Life lately has been unexpected. Hard. But also kind of amazing. Since Kira left on her mission, everything has felt just slightly off, like a puzzle missing its most important piece. And now that she’s home, I’ve been doing everything I can to pour into her. Vitamins, water, good food, rest, love. All of it. Because when someone you love walks through something hard, you’d do anything to carry even a piece of it for them. I bought rodeo tickets to lift her spirits. She loves a good rodeo and we were all so excited! But life, in its unpredictable way, had other plans. A windstorm hit out of nowhere. It was wild! Dust in our eyes, our hair tangled, hats flying, and temperatures dropping by the minute. We couldn’t even lift our heads to see the arena. Pretty much everyone, including us, left early. And isn’t that just life? Unexpected. Messy. Windy and wild. Rarely what we picture in our minds. And for a moment, I was disappointed. I had pictured something different. Something perfect. But as I looked around at my girls, all bundled up together, laughing through the chaos, arms linked, cheeks red from the cold…I realized this was perfect. It wasn’t the plan. But it was exactly what we needed. Whether it’s plan A… or B… or even plan Z, none of it really matters when we’re all together. This season we’re in as a family is teaching me so much. Life moves so fast. It changes in the blink of an eye. And I think sometimes we forget how fragile it all really is. We get caught up in what’s missing, what’s broken, what’s not going our way. But here’s the truth: Even the hard days end. Even the broken pieces can become beautiful. Even the detours can lead us exactly where we need to go. So this is your reminder from one tired but grateful momma: Slow down. Hold your people close. Laugh in the chaos. And don’t wait for perfect. The now…even the messy, dusty, freezing, unexpected now can still be exactly what your heart needs. Because sometimes, the most unexpected moments… are the ones your heart will remember forever.