I've been writing these reflective posts for 12 years now and they are always my favorite to write. I say it every time, but it's important to look back at where you've been before you can determine where you want to go.
If you want to see previous years click the years below.
2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022 / 2023 / 2024
2025 was a difficult year for our family and for the world. Fires raged, planes fell from the sky, immigration raids, more shootings, and my dad was diagnosed with cancer. Ordinary, everyday conversations gave way to updates about chemotherapy and radiation to quiet check-ins about whether he was eating.
After hardship, joy shines brighter and is felt more deeply. By July, my dad was cancer-free (praise God!), slowly regaining his strength and his appetite. All of it serves as a reminder that joy comes in the morning.
I jokingly referred to this year as the great cleanout of 2025. I realized that when my dad was struggling I was buying things to try to make myself feel better. But it never actually worked. So I returned a lot of what I’d bought and had a moment of real clarity: material things don’t create happiness for me. I went through my entire house, purging every nook and cranny, and became very intentional about what I kept and what I let go. After that, I didn’t buy anything new for months.
The experience was genuinely transformational. It clarified that I value experiences far more than possessions - which is exactly why buying a boat became the best purchase of 2025. It gave us countless unforgettable moments: sunset cruises, charcuterie lunch rides with friends, jumping off the boat with family, and those National Geographic–style rides that felt like pure magic.
After more than 17 years as a buyer, I transitioned into project management at the end of 2024. 2025 was the year I leaned into the discomfort. I was challenged, energized, and thrived. I found my rhythm and truly fell in love with a career that fits me perfectly.
Alcohol gradually lost its allure. I went from drinking daily, to taking a 30-day break, to now enjoying a drink only a couple of times a month. Along the way, I found a healthier relationship with alcohol and realized I’m genuinely happier when I’m not drinking. I’ve also discovered how delicious NA wines can be and became a sparkling water snob.
On to the recap!
In January I had lunch with a friend, we tried a new restaurant, and we cried and prayed for those affected by the LA fires. I finished my first book of the year, had a call with my besties, lunch with my parents, and G and I went sledding. I had a girls night, G and I watched the sun set over Lake Michigan, and we celebrated G's birthday in Chicago. We ate and drank our way through Chicago, hit a snowstorm on our way home and got stuck in St. Joseph. We found out my dad had cancer, Manny gave us a scare (pinched a nerve?), and we celebrated Ella's eleventh birthday. In the month that never ended planes fell from the sky, I celebrated Chinese New Year at work, and we watched Ella play soccer.
In February I rearranged my office, discovered pistachio pasta, attended an adult prom, and became obsessed with Monopoly Deal. I had a girls night, we celebrated 17 years of marriage, had a game night with neighbors, binged the new season of Night Agent, and I dabbled in non-alcoholic wines. We enjoyed a nice lunch with my dad before he started chemo, I got my hair did, we had a few date night dinners with friends, and I hosted a belated galantine's lunch.
In March the lake started to thaw, we went to lunch and Ella's soccer game, and had a little weekend getaway in Royal Oak. I had my annual eye appointments, brunch in Birmingham per tradition, and we tried a new food delivery service. I got on a sheet pan kick, met a sweet friends' little boy, and had a little overnight getaway in Grand Rapids. I got a new vacuum, had a moment with salmon, and met some of my favorites for lunch.
In April I had a girls night out, started my great clean out of 2025, had a call with my besties, had my annual mammo, and stocked up at Trader Joe's. We binged Detroiters and White Lotus, had a game night with our neighbors, and met up with friends for sushi. Pontoons started going into the lake and it snowed, my dad finished chemo, I watched Ella and Benny play soccer, and we had a lovely dinner together after. I went to the dentist, my walk to the groomers turned into a little coffee adventure with G, we did some deck sitting, and celebrated Easter with church and dinner with some of the family.
In May we continued our purging project, tried a recipe that we now make at least twice a month, had my first swim in the lake, deck sitting season began, and we went to a spring market. G and I started a little weekend tradition walking M downtown and getting coffee, went to Ella's soccer game, tackled yard work, and I went 30 days without drinking so I explored NA wines. We met up with old friends, went to my dad's first week back at teaching and celebrated being back together again. G and I went to see Hamilton, and then my mom, Ella and I went on an epic weekend trip to Chicago soaking in all the city sights - the zoo, Mag Mile, five story Starbucks, Harry Potter store, Navy Pier, and high tea at the Drake. I went to Chicago for a quick work trip, we hosted G's team, and my mom and I helped a coworker with her son's graduation party.
