It’s Been a Minute, Friends

Wowzers, have I been radio silent or what? Gosh, I’m so sorry I took an unintentional break but you know what, I needed it. I had big plans to continue to crank out blog posts and keep you all informed of the happenings on my homefront but life was unfolding around us so fast and, truth time, I couldn’t keep up. I took a moment and decided I would hold off on posting for a while and would begin again once I had the chance to regroup. 

If there’s one thing I have been learning in this season, it’s that I need to take time and space to reset. For too long, I’ve lived the on-the-go lifestyle and I’m learning it isn’t healthy or sustainable, long term, for me. With that, I’m also learning if I don’t make time and space to pursue my passions, it will never happen. And so here I sit, with life swirling around me like a tornado, trying to take one small step in the direction of my dreams – writing, finishing and posting this update. 

In the middle of all that December brought, we were also putting the final touches on our January wedding! On January 23, 2021 (1.23.21… we have a thing for numbers) we said “I do”! Our winter wedding was nothing at all like I had originally expected it to be and yet, it turned out even better and more perfect than I could have ever dreamed. Despite COVID, we were able to safely host a small number of family and friends in person, while opening our ceremony to loved ones on zoom. And instead of the traditional wedding reception with dancing, we surprised all of our dinner guests with a Murder Mystery Dinner Party. I’ll be sure to share all the fun details and photos in a future post! (A quick shoutout and thank you to our wonderful wedding photographer Cory at Regovich Imaging!)

After our perfect day of pledging our love to one another, we took a quick (and very safe) flight to LA where we rented a car and hit the road! For our Honeymoon, Doug suggested my dream trip – Roadtripping Route 66! What an adventure! We saw so many iconic Route 66 sites, met incredible people along the way, chased after road signs, service stations and giants, and even had an unexpected and (now) hilarious run-in with the police. You’ll just have to wait until the honeymoon post drops to hear all the details but here’s a snapshot for now 🙂 

Feeling like we had been on a rollercoaster of emotions and busyness, we did our best to spend a couple of weeks just laying low at home resting and rejuvenating. March brought my Uncle Alan’s beautiful memorial service and a surprise 70th birthday party for my mom! We had just started easing into spring weather, she was walking again, many family and friends in Ohio have received their vaccines and we decided there’s no better time than now to celebrate mom and all she’s overcome these past few years. What a fun, and very cold, day it was! We are so blessed by so many.

Before we knew it, Easter and the month of April was upon us. With it came very difficult news regarding mom’s knee. Unfortunately, another infection had presented itself and as they have done everything they could previously to try to save her leg, there was no other option left, she either chose to live in continuous pain until the infection took her life or they amputated her leg. As scary as it was to think about having to lose a limb, she has so much more life to live. After a time of grieving, mom started preparing. She went to appointment after appointment to fully understand what to expect and as she has said often “what choice do I have if I want to get my life back?” and “I’m the lucky one. I know what I’m walking into and how I’ll wake up. There are others who aren’t so lucky.”  So on April 30, mom went in for this life altering surgery and she faced it head on with the incredible strength and hope she has always displayed. One day, I’ll share mom’s whole journey with all of you. It’s a journey filled with bravery, defying the odds, and leaning into God. She is a beautiful example of how to never give up and never be afraid to ask for help.

The last few weeks, after mom’s surgery, have been a whirlwind! I was staying at her house taking care of the kitties, watching the house and getting it ready for my sister to move in. Doug was driving back and forth to be there with me on surgery day, visit with mom and help with her follow up care. Just this past weekend, we moved my sister into my mom’s house and mom has been working hard and doing well at rehab! We look forward to when she can go home to the comfort of her home and before we know it, she’ll begin the prosthetic journey. 

So here we are, friends! Five months into the new year and while at times I feel like I’ve just been spinning my wheels, taking those moments to pause, reflect, and reset, I see growth. I see progress. And I see healing. I recently realized, this last year especially, for a majority of it, I’ve been in survival mode. The challenges and major life changes came so fast there wasn’t much time to process, grieve, or do whatever needed done to work through them. But yet, there were beautiful, exciting, glorious moments like celebrating the birth of one of my best friends’ first child, seeing family again and getting to hug them after almost an entire year, and getting engaged and marrying the love of my life! The paradox of carrying heavy grief and immense joy is an interesting one but it can be done. You are strong enough to carry both and don’t need to miss the beautiful because you are facing the difficult. 

Sunday evening as we drove home, God painted the most beautiful sunset in the sky so naturally, I stopped to take a photo. This sunset, for me, was like a bookend to a really emotional year. It was as if God was saying directly to me, it’s time for you now. Spring is here, growth is happening and it’s time to reset. I breathed such a deep breath walking back into our home Sunday night, feeling as if I’d been gone for months, not weeks, and I’m ready to get back to building our dreams. I hope you’re beginning to feel the weight of this last year lift off your shoulders too and I hope and pray you’re beginning to emerge into your beautiful, bold self again. 

How have the first five months of the new year been for you? What do you have to look forward to this Spring and Summer? As always, thank you for coming along on this journey with me and keep your eyes peeled for more exciting updates in the coming posts!