Kristy Dorminy

Today was the first day of Body & Soul bible study with my small group of friends whom I love! They’re the best. I met each of them in different places and times and somehow we all come together and just get each other. I have opened up my home to more people at different times, but I felt strongly that this study needed to stay smaller. It’s vulnerable and deep, and I wanted everyone to feel as comfortable as possible to share and grow together in this subject.

We started today with a video by the author, Lisa Whittle. She shared the concept of “Whole Body Theology.” We will study imago dei this week. What does it mean to be made in the image of God? How should that practically look in my life?

I wish I had snapped a few photos to share—like the cute pink sugar cookie heart shaped cookies or the warm breakfast sausage balls or the bright red strawberries. I could have shown the cute heart earrings I gave each friend. Or the adorable socks and valentine hair clip Jenni gave us all. I do, however, have a photo of the gift Jenni gave me for hosting.

I suppose I should make no promises, but my goal is to blog about the bible study each week and share what we’re learning! More to come!!!!

Josh and I took the weekend to get away since we’re celebrating 25 years of marriage. It’s not a secret that I’m not a fan of winter or snow. To be honest, I don’t even like temps below 60 degrees, but when your anniversary falls in January, unless you’re wanting to fly somewhere, you may be celebrating your marriage in a winter storm.

And that’s what we did! Our own city was going to get pummeled with snow, so no need to not go a couple hours north, as planned, to celebrate in the snow anyway. Getting here was easy. Leaving demanded a bit more delicate attention, but we were pleasantly surprised how dry the roads were on Sunday!

I’m so glad we got away. So restful. So fun. Such a great way to be reminded of all the joy our marriage has brought to us. We teared up several times as we recounted life together. What a lovely life the Lord has given us.

We talked about newlywed days. And moves. And jobs. And babies. And friends. And churches. Some funny stories. Some sad stories. Some hard times. Some good times. All of this life—together. We are so thankful for 25 years. Can’t put it all into words—just have to treasure it in our heart.

When Josh would ask how I’m feeling or what I’m thinking, I’d just say, “I’m happy.” That’s such a fickle word, but the older I get, the more I realize when you’re happy, say it and enjoy it!!! Sit in the happiness. Life isn’t always happy.

And lest it seem like all is perfect, Josh still told me “not to ruin my lunch” when I got a cookie from the station they set up in the lodge. He knows that annoys the mess out of me. “I am not a three year old. I can eat a cookie when I want a cookie.” He laughed and agreed he shouldn’t do that. I did something very similar to him and had to apologize but I cannot remember what it was. Lol! Seriously I can’t. But if I do, I’ll add it to this post! Safe to say, a happy 25 year old marriage is not an argument-free one.

I had an early morning spa appointment on Saturday. So after breakfast and coffee by the fire, I made my way down to the spa. And I sat alone in the relaxing room where they come get you for your service.

The snow was steadily falling. The whole ground and landscape was still and peaceful. And I spotted these two trees.

It made me think of Josh and me and these twenty five years. Seasons come and go. Some seasons are active and lively. Warmth and sunshine. Some are stressful and plain hard. And some invite rest and calm. Stillness and renewal. Like a blanket of snow and cold temps that keep you inside and doing next to nothing…but waiting and listening and enjoying the moment. That’s how I feel about us in these days. There’s been a shift. Changes and clarity and an invitation to rest. Take a breath. Listen. Enjoy life. Get prepared for the next season—only God knows what that will bring.

The cookies that got me in “trouble.”

Until next time, Primland! And let’s hope our next visit will include hikes and warmth and sunshine! But the winter wonderland was a sweet experience, for sure! Praying for fifty more years of life with Josh. He’s still my favorite person on the planet.

A quarter of a century. That’s a big deal in my book!

When I think of Josh and our marriage, I definitely count him as one of the most clear realities of the goodness of God in my life.

Just this morning I read Matthew 7:7-11. The part that stood out the most was right at the end, “…how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.”

