Seasons of Change, Part V: 2025 - Owning My Story

Walking Inside the Story

This year is about ownership. About walking inside my story instead of standing outside of it.

After a bumpy start to the year with my own co-parent, I found ways to protect myself and my children from situations they should never have been pulled into and to keep the elected chaos of others from crossing into our lives.

I did it deeply scared, yet filled with the courage to break generational cycles that have plagued both families. I set boundaries that were often run over, but I still set them. I learned what high-conflict co-parenting actually means, and I learned that it is not a reflection of who you are as a person.

What 2025 Taught Me

I learned that catastrophic adversity is not easily recovered from.
I learned that anxiety resurfaces when you least expect it.
I learned that caring for my soul is not a task to be checked off.
I learned that having loved someone at some point isn’t a reflection of you, especially now when they want to destroy you.
I learned that loud opinions are often projections of shame and accountability that have been avoided.
I learned that children are far more delicate than we realize, especially when they are navigating trauma inflicted from within their own world.
I learned that standing up for myself as a woman and as a mother brings a cavalry of people whose only common interest is tearing you down.
I learned how to work within the legal system to secure real protections for victims of sustained harassment.
And I learned to let others carry their own chaos without letting it spill into my home.

More Than Survival

But 2025 isn’t just about defense.
It’s about joy.

It’s about choosing to spend the rest of my life with someone who not only aligns with me but also protects me and our family in the moments that matter most.

Perfectly enough, the same chaplain who walked beside me through one of the hardest seasons of my life also walked with both of us through premarital counseling and then walked us down the aisle.

This year has reminded me that ownership isn’t just about drawing lines in the sand. It’s about stepping fully into love, into joy, and into the kind of future you once thought was impossible.

Live It Out Loud

This is my live it out loud season.
The season where I bring the battle wounds, the half-healed scars, and the messy middle into the light.

What’s Ahead

The road forward isn’t about perfection.
It’s about showing up with grit and grace, laughter and tears, and refusing to edit out the hard parts.

My hope is to model for my children and remind myself that it’s never too late to write a braver, more courageous, and more authentic chapter.

So if you’ve been with me on this journey, thank you.
If you’re just finding me now, welcome.

I don’t have it all figured out. But I’m here, living wide open, leading with vulnerability, and finally, owning my story without apology.