We moved to Texas in September 2024. We moved into a house (sight unseen to me) in The Woodlands. Great location and neighborhood, lots of walking trails for me and Rhodes. Garrett picked this house because it felt the safest and had a perfect layout for the whole family. And it was.

We finally got settled into this new house, new jobs for both of us, a new school for Kash, and an overall new routine. My new job was full-time stay-at-home mom. I had sold my car before moving down here for that reason, and that’s why moving to a safe location was super important. Rhodes and I were about to spend a lot of time outside on the walking trails and at the park down the street. But that also meant we would be spending a lot of time in the house when the weather was cold or rainy.

If you know The Woodlands, you know it’s wet. There are so many trees, and during hurricane season, it rains almost every day for weeks at a time. Typically not a problem — unless your rental house is poorly ventilated, was damaged in last season’s hurricane, and has a strong musty smell. I’m very sensitive to mold. I told Garrett a few months after we moved in, “This house smells like mold.” I couldn’t explain it, but it was a gut feeling. I knew something was off.

Rhodes was 7 months old when we moved to Texas. He had just started crawling, was babbling pretty well, and eating soft foods with a spoon.

I also found out I was pregnant once we got settled in. When I took the test and did the math, I was about 6 weeks along at the end of September. We were not expecting to have another baby when our baby was almost 8 months old — but we were super excited!

On October 1st, just a few days later, I miscarried. Devastated didn’t even describe how I felt. I was confused — I’ve never had a miscarriage, and I had been so healthy during both of my pregnancies, especially with Rhodes. I was exercising and eating well. There was no explanation — except maybe stress. Stress from just losing my mom in August, moving in September, and everything that came with it.

Fast forward a few months, past the holidays and into the new year — we started to notice some changes in Rhodes. He wasn’t progressing like he had been. He had been hitting all of his milestones right on time before we moved, but around 12–13 months, we noticed he was regressing. I dove into research — articles, TikToks, videos, ChatGPT, doctor visits… you name it, I looked it up. At Rhodes’ 15-month checkup, the pediatrician suggested speech therapy because he wasn’t talking and was only eating purées.

On June 23, 2025, I filled out paperwork for an early intervention evaluation. I needed answers, and I wanted to do everything in my power to help Rhodes develop to the fullest.

In the meantime, I was cooking toddler-friendly meals three times a day for him to try, reading books all day to help his speech, and buying speech therapy tools and toys to hopefully ignite something.Nothing was working. His appointment was scheduled for July 23, 2025.

July 19, 2025.

We find it. THE MOLD.

Coming out of the air vent in Rhodes’ room. We took off the vent cover and looked inside with a flashlight — more mold. LOTS of mold. It’s everywhere. In the air ducts. I cannot emphasize that enough. The air we are breathing — and have been breathing for the last almost 11 months — is full of mold.

Upon further inspection in the attic, where the air system is located: more mold. Not only is it in the air ducts, but also in the central system, the registers, and on the attic walls.

We immediately called the landlord to let him know. He said he would replace the air ducts.

July 21, 2025.

Two guys came to replace the ducts. We left the house because the air conditioner had to be turned off — and it’s July in Texas, so no thank you.

The ducts got replaced. After two hours, we returned home.

Nothing was taped off or cleaned up. The registers were not replaced. The moldy sheetrock around the vent in our baby’s room was not replaced. Literally, they replaced the air ducts — and that’s it.

There was still mold everywhere.

We decided we needed a professional mold inspection as soon as possible.

July 23, 2025 — Early Intervention Evaluation Day.

Two very kind ladies came to the house to hang out with Rhodes, observe his behavior, and ask me hundreds of questions — and that’s not an exaggeration.

Hundreds.

I welcomed it. I answered everything with as much detail as I could.

After three hours, I found out that he is very, very delayed.

At 17 months old:

• His adaptive behavior is equivalent to that of an 8-month-old.
• His cognitive skills are that of a 10-month-old.
• His social-emotional development is equal to a 5-month-old.
• His communication is ranking below the 1st percentile.
• He is also showing real signs of autism.

