Oh, hi there.
If anyone is still here, you’re probably wondering where I went. The answer is simple: I’ve been working, celebrating, raising someone, and... not reading.
We started the year with the biggest blessing I could have asked for. A sweet little boy named Milo found his way to us at just eight weeks old, and for a while, he consumed nearly every waking hour. Then I got married. Then I started a side business. Meanwhile, The Recap Vault just sat quietly in the background.
I haven’t had the same free time I used to have to sit down and read. If I’m being completely honest, I also just haven’t been in the mood. But that’s okay. I didn’t build this blog to become another obligation. I built it to be a cozy little corner of the internet that would still be here whenever I read a book I simply had to talk about.
Even so, guilt has a funny way of showing up when I don’t post, update anything, or even log in. It’s strange how something can be optional and still somehow make you feel guilty.
Let me tell you about the newest member of our family: Milo.
On January 10, 2026, we had been out running errands all day. After being gone for six hours, we were finally heading home when we drove through a roundabout where people often place advertisements. That’s when I saw a sign: MINI AUSSIE PUPPIES - CALL/TEXT XXX-XXXX.
I had always known my next dog would be a mini Aussie, but I didn’t know it would happen so soon after losing McCloud. I didn’t know if I was ready. We had nothing prepared. No crate, no toys, no food. Still, I circled the roundabout two more times to make sure we got the phone number.
When we got home, we sent a text. An hour later, we were standing in front of three adorable little puppies. Milo came right up to me and wanted to be held, and that was pretty much it.
I don’t really like to say that we “shopped” for him because I truly believe that sign was there for a reason. McCloud knew a piece of my heart needed healing, and I like to think that sign was sent by my sweet angel.
We left with Milo and headed straight to Tractor Supply to stock up on everything we needed for a puppy. Crate training was not easy, and on that first night, I really did sleep on the floor next to my bed with nothing but a pillow while Milo slept in his crate.
It’s amazing what we are willing to do for our dogs, and they deserve every bit of it.
Milo is now almost eight months old and thriving. We are learning so many tricks and skills together, and there is not a day that goes by without him making me laugh at least once. He is such a joy, and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of his life.
Now for the biggest celebration of all.
I married my best friend.
On March 23, 2026, we said our vows in front of our parents. Less than twelve hours later, we were on a plane to Jamaica.
Sitting here and writing all of this, it feels like so much has happened in such a short amount of time. Seven months does not sound very long, but somehow an entire life seems to have fit inside it.
For our wedding, we went to a beautiful farm-to-table restaurant where everything was homemade, including the root beer. The entire experience was incredible. There is something special about a place where so much care goes into every detail.
Our host, Kristin, made the whole process easy. We had a call to plan the menu, and we trusted her with the beverages. She made the perfect choices for every meal.
One of my favorite things about the restaurant is that it won’t become an everyday place for us. It will be somewhere special that we return to for anniversaries and future celebrations. I love the idea of having a place that becomes part of our story over time.
Less than twelve hours after the wedding, we were on our way to Jamaica. I knew from the beginning that I wanted most of our wedding budget to go toward a trip outside of the United States, and I do not regret that decision for a second.
Jamaica was the right choice. The restaurant was the right choice. The resort was the right choice. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would do it exactly the same way.
The only downside was the travel. Jamaica may only be about four and a half hours away by plane, but once you add the time spent at the airport, the drive to and from the airport, and the ninety-minute ride from Montego Bay to Negril, it becomes a full day.
We left home around 2:00 a.m. for a 5:00 a.m. flight and did not make it to our room until 5:30 that evening. There wasn’t even a time change to blame.
Still, the resort was absolutely worth it. We stayed in an oceanfront room at Couples Negril, an all-inclusive resort that was even more beautiful than I imagined.
We went on a catamaran cruise, had two couples massages in a treehouse, walked down the beach to the Office of Nature for fresh-caught lobster, and spent plenty of time simply relaxing near the water. We also made friends with another couple whose anniversary was one day before ours.
It was a week full of incredible memories, and I cannot wait to go back.
This was not originally meant to become a full catch-up post. I recently moved my blog back to Blogger after being self-hosted, and returning to it feels strangely like coming home. This is the first weekend all year that I have really sat down and worked on the blog, and it made me realize just how much I had to catch up on.
That thought is usually followed by another one: I really need to read.
But that isn’t true.
I don’t need to read. I want to read. For me, that is a much healthier place to be.
The final update is Where They Wait.
What began as a small creative hobby slowly became a business. Where They Wait gives me the chance to work with my hands, make something meaningful, and hopefully put a smile on someone else’s face.
I truly enjoy making the leash hooks, but I enjoy creating them for someone else’s dog even more. Of course, I made one for Milo, and I made one for McCloud too. Still, there is something especially meaningful about knowing that someone found my tiny Etsy shop and chose to order from me instead of a larger, more established business.
That part never gets old.
Where They Wait keeps me busy after work and gives me something creative to build. It is still small, but there is plenty of room for it to grow.
Sweet McCloud always waited for me by the door, while Milo usually waits by his food bowl. Either way, our four-legged companions are always waiting for us. Where They Wait is my way of making their little place in the home feel even more like it belongs to them.
This turned into a much longer post than I originally planned, but I think I needed it. It has been a while since I sat down and simply recapped life.
Now maybe I’ll read a book.
Or maybe I won’t.
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