It's been a while- about 8 months, to be exact- since I've shared anything here and I have missed this blog to be honest. I wanted to take a moment to check in, share what's been going on behind the scenes, and offer a bit of honesty about why I've been so quiet.
Simply put: life has been a lot. Over the past several months, I have been stretched in more directions than I ever thought possible. My mom's health took a serious turn. It took months to finally get answers which was really draining to everyone. At the same time, I was juggling the demands of my work at school, managing a household, and caring for five kids with full schedules of their own- school, sports, color guard, rehearsals, appointments...you name it.
We have had our share of challenges this year. In May, we tragically lost our puppy, Indiana Bones. His loss hit us particularly hard, and we are still coping as best as we can.
On top of everything else, this year has been especially emotional with my oldest finishing her senior year of high school. It's a bittersweet season- full of proud moments, big decisions, and those sudden waves of nostalgia that catch you completely off guard. If you know, you know.
And somewhere in all of this, I've also been navigating my own health challenges. There have been days I've felt strong and capable, and days where I could barely manage to make it to bed at night. I've had to give myself permission to slow down, to pause projects and limit photography, and focus on what truly needed my energy. I have also had time to rethink my job and what I want out of life.
I'm not writing this for sympathy- just connection. Life is messy and layered and sometimes overwhelming. But even in the chaos, there's been so much beauty. There's been growth. And through it all, I've been reminded that it is ok to press pause when you need to.
If you've been following along, thank you for sticking with me. If you're new here, welcome-I'm glad you're here. I'm slowly making my way back to things that bring me joy and writing is one of them. I'm excited to share more again soon- whether it's stories from this wild season of life, things that inspire me, or just the small reminders that we are doing our best.
Until then, be gentle with yourself. Life doesn't always go according to plan, but we keep showing up. And that counts for more than we give ourselves credit for.
