Another year begins!
This was our official Dumas family photo at the end of 2024 at church. We postponed our official family photos for a while.
Drew and I both turned 47 in 2024 and we celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. Andrew (on the right) is now 19 and working his first “real” job at our nearby Fry’s grocery store (my second home). He loves writing, singing, gaming and spending time with friends. Ethan is 15 and a sophomore at the local high school. He’s doing chess club and art club after school and attending our church’s youth group. Like his brother, he’s into gaming and friend time. Kate is seven and doing homeschool with me. She loves animals, nature, art and being with people. She’s also a terrific buddy for my shopping and errands! My family is my world.
This past year was a “mixed bag” for me. My business boomed, I traveled, I moved out of my home office into a proper office (where group events became really popular) and I made some amazing memories. I also lost a dear friend in the spring and my mom in November—both to cancer.
Here are some highlights from month to month:
January: Facilitated dozens of vision boards, saw a rainbow as I left my parents’ house, started serving at the welcome desk at church, did a corporate team-building event at American Express, did the Superior home Tour for the fifth time, chipped in with friends to buy cow meat from a local farmer
February: More vision board events, saw epic sunsets
March: Met up with fellow image consultants Jennifer and Afton, did a photo shoot for new head shots with Alicia, organized my home office, participated in a fashion show fundraiser for the Chandler Republican Women’s group, was a speaker for the Savvy Women Smart Investors group at Cooper’s Hawk, spent Good Friday with my parents and Kate and the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, saw a double rainbow over my parents’ house on Easter Sunday
April: Planted herbs; created a fairy garden with Kate; Drew and Kate flew to Montana and drove his new truck home; my website got a major update thanks to Ginnie Rowe; Mom, Kate and I celebrated Earth Day with art, yoga and star gazing; joined Tiffiny at the Wigwam for a writer’s retreat and spa day
May: Ethan celebrated his 15th birthday; Mom, Ethan and I celebrated Mother’s Day and his birthday together with waffles and mimosas; I did a color event for a group of reading tutors; Andrew graduated from high school
June: (my month “off” from my business) I hosted a Salads and Sangria pool party alongside Christina of Re~jeweled, celebrated mine and Mom’s 10-year anniversary of our life group with Mimi’s Café and shopping, celebrated Father’s Day, my dear friend Julie Shangle passed away, I flew for the first time in 18 years and spent a long and luxurious weekend in Billings, Montana with the Spire family
July: we got back to school and set up our school room, I started getting monthly massages, I did a group color analysis at Saguaro Lake Ranch
August: Drew and I celebrated 22 years of marriage, I held a color event for a group of caregivers in Scottsdale and spent the night, I visited Arcosanti for the first time
September: I was featured in Ahwatukee Lifestyle magazine, I helped my mom celebrate my dad’s birthday, our family had a retreat at Saguaro Lake Ranch, Kate turned 7
October: We visited the Oddysea Aquarium for Kate’s birthday, I got a new phone, I did a color event for a mom’s group at a Presbyterian church in Paradise Valley, I did a workshop about gratitude journaling for my favorite Lutheran ladies, I analyzed over 50 ladies at a private ladies’ night at Scheels
November: Mom had her pet scan and I helped my parents celebrate their 54th anniversary, Mom received her official cancer diagnosis on the 14th and passed away on the 17th, we hosted overnight guests and Thanksgiving dinner for 20, Andrew turned 19, I turned 47 and had a beauty-full birthday at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum
December: I attended mine and Mom’s life group’s Christmas party, Kate sung in the multigen choir at church, lots of baking, a simple Christmas
The below picture was from Mom’s Celebration of Life on January 11th.
MY 2025 WORD
After a lot of pondering and several confirmations…here’s my 2025 word!
- Free from obligation and pressure
- Free to be my authentic self
- Free to tweak my business plans
- Free to create without rules
- Free from being bullied or intimidated
- Free to do smaller gigs
- Free to pursue my hobbies
- Free to release what isn’t contributing to my life’s purpose
- Free to be who God has called me to be.
This first quarter of 2025 will include my Mom’s Celebration of Life, a few group events, facilitating vision boards and my fourth trip to Oceanside, CA for our retreat to the abbey.
I’m requesting grace from you as I solidify plans, navigate this new season and ponder God’s next steps for me. Spoiler alert: I believe my next steps will be helping YOU take your next step.
There is some availability for one-on-one appointments and group events so feel free to reach out.
I pray your 2025 holds overflowing beauty, peace and hope.
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