In June I had a lunch date with my mom, continued swimming, floating season began, and went to dinner with our neighbors. We hosted the kiddos for a fun sleepover, celebrated Eric's 40th birthday, M and I went on sunrise walks, I finished reading Joshua, M turned 12, and we started watching all the Jaws movies. I was reunited with my bestie, cheered on El at her soccer game, went to lunch with a friend, and binged You. 
In July we took the first week off for a staycation on the lake going out to restaurants, reading and floating on the lake, and sleeping in. I had a lovely pool day with my mom and the kiddos, I swam in the rain (my favorite!), read my favorite book of the year, we started watching all the Mission Impossible movies, and watched all the fireworks on the lake. M gave us his biggest scare yet and it may be the reason we bought a boat(!!), and it was so fun to surprise my family and take them out and celebrate Benny's birthday. I started reading through Psalms, my dad was cancer free, we went on countless boat rides, went to a dueling piano bar with friends, and Eric and Jess brought over a floating mat that created endless joy on the lake. Enjoyed sunset boat rides, weekend morning boat rides, celebrated my 42nd birthday with my mom, and hosted dear family friends.
In September I took Labor day week off to enjoy the lake, came down with a cold, had a call with my besties, took sunset boat rides, and binged Lincoln Lawyer. I was still floating and swimming, we went to a beautiful wedding, went to lunch with my parents, and went for a boat ride where my dad captured some great shots and we made him jump in the refreshing (cold?) water. Celebrated M's gotcha day, went to Bowdies with friends, cheered El on at her soccer game, and celebrated Jess' 40th birthday.
In October I had a girls' night, listened to the new Taylor album nonstop, and we had lunch and boat ride with my parents. We went to the farmers market (better late than never), had bundled up boat rides, game night at our neighbors' house, and I had my last swim of the season on October 14th. I had a fun team offsite, finished reading Proverbs, sunset boat rides got shorter, and I had lunch with a sweet friend. I started reading Hebrews, took M to the vet, met a friend for lunch and tried quail, and cheered Benny on at his soccer game. We handed out candy and had 77 trick or treaters, finally decorated for fall, and double dated with fun friends.
In November I started putting cottage cheese on everything, caught up with a friend over lunch, got back into cooking, and cut back to one cup of coffee per day. We went to dinner with neighbors, tucked our boat in for the season, went to an estate sale, and watched the newest Jurassic World. I got crafty at work, reunited with a bestie, organized my pantry (again), and got sucked into All Her Fault. Purchased new dining room chairs (adulting, am I right?), went to dinner with neighbors across the lake, celebrated Thanksgiving x2, shopped small town Saturday in our little town, hiked in the woods, made homemade pizza, and binged The Beast In Me.
In December I volunteered at the library, had a call with my besties, and we went to our neighbors' for a game night. We went to our town's Christmas Market, started updating the basement, and had a little team holiday party. I went to lunch with my mom and family friend, saw the new Wicked, spent the night, and had quality time with my parents. We bought a new couch, celebrated Christmas with the family, dropped M with my parents, and were off on an adventure. We traded snow for sand, 80 degrees, sunshine, beach days, seafood, ocean breezes, and patio sitting.
Whew!
What. A. Year.
By the numbers:
1 family reunion
1 business trip
1 sickness
2 plane rides
3 staycations
3 months of boating
3 miles average walk per day
4 vacations
5 months of floating
6 months of swimming in the lake
22.4 pounds lost
26 hours on the beach
30 days without alcohol
93 books read
7,404 average steps per day
30,679 pages read
Countless swims, Monopoly Deal games, porch dinners, boat rides, walks with M, sun soaked lake days, hosting family and friends, and so many laughs and memories along the way.
Thanks for being part of this journey - and cheers to an exciting 2026 full of possibility and adventure.
1 comment:
Looking forward to more walks, less global trauma, and welcoming you in to a new phase of volunteerism.
Love you!
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