Oh my, it’s been a while, to say the least. I miss the days when I used to sit down and write. I’ve thought about it many times, but I often get lost in doomscrolling, or I’m just not in a mental or emotional place to capture what’s happening. There’s a delicate balance between documenting real life and not unloading all the unnecessary challenges that come with marriage, personal growth, and raising children, especially teenagers. At times, it all feels like a bit much.
Because this is a public blog, not my personal journal, we'll stick to the highlights of the past six months or so and leave out the struggles and hardships. Just so you know, there have been many. But God is still good. He is good. Even if the point of the hard is to just keep me leaning on Him, then I must say, it is good. My favorite verse these days is Deut 31:8. "And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." He goes before me in all areas. He is with me through all the stuff. He will never leave me. I have no reason to fear.
Onto recapping some very exciting happenings. Livvy got married on October 11, 2025!! She is now Olivia DuMont. Sounds like a French movie star.
It was a beautiful, busy time, but everything came together perfectly. The decorations, the dance floor, Ezra's family, the groomsmen, the food, the dancing... God went before us in every detail, even the weather! Livvy loves the rain, and God brought a hurricane from the Pacific Ocean to bring in the clouds. God held the rain off long enough to get pictures and get inside the church for the ceremony and reception. The rain fell at just the right time to grab some umbrella pictures, but then the storm ended in time so the happy couple could have a proper send-off of bubbles outside. It made for the best fairy-tale, Narnia day ever!
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| All the groomsmen and brothers and the infamous 6-7. |
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| Livvy and her girllies, Milly, Sabrina, Hannah (maid-of-honor), and Mariah. |
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| Total fairy tale. |
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| Father-Daughter dance went from "You Are My Sunshine" to "Staying Alive"! |
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| Super blessed that all of the moms of the bridesmaids are my dear friends! |
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| And they're off! |
Three weeks later, Tom, the "little boys," and I met up with Liv and Ezra in Minnesota for their MN reception. We were able to spend more time with the married couple and Ezra's family as well. They are such a dear family that I wish we lived closer!
After the reception, we went on a road trip. Our first stop was Chicago. We stayed with Tom's cousin Joe and his family. Joe was able to take the day off and spend the day with us in downtown Chicago. I'd love to go back and spend more time looking at all the cool architecture. After Chicago, we went to Indianapolis to stay with Tom's friend Josh and his family. From there, we went to Kentucky to spend a day at the Creation Museum and then the Ark Encounter - both fabulous!! It was a fun week of sightseeing and visiting friends and family!
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| Cutlips and DuMonts |
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| Navy Pier |
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| Skydeck in the "Sears Tower, spelled W-I-L-L-I-S" |
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| Danner didn't trust it enough to sit. |
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| When in Chicago, you must get a Chicago dog - don't even think of asking for ketchup. |
The year wrapped up with a fairly uneventful and stress-free Christmas and New Year's. Which was very good for my brain. It has taken a surprisingly long time to catch up from wedding planning brain.
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| Me and my boys. First Christmas with a married kiddo that didn't get to come home. |
Happy New Year to you all! So thankful for all of the sweet times in 2025. Praying that 2026 is a little quieter, but it is full of seeing God at work in our lives and maturing in all areas pertaining to Christ and godliness.
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