by Hope
Thanksgiving came and went in a flurry of food, laughter, and cherished moments, and just like that, the holiday season is officially here. All of my kids and I converged in Texas at my parents at the same time for a whole week. Last Christmas, they all came home, but there was only a 24 hour overlap when everyone was together. My four older kids departed yesterday to return home and back to reality.
There’s just something magical about this time of year when the air feels a little crisper (even in Texas), the days seem shorter, and everything sparkles just a bit brighter. And being with my parents, siblings, and my kids…so grateful!
The family gathered around my mom. We take no moments for granted. And my sister is the queen of keeping all our gatherings documented.
Catching up with the kids
I was able to get some alone time with each of the kids and have meaningful conversations—conversations that will linger in my heart, gave me pause, and will definitely be revisited over time. I could feel their love, their struggles, their hopes. As a mom, there’s no better gift than truly connecting with your kids and knowing they’re growing into their own lives while still valuing and relying on the family bond we share. And I’m already looking forward to next May when we plan to be together again for a family weekend and Princess college graduation.
A family volleyball game is a tradition we never pass up. We play boys vs girls, old vs young, and random. It’s always a grand adventure.
The twins are juggling their own unique adventures, and it was fun to hear their stories and aspirations. Gymnast is thriving in his pursuits, and he’ll come to Georgia for a week in January. Beauty, my eldest daughter—now engaged—shared updates about wedding ideas and how she’s already stressed about it…so many decisions. And Princess is headed home for finals week. One more semester til graduation! It’s surreal to watch your kids evolve into adults with dreams and responsibilities of their own, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Looking forward to 2025
As we transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas, my mind is already skipping ahead to 2025. Maybe it’s the planner in me, but I can’t help thinking about how much potential a new year holds. Big plans are brewing for my family, my business, and my personal growth. 2025 feels like it’s going to be the year, and I know that success doesn’t just happen—it takes preparation.
That preparation starts now.
For me, it’s about setting goals that align with my values and priorities. It’s about deciding what I want my life to look like a year from now and making a plan to get there. Refining my business strategies, fostering deeper relationships with my kids, and taking better care of myself physically and emotionally, every decision I make today is a step toward the future I envision.
The holiday season is a perfect reminder of the balance between reflection and anticipation. As I deck the halls and check items off my Christmas shopping list (thank you, $5 bill savings jar!), I’m also carving out time to reflect on what went well this year and what I want to improve.
So here’s to the holiday season and all the joy it brings. Here’s to good food, good company, and those quiet moments when you can step back and marvel at the beauty of it all. But most of all, here’s to dreaming big for 2025 and starting now to make it a reality.
The holidays may be in full swing, but my heart and mind are already looking forward—because the best is yet to come.
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.