2025: An Unexpected Diagnosis and Unexpected Gratitude
This year, I turned 50—an age that once felt far off and impossible to imagine, yet here I am… standing in it, owning it, and finding a surprising sense of clarity and gratitude along the way. Looking back on 2025, I can see just how much transformation unfolded in my life—personally, professionally, and everything in between.
A New Chapter with Sotheby’s
One of the biggest shifts of the year was making the move to Sotheby’s International Realty. It wasn’t just a career change; it felt like stepping into alignment. The brand, the standard, the people—everything matched the level of service and intention I’ve always aimed for.
It challenged me.
It stretched me.
It reminded me—loudly—that growth absolutely does not stop at 50.
This was the year I leveled up.
Our Family Team: Stronger Than Ever
Working in real estate as a family is one thing. Growing through life and business together? That’s a whole different experience.
This year, we found a new rhythm—one built on trust, patience, better communication, and a deeper appreciation for each other’s strengths. We didn’t just grow as a team; we grew as people who truly see each other.
The evolution of how we work together has strengthened our bond in ways I never expected… but am endlessly grateful for.
Understanding MS and Learning to Adjust
2025 was also a year of learning—about my body, my limits, and my resilience.
Living with MS means constantly adjusting, recalibrating, and offering myself grace I wasn’t always good at giving. Some days are smoother than others. Some days are messy and require more patience, humor, or time flat on the couch.
But I’ve learned this: vulnerability is not weakness.
It’s allowed my family to show up for me in new ways. It’s made us more intentional. It’s softened some edges and strengthened others. It’s brought understanding, more connected, and more aware of the moments that matter.
Friendships, Family, and Finding Gratitude
Turning 50 shifts your whole mindset. Suddenly it’s all about depth over quantity—real conversations, steady friendships, and the people who love you on the good days and the messier ones.
I’m grateful for the friends who stayed.
For the ones who showed up.
For the ones who joined the journey at just the right time.
And family… well, they’re my anchor. My constant laughter. My purpose. My why.
This year we navigated challenges, celebrated milestones, and leaned on each other more than ever before. That relationship? That’s been the greatest gift of 2025.
A Positive Outlook for 2026
As I step into this next chapter—this new decade—I’m choosing optimism, hope, and intention.
2026, I’m ready for you.
I’m walking into the new year with clarity about what truly matters:
health, family, meaningful work, and the courage to keep evolving.
There will be challenges—of course.
But there will also be joy, growth, opportunity, and beautiful new chapters waiting to unfold.
If 2025 taught me anything, it’s this:
As we age, life gets richer.
Here’s to 50.
Here’s to resilience.
Here’s to family and friendship.
Here’s to a bright, grounded, hopeful 2026.
Tracking More Than Steps
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve written anything, and honestly, that’s because I’ve been tired. Not just “need a nap” tired, but that deeper kind of fatigue that sticks around no matter how much you sleep. The kind that makes you realize something’s off and you’ve been running on fumes without even noticing.
I wear a Garmin Vívioactive 5—mostly because I like tracking my walks and steps—but over time, I’ve started paying more attention to the other data it gives me. Things like heart rate, respiration, recovery, and especially the “Body Battery.” It’s basically a way to measure how charged (or drained) you are based on sleep, activity, and stress.
I even wear it overnight, which has been eye-opening. Seeing how my sleep breaks down—light, deep, REM—and how that affects my recovery has taught me a lot about what my body’s actually doing when I think I’m “resting.” Spoiler: some nights, most nights, not much!
Since being diagnosed with MS, I’ve learned how important it is to listen to those signals instead of brushing them off. The data from my watch has become more than just numbers—it’s information that helps me understand what my body’s trying to say. When my energy dips, when my sleep doesn’t restore me, when my body battery never seems to recharge—it’s all valuable feedback. It reminds me that rest isn’t a luxury; it’s part of how I take care of myself and manage what’s going on beneath the surface.
What’s funny is that as a parent of athletes, I’ve heard the phrase “rest and recovery” for years. The boys would say it constantly—how important it was for preventing injury, how it made them stronger, how performance depended on it. I believed it for them, of course. But I don’t think I ever really applied it to myself until recently.
Somewhere along the way, we start thinking rest is optional—that we can just push through because we have things to do and people counting on us. But the truth is, your body will always find a way to get your attention. Sometimes it whispers, sometimes it yells, but it always tells the truth.
For me, having those reminders right on my wrist keeps me accountable. It’s not about chasing perfect numbers—it’s about noticing patterns, discussing the patterns with my doctors, and actually listening.
Fatigue isn’t failure. It’s feedback.
And learning to see it that way—to pause, recharge, and advocate for what your body needs—is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned lately.
Because when you learn to honor what your body is telling you, you give yourself the chance to show up stronger, clearer, and more present—in every part of your life.
Fall in Southeastern North Carolina: A Season of Change and Opportunity
This time of year, when the mornings turn cooler, the breeze feels crisper, and the leaves begin to change, a new energy emerges. That fresh perspective can be felt all around.
Local Fall Favorites
Fall in southeastern North Carolina is one of my favorite seasons. Locals’ summer begins as the towns quiet down from the busy tourist months. The mix of salt air and cooler weather creates a sense of calm, while sunsets glow in deep oranges, reds, and yellows that stretch for miles—reminding us that the possibilities here are endless.
