Espresso Evolutions: A Look Back, A Look Forward

If I had to wrap the years I stepped away from Coffee & Story Time into a single phrase, it would be this: a season full of everything. Days so full they had to be lived before they could be written. Time that needed to be shared in real time to “be present first.” And so I was.

Those years held highs and challenges, unexpected detours and deep growth—both seen and unseen. What felt like an entire chapter of life unfolded in just a handful of months. Sweet moments sat alongside soul-stretching ones, and together they shaped the person I’m stepping into 2026 as. Looking back now, I see a tapestry—threads of joy, challenge, healing, and quiet revelation woven together with intention.

There were moments that colored my days with memory and movement: wedding-season nostalgia filled with showers, dress shopping, and celebrating love in Tennessee. So many new coffee shops that I was able to explore and treats to taste. Adventures that included escape rooms, trips to Arkansas, and photos capturing light I never wanted to forget.

There were also the sacred, everyday moments of marriage—five years, now nearly seven, with my husband. The laughter and the routines, the softness and strength that come with our partnership. Even the hard moments—like when he was physically hurt—became reminders of how steady and resilient our marriage is, and how God continues to refine what He’s building between us.

Our home has transformed too, room by room. Office décor, bathroom and closet remodels, and the slow work of turning our space into something that feels more us. Career shifts stretched my trust, volunteering grounded my heart, and growth happened in places only God could see at first. Tender valleys met us as well, but again and again, God showed up—through signs too specific to be coincidence.

Creatively, something new stirred. A mini book series emerged, opening a door God cracked just enough for me to step through once I found my courage. It was a year of movement—forward, sideways, and inward.

There were milestones: turning 30 with clarity, purpose, and gratitude. Beginning and completing my internship. Walking into rooms I once only dreamed of entering. Graduating with my master’s degree. Obtaining my counseling license in Texas—years in the making, and the fulfillment of a calling God placed on my heart long ago and trying to listen and understand the path I needed to be on.

Though I didn’t share much of 2024 and 2023 and some of 2025 while it was happening, I didn’t miss what God was doing. Maybe that was the point, but plan to look forward to reading about these all and more as the year continues. The reflection and memories taken from each activity, trip, get together, and more!

This year, I hope to bring those moments into the light—stories that waited patiently for their place on the page. And in 2026, I’m returning to one of my favorite rhythms: writing, reflecting, and sharing life as it unfolds.

Here’s to carrying yesterday into tomorrow.To becoming, unfolding, and rooting deeper into who I am—and who God is shaping me to be.

Here’s to 2026:a year of obedience, growth, and open hands. A year God has already gone before me in. A year I’m ready to walk into—fully present.