2025 Reflections

 My most recent blog post (from February) says that I set a goal for one blog a month for 2025. 3 out of 12? Not the best. 😂 Luckily, though, in my year of the word “Align”, the writing category (including blogging) was my least successful, and really only just totally unsuccessful. Everything else, as far as my goals and my word, really fulfilled the purpose I think God set forth when He gave me that word.

I had said in my January 2025 post that alignment isn’t something enjoyable when it’s happening, but it feels very good once it’s done. Well, I am pleased to report that, in fact, alignment CAN feel good as it’s happening, can be enjoyable. I feel like, in a year that could have been a lot harder than it actually felt, the pretty rigorous structure and routines I put into place for myself can be credited with my survival. Shockingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the physical disciplines I instituted. I can say that I have consumed more water in 2025 than I have in my life (probably combined, haha!). I feel very thankful for my 2025 word and the ways it gave me a scaffolding to hold to when the ground was uneven and shaky.

This year brought lots and lots of health challenges for my parents and Kraig’s mom. My dad had another potentially life-ending physical emergency, a bilateral brain bleed in October (followed by a second one) that meant my sister and I rotated a week at a time in Nashville at the hospital/hotel with him and mom for over a month. Mom had fallen on Labor Day weekend at the cabin and broke her arm (seeing her fall, I can tell you that a broken arm only is a complete miracle). Kraig’s mom is struggling through some medical needs and waiting for test results from doctor appointments. If these situations have proven anything to me, it’s that your window of time to live the life you work for (thus far, I’ve parented for 21 years and taught for 25, and I’m excited to get to the point where I can reap the rewards of those years of work and time I put in and travel and do the things I’ve worked for) could be a very narrow space, and you better do the things you want while your body will allow it.

The first half of 2025, which was the second half of the 2024-2025 school year, was very difficult professionally. Thankful the second half of the school year went better than the first half had, but I questioned a lot of things last year. However, in the most amazing little God-wink (shoot, it wasn’t a wink, it was a full-on God-pat on the back!), I had a 100% pass rate on my AP test, something that had never happened in my 23 years of teaching the class. We finished the most incredible yearbook yet and started the NEXT most incredible yearbook yet, with the greatest staff and editors I could ask for. This current school year, largely due to a wonderful state decision to disallow cell phones, has been great. I have some of the sweetest classes and kids. And of course my lunch bunch and my hexmates and my school besties are the BEST and such a blessing! 

My travel work… just wow. I finished 2024 on a business high that even I was shocked by, but I had worked HARD AND OFTEN in 2024. I felt as if I worked two full-time jobs in 2024 and I told my travel boss/friend, Tara, and Kraig not to expect that level of sales from me in 2025 because I can’t work that much on a second job. Well… I didn’t. I don’t feel like I worked nearly as many hours in 2025, but…. Somehow I topped last year’s sales by a LOT. I think it all comes down to improving my work flow (align) and just getting better at everything I’m working on. So that’s been a tremendous gift.

Physically, I’m so proud of myself. You can’t tell a bit of it by looking at me (although I’m not gonna lie, about a month ago, someone asked a relative of mine about me, “She’s not taking those shots, is she?” and I’ll be honest— I think I peaked in that moment. For someone to think I’m taking ozempic— that’s pretty much the compliment of a lifetime, haha!), but my body is better off than it’s been maybe ever. I had a personal trainer from January to June and she was an absolute TREASURE in regard to strength training. Then in August, I recommitted to my walking from 2021 and walked almost every day from August to now. I even cut back on coke! My water intake was STELLAR, I kept to my intermittent fasting, and Kraig and I cut down on our eating out. The year of aligning physically was actually FUN (I’m as shocked as the next guy) and I’m excited to get back at it this year.

Spiritually, it was definitely touch and go. We started the year strong with the Bible Recap and reading, and then fell off around March. However, even though my daily reading didn’t hold strong, it was still a year of feeling close to the Lord and giving Him praise for His incredible gifts. I did some Bible studies and did something new for me, listening to praise and worship every day on my drive in. 

It was a really special and big year for our family, as we welcomed a new son by marriage (and our extended families where we welcomed new cousins by marriage on both sides!). It was the year of weddings, for sure. I told Kraig today, we started actively planning the wedding in January and my guest room still has stuff that needs to be sold, so I guess the wedding truly consumed 2025. I’m so proud of Emma for the ways she handled a year of lots of change and adulting. She graduated college in May, double major of HR and business management. She got married in June, moved to Gallatin in August (after a July of trips), and is waiting for the results of her latest interview for a big girl job. Nolan is finishing the Nashville Metro Police Academy in January, and has absolutely killed it!

Francisco has had another great year of maintaining all the rebuilding he had done. He also had a HUGE event in that he gained his citizenship in November! It was so exciting and a great load off of all of us. Roman is in his senior year at Lee, waiting on his last praxis score (he passed all but ONE on the FIRST TRY, which is wild!) in order to student teach in the fall. Because he missed the required score on the last one, he will have to take a gap semester right this spring, but he’s going to sub and we believe God’s Hand is at work in this delay. He has worked at the Y again all year and did some camp ministry this summer. Angela finished plebe year (praise the Lord!) and got to be at home 2 days for the wedding. She has had a good first semester of 3C year, passed her classes, and got to have her whole Christmas break this year. Kelsey did her practicum with kindergartners and had great grades the end of last year and first of this one. She was also named President of her sorority for the coming year. We are super proud of all of our kids!

Kraig had another year of training and success. He finished his first actual Ironman 70.3 in Augusta in September. He did SO WELL and really had the bug now. He’s registered for Portland, Oregon, in the summer and if it goes well, he’s planning on trying for a full. He also got a promotion at work and is now a vice-president in his company. He’s really excelling at his second half century of life, haha! 

It was the most awesome year for travel. Angela and I went on a cruise to Germany, Belgium, France, and England in March and I stopped at Copenhagen on the way home. We LOVED that trip. In May, Emma and I took a graduation trip to Croatia for her college. It was such a special time to be with her, before she left for her new life. We had Bear Paw, I took yerds to St Louis for yearbook camp, we visited our kids in Gallatin, Cookeville, and Annapolis in August and September. Then Emma and Kelsey came with us to Augusta for Kraig’s triathlon, which was so fun. Mine and Kraig’s fall break trip this year was huge… we did a Hawaiian cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary. A blast! We did two weekend trips in December, a weekend in NYC and the Army-Navy game in Annapolis/Baltimore. Travel is what breathes life into me, and I had a lot of life in 2025.

Kraig and I celebrated 25 years together, which was a definite high of 2025. We look forward to many more years together!

Overall, even with the hard, 2025 was a great one. I am thankful to Jesus for leading me into rhythms and routines that would pay off so well for me this year. He has been as He always is… faithful and true and kind. 

Here’s to a new one, in a few hours!