Challenges.

This has been a very challenging year for our family. In some ways, this year was so, so good. I took a much-needed step back from blogging to focus on other things. Even though I didn’t realize it at the time, this was such a good call. I was able to focus more fully on my family, my business, and my actual job. This was such a good thing. 

The last time I was really active in writing this blog, I shared that Corey and I both started new jobs. This turned out to be such a blessing for us in so many ways. Corey’s new job kept us from being transferred, which allowed me to grow in my own career but also allowed us to stay in Charlotte with a network of really close, supportive friends. On a professional level, things are going well with us at both of our new jobs. We were also really, really fortunate that Corey’s boss and my new principal are just awesome people who allowed us to be flexible with our schedules when it became necessary. 

My last post asked for prayers for our family and I so appreciate those of you who lifted our family into your prayers. In March, Corey’s dad was diagnosed with a really aggressive form of brain cancer. This was a really helpless feeling as he was so young and active and had just had a clean checkup and scans two months prior. He was treated by excellent doctors at the Mayo Clinic but unfortunately passed away at the beginning of June, right before Father’s Day. 

This has been challenging for our family. We spent some time with extended family in both Florida and New Jersey and everything just seemed so quiet. My father-in-law was always the life of the party, with an incredible sense of humor and a desire to help everyone. We all miss him so much. 

Corey and I have been so busy at work but were really lucky that we were able to spend a good bit of time with family over the last year. I think it is so important to make time for family and not get so caught up with the day-to-day grind of trying to get everything done. I am really trying to be more purposeful with my time and dedicate it more to the things that I’m passionate about and the people that I love. 

I’ve started to re-delegate my time and pull away from things that eat it up that I don’t enjoy. This blog has always been a good outlet for me and something that I did truly enjoy, so maybe that means I will even find some time to write again. For the mean time, I’m still here. And I’m still reading a lot of your blogs, even when I am not posting.