As this year comes to a close, I’m honestly a little surprised we made it through. When Eric got on a plane to work in South Carolina, we had no idea what 2025 would hold. There were ups and downs, challenges, tears, and also some really sweet memories along the way.
While visiting Eric over spring break, we were able to explore Congaree National Park. Even though we love our piney woods, we still miss traveling and visiting national parks together. It felt familiar in an unexpected way, right down to the climate.
This year also brought me back to creativity. I joined the costume crew for the girls’ production of Mary Poppins Jr., started a year-long crochet project, and began my sourdough journey, slow, imperfect, and surprisingly rewarding.
The kids kept us busy with track, archery, and theater. They won tournaments, trophies, and ribbons, placed in state competitions, and landed leading roles. Watching them grow and work hard has been one of the greatest joys of this year.
This year, Eric and I celebrated 20 years of marriage, which is just wild. We had hoped for a grand getaway, but when that didn't work out, we carved out a quiet three-day weekend together and it was a much needed pause in the craziness of the year.
One of our pigs, Honey BarbaraQue, blessed us with six healthy piglets, and we took the first real steps toward bringing On the Homestead into the community. Behind the scenes, we’ve been laying groundwork for a future store and a U-Pick strawberry farm, planting over 6,500 strawberry plants with a whole lot of faith and hope.
2025 stretched us in ways we didn’t see coming, but it also reminded us what matters most. We’re stepping into 2026 grateful, hopeful, and ready to see what God has planned next.
Happy New Year!
