Today, we’d like to introduce you to Madison Hubers.
Hi Madison, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was born (October of 1998) in Muskegon, MI, where I was raised by a single mom. My parents got divorced when I was two years old, and they both had children from previous relationships. My brother (13 years older than me, mom’s side) and my sister (10 years older than me, dad’s side) didn’t live at home with me, so I was essentially an only child. In high school, I was a cheerleader, a member of the choir, and participated in student government.
I also always had a job throughout school because I enjoyed having my own spending money. In eighth grade (2012), I met my husband, Hunter, and we started dating a few months later (January 2013). I was only thirteen, and he was a grade ahead of me at a different school, but we were so infatuated with one another as soon as we met. We lived 30+ minutes away from one another, so our parents didn’t love driving us back and forth to each other’s houses.
When Hunter graduated high school and decided to attend Grand Valley State University, I knew exactly where I would be attending college the following year. I may have “followed” him there, but we had never gone to school together, and every time I visited Hunter at college, I fell more and more in love with GVSU.
I ended up studying Elementary Education and English at GVSU (2016-2020) and was a member of Greek life during my time there. During my junior year of college (2018), I wanted to study abroad, but quickly realized that would be a very expensive semester of school, so I did the next best thing. I applied for the Disney College Program and spent six months living in Orlando, FL, working for the Mouse!
That semester of school was my favorite – I made friends from all over the world, created magical experiences for families while I worked, and got to play in the parks on my days off! I have always loved Disney since I was a little girl, so I felt right at home even when I was over a thousand miles away from my real home.
A few months after getting home from my DCP (June of 2019), Hunter, my boyfriend of six and a half years, proposed to me on the beach near his childhood home! He surprised me with an engagement party with all of our friends and family after the proposal. We planned to get married one year later, in June of 2020. My senior year of college consisted of student teaching and wedding planning! Most people thought we were crazy to get married so young, but we had grown up together and knew we couldn’t imagine living without one another. During my final semester of college (March of 2020), COVID-19 happened and changed life as we knew it.
I left school one day, not realizing I would never see my students again. I didn’t get a college commencement and “graduated” over Zoom. At the same time, we were insanely stressed about our wedding, which was a few short months away. As we all know, Covid didn’t magically go away by June like we were hoping for, so we revised our wedding plans and D.I.Y.ed a backyard wedding! On June 26, 2020, we married in my mom and stepdad’s backyard with our closest friends and family members. We intended to have a vow renewal one year later, in 2021, at our original venue with 250+ guests.
After our wedding, I was focused on trying to find a teaching job before school started in August. It was extremely hard to find an elementary school position in Grand Rapids, and I ended up applying for over 30 jobs. Finally, the week before school started, I received a job offer to work as a third-grade teacher for Hudsonville Public Schools! The only catch was that the position was for the virtual school that was offered that school year. This definitely wasn’t what I imagined my first teaching job to look like, but I got to teach from the comfort of my home. That September, my dad got sick and ended up passing away.
In the midst of grieving his death, I end up finding out that I am expecting a baby! Those first few months of pregnancy were a whirlwind of emotions – the song “Circle of Life” from The Lion King still makes me cry! While I should be in the honeymoon phase of my marriage, I am struggling as a first-year teacher, trying to process the death of my father and having the excitement of becoming a mom.
Right before Christmas and a few days after getting a positive pregnancy test (December 2020), I received a call from our wedding venue to inform us that they were refunding all of their 2021 weddings because of renovations that were going to be taking place that summer. At this point, I knew that the right decision would be to not go forth with a vow renewal. After all, I did not want to postpone a wedding for the THIRD time while I was pregnant, and it didn’t feel right that my dad wouldn’t be there.
My daughter, Ada, was born in August of 2021. Since she was born shortly before school started and my virtual teaching position was only for one year, I was out of a job, and no school wanted to hire someone who would be on maternity leave right as school was starting. Thankfully, my husband’s job has allowed me to stay at home with Ada over the last two and a half years. Parenthood has been a wild ride, but I am so grateful for how everything in my life has played out. As of now, in 2024, I am still a stay-at-home mom, but I have found a few side jobs to keep my calendar full. I currently work at the front desk of Mind Body Baby, a yoga studio in East Grand Rapids, and am a content creator on my social media platforms.
I love exploring my beautiful city and checking out new restaurants, shops, and businesses! I enjoy showcasing these experiences on my social media accounts because it has allowed me to try new things, meet other content creators in Grand Rapids, and bring in some extra fun money! I am always looking to partner with other local businesses and love getting to capture pieces of this wonderful city.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Although I was extremely fortunate as a child, I still had lots of struggles such as navigating childhood with divorced parents, being bullied because of my weight, and having to grow up too fast. Now, I battle grief often since losing my father and not having the career or wedding that I imagined.
Amidst my sorrow, navigating my identity as a mother has been a challenging journey. Since my youth, I always knew that I wanted to be a mom. Even in the early stages of our relationship, Hunter and I would discuss our dream of starting a family one day. When I got pregnant with Ada, I was only 22 years old. Most of my friends were not married or remotely thinking about having a baby anytime soon. It may have been the hormones or lack of sleep, but the postpartum period brought about a wave of emotions, triggering intense feelings of inadequacy and comparison to others my age. I vividly remember one evening when I was awake with my daughter, scrolling social media in the middle of the night, tears welled up in my eyes as I glimpsed at my friends’ carefree updates. Why was I mourning the loss of my former life when motherhood had been my lifelong aspiration? The constraints of my new role as a mother, the inability to relish in the freedoms of being a 22-year-old, weighed heavily on my mind. While I was never a big drinker or enjoyed partying to begin with, seeing all of my friends enjoying life while I was at home with a newborn, I struggled from time to time with being a young mom while most people my age were not in this season of life. Despite the challenges I faced as a young mother, I have come to realize that motherhood has shaped me in ways I never could have anticipated. As Ada grows and flourishes before my eyes, I am filled with a sense of pride and gratitude for the journey we have embarked on together. While the feeling of inadequacy and comparison still occasionally linger, I now understand that my path is unique and holds its own beauty. As I approach my 26th year, I am excited to continue growing and evolving in my role as a mother, embracing the challenges and joys that come with it.
Throughout my journey, I have to remind myself of the quote from Snow White, “Remember, you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine” and that’s what gets me through life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
I create content on my social media platforms (@madisonhubers), and I showcase tidbits of my personal life, what it’s like to live in Grand Rapids, and all things in between. I am most proud of myself for going out of my comfort zone to try something new.
I have learned a lot about filming, editing, and what it’s like to work with businesses since starting this online journey. What sets me apart from others is that I have a unique perspective and am authentic with the content that I am sharing. I am only just beginning, but I have a strong ability to connect with others and strive to create a sense of community on my page.
Any big plans?
I plan to continue to create content and grow my community! I haven’t quite figured out what my “niche” is, but I love trying new things and learning how to improve my skills. I am going to Iceland and Costa Rica this year, so I am excited to create some travel content.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @madisonhubers
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@madisonhubers
Image Credits
Sweet Lemon Drop Photography
