Hello! Rachelle Rochowiak here! I’m a 30-year-old woman who was born and raised in Garden City, moved to Canton with my best friend when I was 21, then lived in Plymouth, and now reside in Livonia with my husband. I’m basically a Wayne County, Michigan-lifer!

We are a family of four. There’s our five-year-old son, Dylan Morrison, who is our keen, athletic little boy yet also a thinker/observer who is determined to do what he wants, just like his mommy. He loves helping our seven-year old chihuahua, Penny Lane, who is the princess of house. There’s my husband Steve, the realist, and definitely the most logical one in our household; he’s my financial guru and sports fanatic but, most importantly, a super supportive husband and influential father.

…and then there’s me, the full-time mother and wife, small business owner, and part-time employee. I’m an ultra-creative, lover of fashion and home design, and one who dreams big.

A Look Into My Life

I grew up being the second oldest child of 5. Growing up, I was taught that family is everything. I was blessed to have the majority of my extended Filipino family (which is massive) living in metro Detroit. I’m talking over 40 cousins, along with 20+ aunts and uncles.

When I think of my childhood, I always think of family gatherings, adventures, sports, and food. It seemed like there was a family party every weekend, and summer time was spent with my cousins.  There was always something to do, someone to hang out with, and a lot of running around to be done.

My Happily Ever After

It wasn’t love at first sight, but it was best friends at first sight. In tenth grade I transferred to Garden City High School where I met Steve through many mutual friends. The connection was almost instant. We became great friends who went to the high school football games, shopped, and walked the halls of our school together.

Then, the college years appeared. We drifted apart but never completely lost touch. In 2010, we had a plan that if neither of us were married by the time we were 40, we would marry each other just to have the celebration. But little did we know, we didn’t have to wait. I married my best friend on September 25, 2015 with our little boy walking down the aisle. Together, we enjoy traveling, food, and raising our little boy.

The Plan Back-up Plan

At 24, I thought I had my life figured out. I was graduating college with my Bachelor’s Degree in business administration. Steve and I planned to make our way up the corporate ladder, possibly move to a different city, then have one or two kids around the age of 35. I had planned to join the Management Program at the Buckle (where I was an intern) because my goal was to have my own location. But one big thing changed almost our entire plan: just months before graduating college, I found out I was pregnant, which threw that plan off completely.

I graduated college in September 2013, Steve proposed, I started a new job as a Loan Processor and turned 25, all in a matter of three weeks. We moved in to our home in Livonia at the end of February 2014, and two weeks later, a seven-pound, nine-ounce boy entered our world, changing it forever.

After two and a half years working as a loan processor then business analyst, my husband and I made the decision for me to become a stay-at-home mom. I felt the need to stay at home to raise my son. My husband found a job that was able to financially support our family, and I have been grateful to say that for the past three years, I have been a stay-at-home mother.

Shortly after becoming a stay-at-home mom and just before Thanksgiving of 2016, we became a family with no source of income. We thought my husband would be able to find a job quickly, but that wasn’t the case. In December of 2016, my best friend Steph came to me with an idea to make jewelry and sell it on Etsy for extra income; I was all in. Being introduced to fashion early in life, I always wanted to own a boutique as my aunt did when I was younger.

From a Hobby to a Dream

What started as somewhat of a hobby became so much more. Just months after, we opened our online boutique, KaraLyn Street. We started participating in pop-up shows where we would almost sell out. Instantly, we saw a demand for our jewelry! We continued with them, designing and creating jewelry. And, to this day, we are continuing to build our fashion empire!

Present Day

I am now experiencing the anxiousness and wonder with Dylan, who is just now entering full days of kindergarten. What am I going to do without my “baby” by my side each and every day? Well, I planned for this. I took on a part-time job, and I’m still managing KaraLyn Street all while trying to maintain the life of the #slowdownrevolution. I am excited and open to see what being a Detroit Mom’s Blog contributor is all about!