Hey hey friends,
It’s been a little bit, but I’m back—and let me just say, sometimes life hits pause for us whether we plan for it or not.

Our teenie girl’s been busy making big moves this summer. First, she took off to church camp and came home glowing, ready to jump into her first job—camp crew at a local camp she’s loved for years. Watching her grow into this new chapter has been equal parts exciting and emotional. These summers before senior year are feeling more precious by the second.

But while we’ve had our hands full with our usual family chaos, there’s been a heaviness in our hearts. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the devastating flooding at Camp Mystic. Although it wasn’t a camp our girl attended, the loss experienced there has rippled through our entire community. Our prayers go out to the families and everyone affected by this heartbreaking event. It also prompted some important conversations at home about emergency preparedness. Not out of fear, but from a place of love and wisdom—because we don’t take lightly the gift of being able to prepare our children for the unexpected.

On the personal front, I’ve been navigating some health and anxiety struggles. After experiencing what I thought was a panic attack (spoiler: it was possibly iron overload from supplements), I’ve been slowly easing myself back into feeling like me. More therapy sessions, more honest talks with family, and more giving myself permission to just… be.

If you’ve been there, you know how hard it is to feel out of control in your own body. The tight chest, racing thoughts, and that “edge of your seat” discomfort—it’s overwhelming. But what I’ve learned through this season is this: it’s okay to not be okay. We’re not robots. We’re not failing just because we need a little extra rest, support, or stillness.

And if you’re an empath like me, feeling deeply—really deeply—is both a gift and a challenge. Lately I’ve been working on figuring out how to protect my own peace while still showing up for others. Because even when my world feels upside down, I still see the world with love and grace. I know there’s purpose in that, even if I don’t always know what the next step looks like.

So if this post finds you in a moment of struggle—take a breath. You’re not alone. It’s okay to take your time. It’s okay to sit still. You are not broken. You are growing.

Thanks for sticking with me. The blog’s back up and running, and we’ve got lots more to catch up on.