Happy New Year all!

Last week, on New Year’s Day, we piled the kids into the car after I finished rounding in the nursery, and off we went to visit two of our best friends and their kids in Las Vegas. That day, it was raining extremely hard, with flash flood warnings going off on our phones. My husband drove slowly, the fog so low we could barely see the car in front of us. After navigating a very narrow route, the rain finally began to stop.

It was still slightly cloudy, and V reassured us that although it wasn’t sunny and bright, the rain had finally stopped. We all praised him for finding the silver lining in that moment. I am so happy the kids have picked up on that!

A few miles later, I exclaimed, “There’s a rainbow, guys!!”

Ahead of us, as the rain continued to ease, a majestic rainbow appeared in the sky. A couple of miles later, we saw another one! And just as we were getting over that excitement, we saw a double rainbow. I rolled down my window and started taking pictures of the beautiful sight. The boys were having a blast.

In that moment, I paused to take a deep breath of fresh air through the open window. The air after rain is so moist, so clean. I turned around and said, “Boys, this is the year that we will chase rainbows. After every storm, there is always a rainbow. In life, storms will come your way, and we will work through them together and find the rainbow.”

That has been our motto since January 1st. Granted, it’s only six days in, but I am hopeful that we can turn this into a habit in our lives.

It made me think of a few moments over the last few weeks that I wanted to share.

A few weeks ago, during the holidays, my cousin graciously invited us to a gathering at a nearby Winter Wonderland. It was beautiful, Christmas lights and decorations, hot chocolate, sleds, ice skating, even snow falling on you as you entered. It was just magical!

The boys, of course, were their normal selves: wild and energetic. As we walked around with my cousins and their children, they started becoming a bit rowdy, and we rushed back toward the main hall to get them some food. On the way, I passed a mom trying to take a picture of her three kids.

“Just smile for the f***ing picture, and then I will buy you the damn toy,” she hissed at them.

I turned around and saw a mom who was simply frustrated, just trying to force a magical photoshoot so she could capture memories she would cherish forever. I’ve seen the memes, and honestly lived this myself: kids crying hysterically in the back seat after “making holiday memories” at some magical place where they were overstimulated and melting down.

And it hit me.

In our rush to create these magical moments because everyone else seems to be doing it, we do so by wrangling toddlers and kids who don’t care in that moment. I do this too. Begging them, please, please, just give me one picture where everyone is smiling. Even at our family photoshoot, we bribed them with treats and toys. In the end, we never got a picture with all the kids smiling at once but this time, I was okay with that.

At the Winter Wonderland, I gave up on the pictures and let go. And that’s when it happened. When I later looked through the photos, I realized the memories were so much sweeter than any perfect shot. Letting go and not stressing can lead you straight to the rainbow. When you least expect it, the rainbow will appear.

We have to remember that in life, we all go through tough times. The person sitting next to you on the bus could be dealing with serious health issues. The person next to them might have just received devastating news. Someone else could be feeling completely overwhelmed.

We need to approach life differently, by not denying that the storm exists, but learning how to weather through it while still searching for the light.

I was listening to the podcast How to Be a Better Human this morning, and host Chris Duffy spoke about exactly this. He talked about how rough moments will always happen, but how small moments of light and laughter can change how we experience those tough times.

We need to allow ourselves to put down the wall of self-judgment and embrace ourselves, embracing the small, weird things we notice in life. By pointing out imperfections, we become more relatable. And that, I think, is what matters most: connection. That is why I started this blog. I want us to build a community, where we can all relate. I do not want to deny your hardships aren’t present. In fact, we all have those days. You vent to me and I will vent to you. And we will share in those rough moments and find a glimmer of light in it together.

When we’re relatable, we feel less alone in what we’re going through. Two moms chasing their toddlers down the aisles in Target can lock eyes, two complete strangers, sharing the same moment and suddenly there’s a raw, real human connection.

Duffy also highlights how laughter and light don’t just bring connection, how they make us feel lighter. Life happens. Storms come. But finding moments of laughter or brightness can make us more inclined to keep going. To weather through the storm and find a solution and find that rainbow at the end.

That’s something I want to give credit to my husband for. When I’m in a storm, I try to push through it. While doing this, however, I immerse myself in the storm, and maybe too much. He reminds me to add a moment of peace, like a rainbow. I think he carries the laughter, while I do the weathering, and together we meet at the end of the rainbow. I’m working on that balance myself, and I wanted to share how I am working on adjusting with you. I am not perfect, and I want to make that known.

We never truly know what someone else is going through. So I want us not only to chase rainbows but to be the rainbow for someone else. Text the people who pop into your mind. Sometimes, the very fact that you thought of them is the sign that they need it. A touch of fate that proves you thinking of them can provide them reassurance. A simple “I’m thinking of you” can be the light someone needs to keep going.

Be there. Be you.

This year, I’m taking time to be myself again. To embrace my heart and not shy away from all that I want to give. My heart wants to share and wants to give. This year, I will allow myself to be me, unapologetically. To embrace the rainbows and the storms.

That’s my word for this year.
2025 was described by healing.
2026 will be to embrace.