Life Lately: Love, Loss, and Finding Our Rhythm Again

It’s been a while.

Longer than I ever intended, and long enough that it felt strange to sit down and write again. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned this past year, it’s that life doesn’t pause just because we do.

This past season has held so much: deep love, real loss, big changes, quiet growth, and moments that reshaped our family in ways we didn’t see coming. Some days were joyful and full; others were heavy and required us to simply put one foot in front of the other.

In October of 2024, we finally started checking off a few places from our bucket list. We traveled through the Badlands, stood in awe at Mount Rushmore, and soaked in the beauty of Yellowstone. It was one of those trips that stays with you; breathtaking, grounding, and exactly what our hearts needed at the time.

February brought two meaningful milestones. We celebrated our five-year anniversary, a reminder of commitment, grace, and choosing each other through every season. That same month, I published my book, Logan’s Light; something born from love, grief, and the hope that light can still exist alongside loss. Putting those words into the world was both humbling and healing.

April of 2025 changed everything when we lost my dad after a year-long battle with cancer. Grief has a way of weaving itself into ordinary days, and learning how to carry it has been part of our journey ever since.

In May, we took what would be our last full family trip to visit the Ark Encounter, a trip that now holds even more meaning. That same month, Landon graduated high school, went on a cruise with his friends, and began stepping boldly into adulthood.

June brought one of the hardest goodbyes yet, as Landon left for Army boot camp. Pride and heartbreak lived side by side, and we learned just how quiet a house can feel when a child leaves it.

July usually overflows with celebration, but the Fourth felt different this year. It was one of my dad’s favorite holidays, and with Landon gone, the day felt heavier, a reminder that traditions can still be beautiful, even when they feel bittersweet.

In September, we finally got to see our boy graduate from boot camp; a moment filled with overwhelming pride, but then followed by another goodbye as he continued on to AIT. We were able to attend his infantry graduation ceremony and bring him home for three weeks at Christmas, soaking in every moment before he left again for his first duty station, where he’ll be for the next three years.

Somewhere in between all of this, we’ve been homeschooling. We’re about halfway through the year now. It’s been a roller coaster of growth, patience, learning, and adjusting, but we’re managing and finding our rhythm as we go.

Through it all, home has remained our anchor: learning together and growing together. Life hasn’t always looked polished or planned, but it has been real, and it has mattered.

This space has always been about family, faith, learning, and everyday life, and that hasn’t changed. If anything, those things mean more to me now than ever. Moving forward, I’ll be sharing updates from our family, recipes we love, homeschooling life, and the simple rhythms that keep us grounded.

Thank you for being here! Whether you’ve been reading since the beginning or you’re just finding your way to this little corner of the internet, I’m grateful you’re here, and I’m thankful for the chance to start sharing again.

Here’s to moving forward: with grace, honesty, and hope.

Jana