by Hope
Thanksgiving got here and went in a flurry of meals, laughter, and cherished moments, and similar to that, the vacation season is formally right here. All of my children and I converged in Texas at my mother and father on the similar time for an entire week. Final Christmas, all of them got here house, however there was solely a 24 hour overlap when everybody was collectively. My 4 older children departed yesterday to return house and again to actuality.
There’s simply one thing magical about this time of 12 months when the air feels slightly crisper (even in Texas), the times appear shorter, and every part sparkles only a bit brighter. And being with my mother and father, siblings, and my children…so grateful!
The household gathered round my mother. We take no moments without any consideration. And my sister is the queen of preserving all our gatherings documented.
Catching up with the youngsters
I used to be capable of get some alone time with every of the youngsters and have significant conversations—conversations that can linger in my coronary heart, gave me pause, and will certainly be revisited over time. I might really feel their love, their struggles, their hopes. As a mother, there’s no higher present than really connecting together with your children and understanding they’re rising into their very own lives whereas nonetheless valuing and counting on the household bond we share. And I’m already wanting ahead to subsequent Might after we plan to be collectively once more for a household weekend and Princess school commencement.
A household volleyball recreation is a convention we by no means move up. We play boys vs women, previous vs younger, and random. It’s at all times a grand journey.
The twins are juggling their very own distinctive adventures, and it was enjoyable to listen to their tales and aspirations. Gymnast is flourishing in his pursuits, and he’ll come to Georgia for per week in January. Magnificence, my eldest daughter—now engaged—shared updates about wedding ceremony concepts and the way she’s already harassed about it…so many choices. And Princess is headed house for finals week. Yet one more semester til commencement! It’s surreal to look at your children evolve into adults with desires and duties of their very own, however I wouldn’t commerce it for the world.
Trying ahead to 2025
As we transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas, my thoughts is already skipping forward to 2025. Possibly it’s the planner in me, however I can’t assist desirous about how a lot potential a brand new 12 months holds. Massive plans are brewing for my household, my enterprise, and my private progress. 2025 feels prefer it’s going to be the 12 months, and I do know that success doesn’t simply occur—it takes preparation.
That preparation begins now.
For me, it’s about setting targets that align with my values and priorities. It’s about deciding what I need my life to appear like a 12 months from now and making a plan to get there. Refining my enterprise methods, fostering deeper relationships with my children, and taking higher care of myself bodily and emotionally, each choice I make in the present day is a step towards the longer term I envision.
The vacation season is an ideal reminder of the stability between reflection and anticipation. As I deck the halls and test gadgets off my Christmas buying record (thanks, $5 invoice financial savings jar!), I’m additionally carving out time to mirror on what went effectively this 12 months and what I wish to enhance.
So right here’s to the vacation season and all the enjoyment it brings. Right here’s to good meals, good firm, and people quiet moments when you’ll be able to step again and marvel at the fantastic thing about all of it. However most of all, right here’s to dreaming massive for 2025 and beginning now to make it a actuality.
The vacations could also be in full swing, however my coronary heart and thoughts are already wanting ahead—as a result of the most effective is but to come back.
Hope is a inventive, solutions-focused enterprise supervisor serving to shoppers develop their enterprise and work extra effectively by leveraging experience in challenge administration, digital advertising, & tech options. She’s just lately develop into an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive children have unfold their wings. She lives along with her 3 canines in a small city in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the seashores any day. She struggles with the journey bug and is doing her finest to assist every of her children as their end education and develop into impartial (but it surely’s onerous!) She has run her personal consulting firm for nearly twenty years! Hope started sharing her journey with the BAD neighborhood within the Spring of 2015 and seems like she has lastly in a spot to actually give attention to making smart monetary choices.
