SOMA Living April 2024

MEET THE HENKEL-LORENZ FAMILY

Photography by Jamie Meier

The Henkel-Lorenz family radiates with energy, starting with eight year-old Eleanor “Ellie,” their dynamic director of public relations. Ellie’s ambition led her to become SOMA Living’s athlete of the month in October 2023, and she didn’t stop there. After the cover, she’s eyeing the spotlight for their dog, Penny, as Pet of the Month. With her moms, Lauren and Liz backing her every endeavor, Ellie’s wishes often transform into reality. Lauren and Liz’s romance blossomed from a friendship that started when they both taught in NYC. “Our classrooms shared a wall,” Liz recalls. “A few years later, we fell in love and then started dating – in that order,” she adds, eliciting laughter from Lauren, who reminisced about their 2013 wedding at The Queens County Farm. Before settling in Maplewood in 2017, the family lived on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and Inwood. They were drawn to Maplewood’s diversity, the community pool, and the quaint houses. “Eleanor was about to turn two, and we had a friend who knew someone who lived here,” Lauren explains. Hadley, a spunky five-year-old old, proudly interrupts, “I got my deep water band on the first day the pool opened last year!” The family’s love for their cul-de-sac home mirrors Lauren and Liz’s own childhoods, offering a safe and fun environment for outdoor activities. Ellie boasts, “We have a treehouse in our backyard so all the kids on our block can come and play.” When asked about their family’s special element, Ellie doesn’t hesitate: “Our dog Penny. She’s a black miniature poodle. We got

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