Hey friends, and welcome to the blog today!

I hope you are doing well. I think I’m finally starting to adjust to the time change. This year was definitely more difficult for me than most. But I’m no longer super tired at the end of the day, though it still is hard for me to wake up early in the morning.

But really, I have nothing to complain about. The last seven days have been perfectly lovely.

The past week has been special, and full of exciting things. Over the weekend my family went to a gem show, and I picked up several beautiful new specimens as well as two necklaces. I totally love gemstones and minerals, guys. I geek out over them, which possibly is due to me being a homeschool mom for so long. My children all had a great time picking out something new for their own collections, too.

The weather here has been gorgeous. My kiddos have been outside 24/7, and I’ve been spending as much time as I can outdoors, too. My jogs have been so nice, and I admire the early spring flowers emerging as I run.

I have a very exciting announcement to share as far as my writing career goes soon. On Friday, I received a phone call that was a “bucket list” item for me, and I couldn’t be more pleased. I don’t know when exactly I’ll be able to share, but I promise it’s coming.

Tomorrow my husband and I celebrate our 20th anniversary. Twenty years! Goodness, they’ve flown by. I told Rusty the other day that I felt like our relationship was about to “level up,” ha! I feel like being married for this long is an accomplishment in this day and age, and I’m so excited to celebrate this milestone.

I think to succeed in life, we have to be dedicated to our endeavors. This is true for marriage, and so many other things.

Sure, some things happen by providence. I think there’s no denying that. I’ve seen the “hand of God” on my life, time and time again. But I also know that a life well lived happens when we nurture the relationships around us, and pursue our hopes and dreams with dedication.

Is there anything you’d like to accomplish, or a relationship you’d like to nurture? I’d love to encourage you to work towards that this week. Maybe take just a tiny step. Kind words and small actions go a long way. Make a list of some ideas to consider as you go about your day.

And who knows? Perhaps you’ll see some amazing results soon.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week, friends. Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Warmly, Nicole

Would you like to check out my books? Please click here! Oh, and if you’d like a FREE copy of A Lost Amish Love, click this link.