More Than Reality with Adam and Danielle Busby

Episode 56: From Mahjong Madness to Miracles – What God’s Doing in Our Lives

Release Date: October 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively and heartfelt episode, Adam and Danielle Busby invite listeners into a week full of milestone moments and personal reflection. From the relief of closing on their house (and finally ending years of double mortgages!) to the unexpected joys of decluttering, and Danielle's newfound Mahjong obsession, the couple candidly explores the chaos, blessings, and faith that shape their family’s off-screen reality. Most notably, Danielle details the journey of organizing her first women’s event, “After the Rain,” sharing the spiritual highs, challenges, and the deeply personal stories that unfolded. Throughout, they underscore the power of community, resilience, obedience to God’s prompting, and the importance of friendship—plus, there are plenty of laughs, light arguments, and memorable one-liners.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recapping the Previous Episode: Friendship Unfiltered

• Danielle reflects on the casual, last-minute recording with two of her best friends—the show’s first guests—citing audience feedback on the authenticity and inside jokes that are hard to share on camera.
• Adam discusses editing challenges, especially with friends talking over each other, but Danielle insists that “the best part is when you can’t understand what’s happening—that’s real friendship.”
  • Quote:

    "That’s the funny part where you're like, 'What is going on?'…that was probably the best part of the whole episode."
    —Danielle (03:02)

• They debate the idea of multiple “best friends,” exploring what makes deep connections endure over time and distance.

Timestamp: 00:55–06:40

2. Closing on the House: End of an Era

• The big news: the Busbys finally sold their League City home, officially ending years of double house payments.
  • Quote:

    "So we’re officially not leasing League City... Years and paying two house notes right now, which—oh gosh, that’s been fun."
    —Adam (09:35)

• Moving gives them relief, a chance to breathe, and an opportunity to declutter for the first time since having the quints.
• The couple laughs about their immense collection of Christmas trees (12–14 in total!), accumulated in the chaos of family life and reality TV production.

Timestamp: 09:06–13:20

3. The Decluttering Revelation: Thanks to Freehauloff.com

• Adam and Danielle stress how hiring a local junk removal and donation company transformed their move.
  • Quote:

    "We just piled all the junk and donation stuff, and one company—this really nice man...They just came and did all that. That was so much time saved."
    —Danielle (14:18)

• They recommend seeking out local small businesses for moves and hauling (particularly shoutout to freehauloff.com in the Houston area).
• The team’s kindness went above and beyond basic service, helping them sort, donate, and trash items quickly and affordably.

Timestamp: 13:20–18:17

4. Mahjong Madness and the Power of Women’s Gatherings

• Danielle details her latest passion: Mahjong, joking about its growing popularity among her friends and how she aspires to be the octogenarian with a card table club.
• Adam teases her about her busy social calendar and the cost of Mahjong sets and lessons.
  • Quote:

    "I know, I want—oh, my Mahjong! And one set's like $500 because you gotta get the cute ones."
    —Danielle (19:56)

• Adam learns how lessons with the instructor work and marvels at the affordability and community of the game.
• Danielle enthusiastically recommends in-person teaching over YouTube for Mahjong newbies.
  • Quote:

    "If you have someone around you that can teach you…I wouldn’t recommend just learning from YouTube…you want a person to teach you the right way."
    —Danielle (25:08)

Timestamp: 18:19–27:00

5. After the Rain: Miracles, Purpose, and Obedience

• Danielle shares her emotions in the aftermath of hosting her first faith-based women’s event, “After the Rain.” She details:
  • The spiritual prompting to hold the event, confirmed over the past year by God placing the right women in her life.
  • The intense “spiritual warfare” or enemy attacks (clarified as spiritual challenges, not interpersonal drama).
    • Quote:

      "When you’re usually shooting to do something for the Lord, you get faced with a lot of enemy attacks…spiritual warfare."
      —Danielle (31:09)

  • Persevering despite doubts, pressures, and disruptions—she held onto faith and purpose.
  • The powerful impact of the event through four different women’s stories about infertility, loss, healing, and resilience.
  • Her desire to create ongoing connections for women to support each other, sharing hope that “you are not the only one who has stepped in this phase.”
    • Quote:

      "There is a God who loves you and is not going to abandon you. And you can see the other side of it if you cling to him."
      —Danielle (36:20)

• Adam reflects on the musical talent of their friends, the “Man Band,” who played at the event, and the special experience of bringing their daughters to hear their parents’ story.
  • Memorable Moment: Danielle candidly realizes, mid-speech, the awkwardness of sharing infertility details (“Did I say turkey baster?”) in front of her teenage daughter, Blake.
    • Quote:

      "I did at one point go, wow, I forgot my teenage daughter is here. So it was—yeah, that kind of, like, took me off track."
      —Danielle (40:54)

Timestamp: 27:00–43:22

6. Looking Ahead: Changing Chapters

• Danielle touches on new beginnings:
  • Her devotional book’s release and giving signed copies to VIPs at the event.
  • How closing on the house, finishing the women’s event, and pulling family/friends together feels like closing old chapters and opening doors for new possibilities.
  • Hint at next week's topic: exploring homeschooling, with a promise to discuss first impressions and future plans.

Timestamp: 43:22–45:21

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Friendship Overlap:

  "I feel like Danielle has a best friend in every state…Oh, that's your Louisiana best friend. Oh, there's your Michigan best friend. Oh, that's your local best friend."
  —Adam (04:31)

• On Christmas Tree Overload:

  "I mean, how does someone have this many Christmas trees?...We literally probably had like at least 12 or 14 trees in the house."
  —Adam (10:18, 11:04)

• On the Power of Shared Stories:

  "A lot of women need this…to encourage you and give you hope, to say, you are not the only one who has stepped in this phase."
  —Danielle (35:00–36:00)

• Awkward Parenting Moment:

  "A few moments of the story got really awkward...she’s never heard it in a form of a speech, I would say."
  —Adam and Danielle (40:49–40:54)

• On Letting Go and Moving Forward:

  "We’re closing lots of chapters and making way and making room for a lot of new things to come, and it’s kind of exciting."
  —Danielle (43:41)

Episode Structure and Flow

1. Warm-up: Banter about previous episodes, editing, and the realities of authentic friendship.
2. Major Life Update: Closing on the old house and the emotional relief it brings.
3. Decluttering Breakthrough: Recommendations for moving and donation services; humorous tales of forgotten junk.
4. Mahjong Madness: Danielle's hilarious enthusiasm and Adam's skepticism about the new neighborhood craze.
5. Women's Event Reflection: In-depth sharing of the calling, obstacles, and outcomes of Danielle’s women’s ministry event.
6. Family Moments: The nuances of sharing personal stories in front of their kids; laughter about embarrassing details.
7. Looking Forward: Excitement and nervousness about future endeavors, including homeschooling and personal ministry growth.
8. Sign-off: Teaser for the next episode, full of hope and anticipation.

Final Thoughts

This episode captures the Busbys at their most vulnerable, relatable, and humorous. Listeners are treated to frank parenting moments, the messy beauty of moving on (literal and figurative), and Danielle’s heart for ministry and profound connection among women. The dynamic between Adam’s dry wit and Danielle’s genuine enthusiasm keeps the tone lively and accessible, leaving you inspired and eager for the next chapter—be it school choices or another round of Mahjong.

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary captures the milestones, laughs, faith moments, and practical tips that make the Busbys' world feel both extraordinary and like home.