12/23/2025
A Year That Changed Everything
This birthday feels different.
The past year was not one I would have chosen, but it reshaped me in ways I could never have imagined. It was a year defined by profound loss, survival, and the courage to keep going when stopping would have felt easier.
It began with the loss of my daughter. A pain beyond words. A grief that quieted the world and stretched time in ways I never knew were possible. There is no roadmap for this kind of heartbreak. There is only love, memory, and the slow, tender learning of how to live again while carrying a piece of your heart that is forever missing.
Not long after, life shifted again with a cancer diagnosis that changed the rhythm of everything. Appointments replaced plans. Strength had to be summoned on days when fear felt louder than hope. Survival became the priority, and every small win mattered. Healing was not linear, but it was real.
As if that journey were not enough, I then lost my mother-in-law—a woman who held a meaningful place in our family and in our lives. Another goodbye. Another ache. Another reminder of how fragile and precious life truly is.
For a time, everything paused.
But somewhere between grief and survival, a choice was made—to continue. To honor those I have lost by choosing to keep living. To move forward, even while carrying sorrow.
Today, I am rebuilding my business, SLR Events & Design, with renewed purpose and clarity. Not from the same place I once stood, but from a stronger, more grounded one. This year taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of a vision rooted in meaning. Success now looks different—it is intentional, aligned, and deeply personal.
As I step into a new year of life, I do so with hope. Hope for continued healing. Hope for growth. Hope for an abundant season ahead, not only in business, but in life.
This birthday is not just a milestone.
It is a reminder: even after everything, I am still here.
I want you to know that I am moving forward.
And today, I am grateful to share the most beautiful birthday gift of all: I am officially six months cancer-free.
Still here. Still standing. Still moving forward.
From the SLR Events & Design team, we proudly wish our founder a very happy birthday. We celebrate her strength, resilience, and the beautiful gift of being cancer-free as she steps into a powerful new year.