Soon, the area will be filled with pumpkins, fall festivities, and yes—sweaters! Even along the southern coast, the crisp air makes you want to cozy up.
From hayrides and pumpkin picking at Mike’s Farm to browsing fresh produce and homemade treats at weekend farmers markets, there’s no shortage of ways to soak up the season. Festivals like Autumn with Topsail, the NC Oyster Festival, and Wilmington’s Riverfest bring everyone together for food, music, and community fun.
Slower Days, Closer Communities
The beaches, once bustling with summer visitors, quiet down into peaceful stretches perfect for evening walks or surf fishing in the cool air.
Neighbors gather around backyard fire pits, host oyster roasts, and cheer on their favorite football teams. Even local businesses shift their focus back to serving residents, creating that cozy, small-town feel so many people fall in love with.
Why Fall Is a Great Time for Real Estate
While spring and summer are often considered the “busy season,” fall offers unique advantages for both buyers and sellers.
Less competition means buyers have a better chance of standing out.
Serious buyers are motivated—often hoping to move before the holidays or new year.
Charming curb appeal is effortless in the fall, with pumpkins, mums, and cozy interiors naturally enhancing a home’s warmth.
Hosting an open house in the fall can be extra memorable with small touches—like a simmer pot on the stove, soft throw blankets draped across chairs, or apple cider for guests. These details help buyers imagine not just living in a house, but truly feeling at home.
A Season of Reflection
Fall is also a season of transitions. Children are starting school, some preparing to graduate, others heading off to college. Military families are adjusting to new moves or preparing for deployments.
And for many, the shift in weather itself brings relief. Personally, I find that cooler air eases the weight of summer—the heat and humidity give way to calmer days where joints ache less, stress feels lighter, and there’s space to simply breathe.
It’s a reminder that each season, like life, invites us to reflect, let go, and embrace what comes next.
Discover Southeastern North Carolina This Fall
With its changing leaves, crisp air, and sense of possibility, fall encourages us to slow down and appreciate the beauty in transition.
If you’ve ever considered a move to southeastern North Carolina, this is the season to explore. The pace of life softens, communities connect more closely, and the natural beauty of the coast makes imagining your life here even more inviting.
I’d love to help you discover it for yourself.
Showing Up
There’s a quiet kind of courage that no one really talks about. It’s not loud or flashy. It doesn’t come with applause or recognition. It’s the kind of courage that comes when you get up, get dressed, and walk into yet another day — not because you want to, but because you have to.
That’s what the last few years of life has looked like for me.
I’m not yet 50, and for the past couple of years, I’ve felt a shift. Not a sudden, dramatic kind — but a slow unraveling. Little things at first: forgetting words, feeling unsteady, fighting through bone-deep fatigue. And then more — dizziness that wouldn’t go away, numbness, heaviness, and that gut-deep feeling that something wasn’t right. But for a long time, I did what so many of us do: I pushed through it.
After all, I’m a wife. A mom. A business owner. A real estate agent. A friend. A daughter. A woman who keeps things moving.
But behind the smiles and open house signs, I was unraveling. There were days I couldn’t show up for myself — and yet I still tried to show up for everyone else...and didn’t do it well.
I told myself I was tired. Stressed. Hormonal. Maybe just aging. But the truth was louder — something wasn’t just right.
The Hardest Kind of Appointment
“Maybe it’s nothing.”
“Maybe I’m overreacting.”
“Maybe I’m making it up.”
These were the thoughts I carried with me every day.
There were times when I walked out of appointments frustrated and confused — not because I had answers, but because I still didn’t. There’s a unique kind of grief that comes with knowing something’s wrong in your body, and not being able to name it.
And still, I showed up.
For the bloodwork.
For the MRIs.
For the specialists.
For the early morning drives to Chapel Hill, hoping maybe this time I’d leave with something concrete.
And finally, I did. A diagnosis: Multiple Sclerosis.
Showing Up When It’s Hard to Be Seen
Not only did a diagnosis bring a bit of closure — it brought another shift. A new way of living, of working, of thinking. But it also brought permission. Permission to rest. To ask for help. To believe myself.
There were long, quiet stretches where depression crept in — not the loud, obvious kind, but the low hum of sadness that comes from feeling like your own body is working against you. From wondering how you’ll keep showing up for your family, your clients, your future — when just brushing your teeth feels like a small victory.
But even on the hardest days, I kept one small promise to myself: Just show up. In whatever way I could.
Sometimes, that looked like closing on a house.
Sometimes, it looked like going to another neurologist.
And sometimes, it just looked like getting out of bed.
Why I’m Still Showing Up
I’m writing this now because I know I’m not the only one. I know what it feels like to smile through symptoms. To hide brain fog with a good to-do list. To quietly mourn a body that doesn’t feel like yours anymore.
But I also know what it feels like to be believed. To be supported. To find a diagnosis. To start fresh — not because you want to, but because you must.
If you’re walking through the unknown, if you’re fighting to be heard, if you’re barely keeping your head above water — Keep showing up.
For your appointments.
For your answers.
For your healing.
For your peace.
For yourself.