Baggage Claim
Baggage Claim is a space for blended families, marriage, and friendship.
Here, we dive into real-life conversations about the ups and downs of relationships, from navigating second marriages to unpacking the baggage we all bring. Hosted by Greg and Jessica, who both have rich experiences with love, loss, and family, this community is about sharing stories, learning together, and growing stronger as couples and individuals. Grab a drink and join us as we unpack, laugh, and claim our baggage—one conversation at a time
Episodes
41 episodes
Let’s Talk In-Laws—The Good, the Hard, and the Hilarious
Ever felt the emotional whiplash of loving your partner and wrangling their family traditions at the same time? We open the door on what “yes” really means—because when you choose a person, you inherit a clan, their rhythms, and the unspoken ru...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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40:59
When One of You Has 10% and the Other Has 90%
What if the real math of marriage isn’t 50-50 at all? We dive into why counting chores and comparing effort creates distance, and how shifting to commitment and service brings couples back to the same side. Instead of aiming for perfect balance...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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39:34
“Finding Joy Between the Casseroles and Chaos” Thanksgiving episode
The holidays can be loud: budgets stretched, schedules stacked, emotions running hot. We wanted a quieter center, so we started with a playful tour of Thanksgiving—deviled eggs, green bean casserole, and the eternal stuffing versus dressing deb...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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40:27
“This One Phrase Has Saved Our Marriage More Than Once” Part 2 of emotional intelligence
What if one short phrase could make honesty safer and conflict more productive? We share a simple tool we use at home and at work—the “umbrella of protection”—to flag vulnerable moments, lower defenses, and protect each other from knee-jerk jud...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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37:52
“I’m Fine (and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves)” How Emotional Intelligence Changes Everything
Ever feel the heat rise in a conversation and think, I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now? We’ve been there. Today we take a fun detour through cereal nostalgia and land somewhere powerful: how emotional intelligence can turn tense mome...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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35:37
How Choosing Ten Quiet Minutes Can Transform Your Marriage And Friendships
What if ten quiet minutes could change the way you love people? We take a lively room—family, friends, and a few outrageous would-you-rathers—and channel that energy into a candid look at solitude, self-talk, and the hidden ways our inner voice...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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47:52
The Solitude Paradox: How Being Alone Makes You Better Together
What happens when you finally turn the volume down on the world and sit with your own thoughts? We crack open The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter and dive into an uncomfortable truth: many of us would literally rather take an electric shock th...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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53:32
Negotiating Traditions: Blended Families, Busy Calendars, and Making New Memories
What if the date didn’t define the holiday—and the people did? We pull back the curtain on how we plan a joyful season across multiple homes, in‑laws, adult kids, new babies, and work schedules without burning out or blowing up traditions that ...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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33:53
Refuel Here: How Small Habits Keep Love Running Long (part 2 with Mason )
A ballpark hot dog, a Costco food court run, and a 10 p.m. stress walk might seem like throwaway moments—until they become the blueprint for how we stay close, present, and sane. We invited our friend Mason back for a guys-only mic takeover to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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37:51
Marriage Dashboard: When the Warning Lights Start to Blink
The quiet warning lights in a marriage don’t blare—they blink. A missed look, a week of logistics-only chats, a date night postponed again. We sat down with our friend Mason for a real guys’ night to unpack how those signals show up during the ...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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38:40
Greg's story of forgiveness. What if forgiveness is the only way you get your life back?
Heartbreak doesn’t send a calendar invite. One moment you’re doing everything “right”—serving, parenting, showing up—and the next you’re staring at a truth you never thought would touch your life. Greg opens up about growing up with an abusive,...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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48:41
Conversations: Where Understanding Begins and Hate Ends
When did "if you disagree with me, you're against me" become our cultural default? Greg, Jess, and Producer Michael tackle this question head-on in their most profound and timely conversation yet.Sparked by recent tragic events, this de...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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1:02:32
Choosing Forgiveness: Jessica's story part 2
What happens when forgiveness isn't just a nice idea but your only path forward? In this raw and deeply moving conclusion to our two-part series on forgiveness, Jess bravely continues sharing her journey after losing her husband TJ in a tragic ...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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45:44
Choosing Forgiveness: Jessica's story part 1
Forgiveness may be one of the most misunderstood yet transformative powers we possess as humans. What does it truly mean to forgive? Is it something we feel, or something we choose? And perhaps most importantly, who is forgiveness actually for?...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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36:44
Time: The Currency You Can’t Earn Back
Do you know exactly where every dollar in your budget goes, but have no idea where your hours disappear to each day? Time—our most precious and finite resource—often slips through our fingers without the careful attention we give to our finance...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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38:42
Why Your Yes Still Matters
Choosing who to marry might be the single most consequential decision of your life—more significant than your career path, education, or where you live. In this vulnerable and honest conversation, we explore why this choice matters so deeply an...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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39:01
The Untalked-About Leadership Role
Leadership is everywhere in the corporate world – books, seminars, workshops – but why don't we talk about it at home? That's the question Greg and Jess tackle in this revealing conversation about what leadership actually looks like within a ma...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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44:11
From Sparks to Stability
What draws us to our partners initially, and what makes a relationship last through decades of change? In this intimate conversation, Greg and Jess explore the profound question of how to truly love someone for who they are—not who we wish they...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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41:40
Bros, Babies, and Building a Marriage That Lasts
What happens when you bring a bromance to the podcast table? Pure magic. This episode of Baggage Claim features our son Thomas and his best friend AJ as we explore the fascinating intersection of friendship and marriage.These two young ...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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37:59
Why Kids Don’t Need Perfect Parents—They Need Present Ones
The dance between loving our children and setting appropriate boundaries can be one of parenting's greatest challenges. This becomes even more complex when guilt enters the equation—whether from divorce, loss, or simply wanting to give our kids...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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33:04
"We Built This Together: The Power of Inclusion in Blended Families"
The foundation of any successful blended family begins with intentionality, especially when it comes to involving children in the process. In this deeply personal episode, Greg and Jess take listeners back to the earliest days of their relation...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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41:55
"We Promised You Real – So Here's Real"
There's something powerful about admitting you're in a valley. In this raw and unscripted 20th episode, we break from our usual format to have an honest conversation about the seasons of life we're currently navigating.Greg, Jess, and P...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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55:08
Selfishness vs. Selflessness: The Trade-offs of Marriage (Part 1)
What's the real enemy of a thriving relationship? According to Greg and Jess, it might be something we don't like to admit: selfishness. In this deeply personal and sometimes emotional conversation, the Baggage Claim hosts unpack the complex te...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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43:48
Taco Bell, Talladega Nights, and Talking About Sex
Ever notice how marriage comes with an instruction manual for everything except the bedroom? That silence might be more damaging than you realize.We tackle the conversation every couple needs but few actually have – honest communication...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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40:10
The Argument That Wrote This Episode
Ever sit across from your partner during an argument and wonder why the simplest disagreement suddenly feels like World War III? You're not alone. Every couple fights—it's how you fight that makes all the difference between relationship growth ...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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41:54