and managed to make it in every morning despite the morning sickness. In fact, when my middle child was born, I spent the first few hours of labor anchoring a Saturday morning show.

I slept when the babies slept. I worked overnight hours so I could be there for every preschool graduation, school story time and after school snack. I've coached CYO teams and lead Girl Scout meetings all while on a few hours sleep.

The entire time, I made a promise to my husband: "I'll work until this doesn't work."

And here we are.

I want to make a few things very clear: First of all, I am not totally leaving the newsroom. Secondly, WKYC absolutely asked me to stay full time as an anchor. But dreams change. Lives change. My priorities changed. I know there are going to be Facebook comments and a lot of speculation. So, I'll explain.

In all this time of juggling motherhood and working, I created a show out of selfish need called "Mom Squad." What started as a post-pandemic podcast over zoom turned into a streaming show for our parent company that now airs and streams in 51 cities across the country. It's the company's most watched content outside of news.

Now, there are opportunities with Mom Squad that I have to take advantage of. I will be shifting my focus to growing and developing that show. There are big things planned for my “little engine that could” show and I can’t wait to share more soon.

Since I am a storyteller at heart, I am humbled and grateful to stay with the WKYC family as a "special contributor". In this capacity, I will be able to do in-depth stories a few times a month, still appearing in newscasts and occasionally filling in as an anchor.

In a couple months, I will also be launching an Executive Coaching business. I will be helping young executives with presentation and media skills. I have a couple exclusive clients I will be working with immediately and then I'll be opening up my calendar to other businesses.

I have a few other big projects I will announce in the near future.

All of these opportunities give me the flexibility I need right now, and most importantly, the sleep.

In the meantime, for the first time since becoming a mother, I am going to take full advantage of the warm summer days with my kids. We will be lunching poolside. I am going to stay up late and read books. We are going to go to Cedar Point from sun up to sun down. I'm going to talk to my husband for more than 10 minutes a day.

"Are you going to be here in the morning?", my 5 year old asked as I picked her up and held her on my hip.

"Yes, and I'll be here when you get off the bus, too," I told her.

"Is it because you love us so much?" she asked as she put her two little hands on my cheeks and looked into my eyes.

"Yes, baby, it's because I love you so much."