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To the Heather of 2024,
Well, here we are, 2024 has come and gone and now we begin 2025. I know that 2024 was not a year we would ever like to repeat. To say it was tough is putting it lightly, but it was a year that also had some amazing things happen and we learned so much about ourself and our world. I am proud of you for making it through this last year when we had some, well, a lot, of moments that we thought we would never get through. We made it past some of the hardest things we have experienced and we did it with grace. You freaking rocked it and you should be really, really proud of yourself.
We found out early in the year that we were going to have to be moving out of the Freedom House and that was devastating. There was nothing we could have done to keep that from happening and I know it really sucked for you and I am sorry about that. You dragged your feet on what you wanted to do next, which is something that the old Heather struggled with, but if we are being completely honest, the end of 2023 was rough and it took us a while to get back into the swing of things and that’s okay. You gave yourself grace and that’s more than you could have done years ago. Yes, being in limbo for a while on our living situation was really rough, but things turned out well because we found our perfect little loft at the end of the summer and were settled by fall. The loft was symbolic on many levels, not just as the Freedom House 2.0. Remember when you started EMDR therapy in 2019? Your therapist had you think of a safe space that you could go to when you started feeling anxious to help center you. Do you remember where that safe space was? It was a condo, high in the sky and your couch was against the wall of windows in your living room and you could lie there snuggled in a blanket with a cup of coffee, your dog Wrigley, and look out over the Peoria skyline. You have that now! And we love to snuggle up in a blanket on your comfy couch and look out over Peoria. You took a dream you had at one point and made it a reality.
The finalizing of your divorce this year was rough, like really, really rough. We started seeing the inside of courtrooms really early in the year and we saw the inside of a courtroom almost every month there after. Every time we had to go to court you were filled with anxiety and fear, but you held it together each and every time we used our learned coping skills and we made it through. I am sorry that you had to learn the lessons that you did in the courtroom. I am sorry that the person that promised to love and protect us forever hurt you and abused you and I am so sorry that they proved in the courtroom how much they wanted to hurt you throughthe hateful things that were said. You didn’t deserve that, you really didn’t deserve it. We shared the truth of the things that happened to you and they spread anger, hate and lies. I know how hurt you were but you held it together and for that I am proud of you. I know you were scared but you did it and now, we are finally legally divorced after being separated for nearly three years.
This year we did some big things with work. We were consistent, and despite some people telling you that you couldn’t do this, even being mocked in divorce court over it, you did it and some amazing things happened. Nearly the entire year you killed it. Following the advice of your publicist, you listened to your coaching and you executed the plan and look how the year ended! By the end of October, you started a collaboration with SPANX! SPANX!!!! That is HUGE! You also accepted a collaboration with Babe Original and you took these two opportunities and pushed them until you started making some of your own money. Through November and December, you pushed yourself so hard within your business and you did it for yourself and look how far you have come. You grew income with three companies, (Amazon, Babe Original and SPANX) and then December 29th, you found out that the massive influencer platform, LTK or Like To Know it, took you on and you were accepted into their program which is HUGE and girl, I am seriously so damn proud of you!
This year we had fun, like, a lot of fun. We spent many weekends in Chicago where you made some amazing memories. We traveled to Las Vegas for your birthday, did all things witchy in Boston in October, went to our first music festival and visited Memérè in New Hampshire--something that you really needed to fill your heart. We helped get our baby sister, Crystal, married! We had so much fun celebrating the wedding starting early in the year with her first intimate ceremony then her bridal shower that we hosted with Shana, to her bachelorette party weekend to the weekend of the big wedding itself! Having all of these moments without your mom was truly bittersweet but we smiled at all of the memories of her and the fact that you knew she was looking down on your family and was really proud of all of you.
We went to dog training school with Maggie. To say it was interesting is putting it lightly. In the first class, she seemed too smart to be there and was really bored, except for one thing. You could not get her to lie down and if you did you couldn’t get her to stay down. The trainers said with small dogs that’s normal because they are already so close to the ground, but that didn’t help when you had to be "that" mom and beg for her to pass the class, when she hadn’t exactly graduated from level one with flying colors. We made it through level two but only barely, and decided that Maggie (and you) needed a little break before doing the next level and then completing her therapy dog training.
This year you took on new challenges! You decided to learn new things and are relearning French (currently on a 152 day streak on Duolingo!). We started taking Pilates Reformer and are killing it. We volunteered with numerous organizations and encouraged others to do so as well. We kept up your work as a board member with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and made a hard choice to take a step back from being as involved in the Junior League as you were in years past because sometimes organizations need new blood to step into roles and to be honest, you really needed a break.
We tried to be a sourdough girlie this year, you tried and tried and tried. We fought the good fight but the sourdough starter never became sourdough. Sometimes the starter was accidentally cooked in the oven (three times to be specific) and the other times, you tried to bake it and well, it just never became bread. On September 4, 2024; you laid the sourdough to rest in an Epic funeral where you said your goodbyes.
This year we learned who are really friends and who are not and that was a tough pill to swallow. That was something that really affected us throughout the year, and it really broke your heart, and I am sorry that happened. This year you learned that your ex-husband did a really good job at poisoning others' perception of you which frankly, sucked. You know in your heart, though, that good always prevails, and everything eventually comes out in the wash. You may not be the “shiny penny” at the moment, but eventually you will get your shine back. You are going to be fine. You had some wonderful new friends enter your life this year and you know that they are amazing people and have had a profound impact on your life since they entered it.
Overall this year was full of ups and downs, a whole lot of downs but also some really amazing ups. This will be a year to remember. On December 9th, your divorce became finalized and that chapter has come to an end. You ended the year with some amazing work opportunities. You ended the year spending time with your entire family and your little nephew Arlo always brings a smile to your face. You ended the year by learning how strong you were, and you also learned that sometimes enough is just enough.
Girl, I am proud of you. Rock out in 2025, and don’t let anyone burst your bubble. Never doubt yourself or your future. I love you.
Love,
Me aka Heather
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