2024 has been a year of growth, grace, and great memories. I'm thankful for the moments that shaped me, the challenges that strengthened me, and the blessings that reminded me of God's goodness!! Here's to 2025 and all God has in store! ❤ #yearinreview
New Year’s Day lunch at Napa Flats, Mom’s birthday at The Ranch, Kyndal’s first club tournament and first fruit smoothie, and the beginning of Travis & Taylor! Lol
Jace’s birthday, Tate’s birthday, the Super Bowl party, the twins’ birthdays, Cheryl’s retirement party, Valentine’s flowers, and my 40th birthday surprise party!
Supervision meeting with Amy and Michelle, lunch with the Whitakers, Easter egg hunt at Moss manor, Tate’s baseball games and Los Cabos lunch, and fun with baby Asher Kenneth!
Tate’s Kindergarten graduation pics, Kelly’s baby shower for Holly Marie, the Brook with the Wilsons and Fultons, leading grief groups at Calm Waters, Wednesday walks with Kristin, Amber Marie with Mom, and Parker side-eyeing her mermaid bday cake!
Chet’s client appreciation block party, Kyndal’s final Tulsa volleyball tournament, Launch course with Mel Robbins, Mother’s Day lunch at Saltgrass, and an important convo with the Wilsons at the Riverwalk!!
Summer swim with the niece and nephew, Father’s Day at LifeChurch, pre-op diet and surgery/recovery, Kate’s birthday party, Mom and Dad’s anniversary, movie day with the Oak Haven team, and more!
Celebrating Debra’s birthday at Restore, Kyndal Faith’s birthday, July 4th, Kristin’s birthday, Chet and Sarah’s birthdays, Triston’s “discovery flight,” leading role plays and catching up with friends at Residency 3 at CCU!!
The official end of my counseling internship year, meeting Annie F. Downs in Nashville with Mandy, Jace’s football games, Dad’s birthday, Sarah coming to OKC, and partnering with Abby for her CHA Senior Thesis!
OSU football games, the Wilsons’ Labor Day pool party, Tate and Parker’s lemonade stand, study session with Abby, 3-month surgiversary, and Central Park walks with Kristin!
Training for the Half, sequined up for MJ: The Musical, BSF Revelation study, Top Golf with the fam, Halloween fun at Gaillardia with Rach and the kids!!
Epic Disney trip, Thanksgiving fun, Asher’s 1st birthday, decorating Melissa’s house, the Route 66 Half, Jon’s birthday, and coming home to surprise Christmas decor by Mom and Kristin!
Finishing grad school, landing a new job, celebratory photo shoot with CCU friends, Classic Christmas, Chet’s charcuterie board party, missing Reagan, the Sapulpa Christmas Chute, girls road trip, and more!
1. What were the highlights of 2024 for you?
The days when I felt bold and took meaningful action + the days when that paid off + moments of real connection/love..... Signing up for the Launch course and watching those videos, signing up for the safe-sleeve surgery and following through with it, noticing details and feeling confident in God's leading there, noticing details and feeling confident in God's leading with the CREOKS job opening, my four-park Disney day, turning in my final paper for grad school, the photo shoot with the CCU girls, the Tulsa trip with Rach and Kyndal, seeing Annie and Eddie live at her 10th anniversary event in Nashville, a pivotal Leap-Day conversation with a close friend, the May 18th convo with Chet and Karli, pushing through to finish the Half with Kristin after thinking we might not get to, Parker being cute and cuddly and wanting to sit by me #miniBFF, connecting with my clients in virtual sessions and grief groups, connecting with Emily in our sessions and being more vulnerable than I have in the past, our family dinners and playing fun games together, feeling loved by friends going out of their way to plan my surprise party and all the friends who came from Tulsa for that!
2. What were the hardest parts of the year for you?
Relational misunderstanding and pain + days when I felt helpless or unqualified + processing hard news or decisions..... Genuinely, the difficult moments of friendship tension or drama are always the worst for me - feeling the threat of rejection/loss can create a sort of temporary paralysis and overwhelm. It was challenging to speak up for myself a few times when I felt hurt or misunderstood. Feeling incompetent/overwhelmed and clueless about how to help and what to do in my work with younger kid clients at Restore (I'm taking steps to remedy that now and believing I am capable of growth and change there). Recently learning my chance of a baby with IVF is still only 35% - still processing that one. My fear of failure and emotional eating and how they can be a ridiculous negative spiral. Needless stress in areas where I can take clear action to change things. Feeling overwhelmed and in limbo about big future decisions (that's getting better now that I have a job lined up).
3. What did you learn about yourself over the past year?
That I deeply need God and others and downtime....... That it's okay to seek and accept outside help in areas of struggle, that I need regular accountability and support, that I'm tired of feeling untethered to a church community, that I sometimes misunderstand God's heart and fail to draw near to Him when I most need His help... that I miss Tulsa and feel ready to move back, that I am very serious about people treating me with respect, that I love our family feeling connected and plan to prioritize regular time with them, that my hunger cravings are far more mental/emotional than physical, that I'm capable of navigating conflict and hard conversations (and that not all conflict is destructive), that I always feel better when I take small action steps and take responsibility for what I can control; that when life is rich and full, I genuinely need a good amount of sleep and writing and reading time, and that I don't always know what is best for myself (God often redirects me and has other plans).
4. What will you stop doing in the coming year?
Lying to myself about what I really want, playing the victim or the villain, rationalizing sinful & self-defeating decisions, seeking too much validation through social media
5. What will you start doing in the coming year?
Hosting friends regularly (second half of 2025); limiting myself to posting two days a week on FB/Instagram; learning all I can about school counseling (starting now); finding a new church home and small group (starting in March).
6. What are you going to continue doing in the coming year?
The marathon training plan + prioritizing key relationships + seeking wise counsel + taking action toward meaningful goals
7. What can you do today to take the first step toward the life you want in 2025!?
Start back with WW tracking + continue marathon training, step by step, day by day!
Happy Friday, friends and fam! Praying you stay the course and finish strong in 2024. And in case no one else tells you today, here's a friendly reminder that I love you and believe in you, and I am confident that God is with you and for you, and I believe in your ability to create a wonderful life as you draw close to Him!!
❤ ❤ ❤
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