I’m grateful that Texas has programs to provide evaluations and services. Rhodes will now have occupational therapy three times a month, his own nutritionist, and a special skills technician.

Our biggest question remains: How did this happen? Rhodes has never been sick but maybe a runny rose and fever. He's never had a vaccination. He's been so healthy. How did our little boy go from hitting every milestone in Kansas City to regressing once we got to Texas? 

July 25, 2025 — Mold Inspection Day.

An environmental inspection company came to inspect the home. He spent a few hours swabbing surfaces, taking air samples, checking for moisture with a thermal gun, and climbing into the attic to identify problem areas.

The landlord paid for the inspection and even paid extra to expedite the results.

We were told we’d have the results Monday.

July 28, 2025 — Results Are In.

It’s definitely mold.

Penicillium/Aspergillus, to be exact. At high levels.

May I remind you: this sample was taken three days after the air ducts were replaced. I can’t imagine what the results would have been before the replacement.

Not good.

So what is Penicillium/Aspergillus, you ask?

You could Google it — or I could tell you, since I’ve done nothing but research since getting the report at 8 p.m. on July 28. It’s now July 29 at 6:30 a.m., and I’ve only slept two hours.

It’s bad.

We’ve been exposed to this mold — in the entire house — for almost 11 months. It’s been blowing through our vents, all over our furniture, Rhodes’ toys… everything we own. Including the air we breathe.

P/A exposure can contribute to:

• Respiratory and sinus issues
• Extreme fatigue
• Speech delays in toddlers
• Gut issues
• Mood changes

These levels — again, measured after duct replacement — present very real health concerns, especially for a toddler who’s been chronically exposed:

• His immune system is still developing
• His liver and kidneys (detox pathways) are immature
• His nervous system is in a critical phase of development — especially for language, behavior, and motor function

The effects of mold exposure in young children:

1. Speech delays: Aspergillus has been linked to neurological symptoms like developmental delays and language regression.
2. Irritability and mood swings: Mold toxins irritate the nervous system, causing fussiness, tantrums, behavioral changes, and sleep issues. (If you know Rhodes, you know he doesn’t sleep.)
3. Gut issues: Food sensitivities (Rhodes has a cow’s milk allergy)
4. Sensory issues: Sensitivity to light, sound, and textures; difficulty regulating emotions and body movements
5. Skin issues: Eczema (Rhodes developed eczema shortly after we moved, but we were told it was due to milk)

This mold affects everyone in the house — especially hormonally and neurologically.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told Garrett, “I feel like something is wrong.”

My periods have changed so much since moving here.

The miscarriage.

The flu-like symptoms I feel most days.

The anxiety that comes out of nowhere.

The deep depression with no explanation.

I even had my thyroid checked — “normal.”

I’ve been doing weekly B12 injections for the past month — still nothing.

Most days, I’m exhausted. I blamed it on sleep deprivation and caring for Rhodes. But it’s more than that.

For once, I feel like I’m starting to get answers.

For once, I’m listening to my gut — when it tells me something is wrong. When I see it in my baby boy’s eyes.

This may not be the end-all, be-all — but it’s a start.

If you think mold is everywhere and it’s not harmful, try watching your child regress slowly over 11 months and then say, "It’s not a big deal."

When you see the things I cough up every other day, tell me "I’m overreacting."

When you have to throw away everything you own because it’s contaminated, tell me, "That’s just Texas.”  

When you watch your child struggle so much with sleep, tell me "Its fine"

We are at a loss for words (well… clearly I’m not, I have so much to say) and don’t really know what to do next.

We’re furious and heartbroken.

We are, however, thankful that we caught this now — and we’re taking steps in the right direction.

We are moving (without our belongings)

But ultimately… it’s just stuff.

I don’t care about stuff.

I care about my family. I care about our health.

God is sovereign.

Pray for us.

Pray for Rhodes — for healing in his little brain and body.