Tag: New Beginnings

New Year, Changing Me

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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

When Detours Lead to the Best Destinations

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About a year ago, what I thought was my life came crashing to the ground. It wasn’t what I would have ever expected to be in the story of my life, but looking back, I am so incredibly thankful that God decided to wreck my plans!

If you know me you know I like being able to have a plan for everything (and back up plans). Sometimes no matter how much or how far in advance we make plans, they’ll never see the light of day. Sometimes the actions of others leave destruction that can never be fixed, no matter how hard we try.

I felt like the biggest failure. I had myself convinced that if I had been better/done better, maybe it would have changed things. There were times I felt pretty worthless, but then I’d remember the sweet little boy that calls me ‘mama’.

I’m not the same broken girl I was a year ago. I’ve had to grow in ways I never imagined possible. I’ve had to learn to drop the act and quit pretending that things are okay when they absolutely are not! I’ve had to let myself lean on my friends and family and let them love on me and Kaz. I’ve had to keep showing up on days when the weight of the world seemed so incredibly heavy.

I’d never wish what I went through on my worst enemy, but I am thankful for the breaking down that lead to me being rebuilt better than I ever would have been otherwise. I am so thankful for the people it’s brought me too. Sometimes the best things in life are the ones that we never had on our calendar but God always did!

So as I am almost to the finish line of being able to close this chapter of my life, I am so incredibly excited and hopeful for the future!

XOXO,
Leah

That’s What Faith Can Do

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John 13:7 says, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but someday you will.”

If we’ve talked at any point in the last several months, you probably know that this season of life had me crying out to God on a regular basis. I had never been broken down in this way before, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. This kind of soul crushing is relentless and comes and goes in waves, but it’s revealed just what I’m made of and who I truly belong to.

On the bad days, it’s had me questioning God in every single way. I just couldn’t understand why Kaz and I were being put through this. How could a good God allow this kind of thing to happen? That’s exactly what the devil wanted me to believe though, and it would have been so freaking easy to ya’ll.

The crazy thing though? I am so incredibly grateful for this breaking down of what I thought my life was and who I thought I was. You see, it’s easy when you’re in something to make the excuses and convince yourself that things aren’t that bad or maybe if I would have done or not done something it could have been prevented. That’s a whole other issue to breakdown another day though.

Without going through this, I know I wouldn’t have been able to be rebuilt so much better than I was before. I wouldn’t have been forced to strengthen certain relationships in my life. I wouldn’t have specific people in my life at all had I not gone through this, and something about that is so beautiful to watch unfolding in the midst of everything else.

People tell me how strong they think I am. They say that they don’t think they’d be doing as well as I am right now, but I can also tell that people are waiting and watching to see if I fall apart again.

The truth? Part of me knows it’s expected of me to be sad and upset at the way things are unfolding. I did the whole sitting on the kitchen floor at 3:00 AM crying my heart out. I did the struggle through the day while pouring absolutely every last bit of energy I had into taking care of Kaz only to crumble the second he was asleep thing. I did the crying out to God when all I could get out was, “Why?”. Looking back, I’m starting to be able to see why this had to happen though.

I may never fully understand. That thought alone was paralyzing at the beginning of this all but not anymore. It’s true; I may never full understand, but I no longer feel the need to in order to move forward and on.

This season of life will always be marked by some of the darkest of days I have experienced thus far, but also some of the brightest. I have had family step up and in in ways I didn’t even know to ask for. I’ve had friends, both old and new, love me (and Kaz) so fiercely and be there for us especially when family was so far away.

Life has a crazy way of doing that though, and God has an oh so perfect way of giving and taking exactly what is needed in or out of our lives.

These days I know I still have mountains to face, but instead of being scared by the size of it I’m reminded every single day that my God will always be bigger!

XOXO,
Leah

Love the Mama Too

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As I sit here looking at him while he naps, I can’t help but be so thankful for him and all of the people that have poured into our little family!

Babies are such a wonderful gift. Most people you know want to come love on your little addition, but sometimes the mamas can get lost in it all.

Ask her how she’s doing and really listen. God knows she’d probably appreciate someone asking about her before the baby!

Bring or send her a favorite meal or snacks. When the decision comes down to eating or trying to get some sleep, I can almost guarantee that sleep will win out.

Take the baby for an hour or two without asking. Help is always appreciated, but if the new mama in your life is anything like me, asking for it is hard!

When you bring something for the new little one, bring something for her too; a candle she loves, a nice lotion and body wash, coffee (I’m mostly made up of coffee these days). Just a little something that says you were thinking of her too!

I know it can be easy to be sucked in by the cuteness of a new baby, but it’s just as easy for a new mama to lose herself in it all too.

Next time you go visit a new baby, don’t forget to love on the mama too!

XOXO,
Leah

Life Update: Why I’ve Been MIA

LeahLeave a comment

If you follow me over on Instagram, you’ll know that life has gotten pretty busy for me and my husband this last month; we welcomed our baby boy into the world on July 9th!

While we are both over the moon that we have been trusted with this sweet little love, the struggle has been real as far as sleep is concerned! After months and months of waiting for the day that we would finally get to hold him in our arms, it is still so hard to believe that he is here.

Keeping that in mind, I think we’re finally starting to get into a rhythm, or as much of one as a family with a newborn can be in!

I’d love to know what y’all would like to see more of in the weeks and months to come; Recipes, product reviews, fashion, lifestyle… Let me know in the comments or send me an email!

As always, thanks for following along for the ride with me!

XOXO,
Leah

New Beginnings

LeahLeave a comment

Hey Y’all!

For those of you that have been following my ride through life over on Instagram (@alongftride) thank you so much for your love, support, and encouragement over the last year! It’s because of YOU that I finally got up the courage to start this new adventure!

This first week, I’m going all out and sharing a new post EVERYDAY!! Like I said, this has been in the works for a while now until I could build up enough courage to ut myself out there like this, so I want this first week up and running to be celebrated in a big way! After this week, I’ll be sharing a new post every Monday!

I am so excited for this new chapter in my life and super happy that you’re still coming along for the ride with me! I’ve always loved writing and the art of storytelling, so this and sharing bits and pieces of my life with y’all is really a dream come true! After lots of planning and much trial and error, I think I’ve finally found my groove.

Here’s to new beginnings and making dreams reality!

XOXO,
Leah