One thing after another.

Hey, family.

I know it’s been a long time. If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, why I’ve been so quiet on social media, or why things have felt inconsistent here at Let’s Be Vegan, I wanted to finally share what this past year has looked like.

Around this time last year, what began as an ordinary day became the day my life changed forever.

Just hours after speaking with my best friend, I learned that he had taken his own life.

He wasn’t just my best friend. He was my chosen family. He was there when my son was born, and he stood beside me through nearly every major chapter of my life. I honestly don’t think I would’ve made it through my younger years without him. I don’t think words can fully describe what it’s like to have a completely ordinary conversation with someone, only to find out a few hours later that they’re gone. It’s a kind of grief that changes you forever, and I’m still discovering all the ways it has changed me.

A few months later, my son’s father called and said he wasn’t feeling well and thought he should go to the hospital. Although we hadn’t been together in many years, I still considered him family, so Issaiah and I dropped everything to be by his side.

Within weeks, I found myself becoming his health care emergency legal guardian/healthcare proxy and making the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, taking him off life support. I knew it was what he would have wanted, but nothing prepares you for signing those papers or watching someone you’ve known and loved for most of your life take their last breath. Even harder was telling our son that his father was gone.

Just hours after we arrived home, we found ourselves rushing our beloved dog Rico to the emergency veterinarian. I spent every dollar I had trying to save him, but a few days later we had to say goodbye.

Looking back, it’s hard to believe all of that happened within such a short period of time. I never really had time to grieve one loss before the next one arrived. And while all of this was happening, life didn’t stop. There were still customers to serve, orders to fulfill, bills to pay, and a business that depended on me showing up every day.

Looking back, there were things that didn’t receive the attention they deserved because I simply didn’t have the capacity, and that’s incredibly difficult for me to admit because I’ve always taken so much pride in serving this community.

Through everything, there were still moments that reminded me life keeps moving forward. Watching Issaiah continue to move forward through everything we’ve experienced has been one of the greatest reminders of what resilience really looks like. This year, he played varsity basketball, coached youth leagues, graduated from high school, became a member of the National Honor Society, earned nearly $70,000 in grants and scholarships, and will be attending his first-choice college this fall. I couldn’t be more proud of the young man he’s become.

One of the biggest lessons this season has taught me is that grief isn’t linear. Some days it still catches me completely off guard. Other days I find myself laughing again, dreaming again, and beginning to imagine the future instead of simply surviving the present. Those moments are becoming more frequent, and they feel like hope.

For a long time, I thought healing meant staying quiet until I had all the answers. I’ve realized that sometimes healing also means telling the truth about where you’ve been.

I almost didn’t share any of this.but the more I talk to people, the more I realize that none of us make it through life untouched. We all carry losses that changed us, moments that broke us, and seasons we weren’t sure we’d survive. Most of the time, we just can’t see them. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give one another is the reminder that we’re not walking through them alone.

If you’ve ever wondered why I seemed to disappear, this is why.

These are only a few of the moments that shaped this season. There were countless other challenges happening quietly behind the scenes, but these are the ones that changed me forever. This season changed the way I measure success. It changed what I worry about. It changed how I spend my time and who I spend it with. It reminded me that life can change with a single phone call, and because of that, I don’t take ordinary moments for granted the way I once did.

For the first time in a long time, I’m excited about what’s ahead. Thank you for giving me the space to heal, the grace to be human, and the opportunity to begin again.

I hope you’ll come along with me, because I truly believe the best of Let’s Be Vegan is still ahead.