Some personal journal reflections on the year before 35

This past year was full. Not dramatic, not wildly eventful, just full in a quiet, steady way. Full of laundry and laughter, homeschooling and garden dirt, creative work and grocery lists and long afternoons with my kids. We also got sick a lot. I don’t think I would’ve had much to say if you asked me in the moment. But looking back now, I can see the shape of the lessons that settled into me over time.

Here’s what 34 taught me — the easy and the hard.

The Sweet Lessons:

• My ordinary life is a blessing.
  It’s easy to forget that — to look around and feel behind or small or like I should be doing more. But this home, these kids, this marriage, this rhythm, it’s the good stuff. I don’t want to miss it.
• Slowness is powerful.
  This year I started letting things take time. A book. A loaf of sourdough. A kid’s big emotion. Even my own growth. Rushing feels productive, but it’s often a distraction. Slowing down helps me pay attention.
• Quiet faith still counts.
  I didn’t have big spiritual mountaintop moments this year. But I kept reading, praying, showing up. And I think that’s what faith really looks like: steady, imperfect, and rooted.
• The garden teaches patience.
  Some things are blooming. Some are not. Some surprised me. I kept planting. I’ll keep planting.
• Joy lives in small things.
  A good dinner. A kid’s laugh. A sunny afternoon. A book I don’t want to put down. I’m learning to notice and name these moments instead of rushing past them.

The Harder Lessons:

• Rest isn’t easy for me.
  I still feel guilty when I sit down, or when a day goes “off plan.” I’m working on that, that learning that rest is part of obedience, not something to earn. I’m thinking of it as a bunch of mini-Sabbaths throughout the week (or trying to.)
• I can’t do it all, and I was never meant to.
  I tried to juggle too many things this year. Sometimes I snapped. Sometimes I dropped the ball. That was humbling, but necessary. I’m learning to ask for help, to lower the bar when I need to, and to say no without guilt. Here’s to saving for a professional cleaner this year!
• Good work is slow work.
  I thought I’d be farther along on some of my creative goals. But I’m still learning, still editing, still figuring it out. It’s hard to be patient, but I’m trusting that slow progress is still progress.
• Even joyful seasons come with grief.
  Watching my kids grow, I feel both pride and ache. Saying goodbye to babyhood. Realizing how fast time is moving. Letting go of what was to make space for what’s next. It’s my tendency to be tender during change and it’s always something I will walk through. If I’m being honest, some days this past year were deeply reflective and maybe even sad.

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I don’t have a word of the year or a big birthday bucket list. Just this quiet hope: that 35 is full of grace, good work, and plenty of time to notice what matters most. Here’s to more books, more Bible, and good bread.