31 Lessons for 31 Years

As I wake up another year older today, I’ve been reflecting on all of the things that have lead up to today. Some amazing highs along with some insanely low lows, but the thread that’s connected them all is the grace of God getting me through!

So in honor of turning 31, here are 31 things I’ve learned over the years:

  1. Love your people hard.
  2. Don’t let someone’s lack of effort change the standards you hold yourself to.
  3. You are the company you keep, so choose wisely.
  4. Some people are not meant to be in your life forever.
  5. You will never regret being kind.
  6. Two (or more) conflicting things can be true at the same time. 
  7. The best investment you’ll ever make is in yourself.
  8. Quality or quantity.
  9. Learn to be comfortable being alone.
  10. When someone shows you who they are, believe them.
  11. Your timeline and life are completely your own, so don’t compare them to anyone else’s.
  12. It’s okay if you’re not where you thought you’d be by now.
  13. Life is short, eat the dessert.
  14. Therapy is your friend.
  15. And on that note, go before things get bad.
  16. “No” is a full sentence.
  17. Time with family and friends is never time wasted.
  18. Always wear your sunscreen
  19. Courage and bravery are being scared to death but doing it anyways.
  20. Hugs from your littles is truly the best medicine on earth. 
  21. Stay hydrated.
  22. We can’t control life, but we can control how we react to it.
  23. Saying “yes” can be just as important as saying “no”.
  24. Make time for more of what brings you joy.
  25. It’s never too late to start over.
  26. It’s okay to walk away from toxic situations.
  27. Life can happen when you least expect it to.
  28. Wash your face.
  29. It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.
  30. Baking is an amazing stress reliever.
  31. If God brings you to it, he’ll bring you through it.

Cheers to 31 years and many more to come!

XOXO,

Leah

New Year, Changing Me

Happy 2025, y’all!

2024 was a year, and while I’m still not able to go into too many details, I’m hopeful that 2025 is the year that brings the freedom to do so. I’ve always said that I’ve felt like the last several years of my life have been such a testament to God’s goodness and grace, especially in the valleys! I can’t wait to be able to share more with y’all.

For now, I will say that 2024 was a struggle, and somedays it truly was just putting one foot in front of the other and doing the things that needed to be done; loving and caring for the boys, keeping the house up and running, making the time to take care of myself, the millions of curveballs the Army has thrown our way, and the ever changing dynamics all of this brought to my marriage. I’m not going to say it was perfect, but we made it through together and by the sheer grace of God!

We lived so much life in the midst of the hard that I’ll always be grateful for; graduations, birthdays, road trips, trying new things, holidays, quiet and cozy days, baking lots of yummy treats, and kitchen dance parties just to name a few! It’s true when they say “the days are long, but the years are short”! I feel like I blinked and the boys are almost another year older and have grown so much.

So, what does 2025 have in store for me and my little family?

While we’re looking forward to more of the joy filled moments from the last year, 2025 is already shaping up to bring about some BIG changes. Some we knew were coming and ones that we never would have even guessed would be a possibility! For now, we’re taking things one day at a time as we work through the unfolding and developing of it all. A big goal of mine is to document and share more. I love being able to look back and reflect, but I’ve always been so amazed by the power of connecting with others and how our stories can resonate.

2024, you taught me so many lessons I won’t soon forget. 2025, I can’t wait to meet you!

XOXO,
Leah