As I thanked God for the good gift of Josh to me, I quickly move to praying for each of my kids to have spouses that are also one of the most clear realities of the goodness of God in each of their lives. I can’t think of a person, circumstance, reality that more affects your own life than who you marry. I prayed they would have patience in the process. I prayed they would seek God first and trust Him along the path He has for them. I prayed for the spouse wherever they are to be walking with God and seeking Him. I prayed for supernatural meeting that only can be explained by God! These are all things God gave me, and I am forever grateful.

Each year we try to look back on our last year of marriage and assign it a word. Not an easy task as so much happens over 365 days! So what word most describes our 25th year of marriage (all of last year we were in the 25th year leading to today celebrating 25 full years of marriage)? You can read all the other years’ words on last year’s post, here:https://kristydorminy.com/2025/01/27/24th-wedding-anniversary/

ANYWAY….

Year 25: EMPTY NEST. So much happened this year—but nothing quite trumps the fact that this was the year all three kids flew the coop. It’s college empty nest, so they come back to visit quite often, but for the most part the house is quiet and clean. Josh and I love our kids so much AND Josh and I love each other and like each other, so this transition has been pretty amazing if we’re honest. So year 25 has gotten emptier and fuller at the same time. We are grateful for this new season.

Here’s to seeing what God has in store for year 26….

Well it’s back to Josh and me—and Rolo, of course.

Mack did get all settled in to his new apartment and is really enjoying the place and the room mate! They have done some cooking. They workout at the same gym. And even went to a college retreat at The Summit Church this past weekend. I’m really happy for him!

Ruby left and got settled back into her apartment and got a few days of work under her belt. Classes start tomorrow for her!

Molly went back on Friday —after spending the week making sourdough bread. Our friend taught her how to do it, so she got serious about cranking out the loaves.

She and I spent some time together before she left!

And she will be missed by Rolo!

Oh and we took Molly to Bluffton, SC/Hilton Head area to visit the church she will be interning at this summer—Low Country Community. It was amazing in every way. I know she’s going to learn so much!

We ate at the same restaurant we went to after we got engaged on the beach in June 2000.

It was a great little trip!

And it’s been great to be home this weekend. It’s been a very chill weekend, and I am grateful. We needed a reset after the holiday craziness.

But here’s to another semester of college for the kids. Of growth and maturing and making friends and learning more about life. And hopefully leaning into what God is saying to each of them.

And Josh and I will also be learning and growing and maturing in our season. A fresh wind is blowing, and I want to hear what God is saying.

Halfway through January! About two more months til Spring, but who’s counting? Ha!

Well, it’s January 4, 2026. How is everyone’s New Year going so far?

Ours has been full and quite interesting. After some back and forth with an apartment complex in Wilmington, Josh and another dad signed to be guarantors for Mack and his room mate. It wasn’t a straightforward application. There were several delays and lack of communication on the apartment’s part. But we finally paid all the app fees once they figured out how to tell us to do that. Again, nothing made sense on the site. Even to them.

Josh told them that we were planning to drive over Jan 2 so we could help Mack get moved in. Would this be ok? They didn’t say we could for sure move in that day, but probably. We were ok with that because if we “probably” would get in Jan 2, then worst case we would have to move him in Jan 3.

So like optimistic idiots, we set out with a truck bed full of furniture. And Mack followed with his jeep packed to the hilt. But unfortunately we got news on Jan 2 that “it isn’t looking good for moving in today.” And also, “We apologize. It doesn’t usually take this long.”

We prayed and hoped. We went to dinner. We got some things for Mack from Target. We had the most horrible night of sleep in the Hampton Inn. And woke up to a new employee to deal with on Jan 3. Oh sweet Lilliana was a real joy. And I mean that in the most opposite way. Josh explained again our situation—“We are here from Charlotte. Our son starts classes Monday. He needs help moving this stuff in. We did all we were supposed to do. Background checks don’t take this long on people with perfectly clean backgrounds. Plus zero debt.” (Not to mention—we sat outside the apartments waiting to sign the lease and saw all manner of person walking around. And I don’t mean to sound horrible but it was clear this was just a regular old apartment. Not sure what they were checking for on the background check. Seemed quite obvious most anyone can get an apartment there.)

Am I still bitter? Why yes, yes I am.

All sweet Lilliana would do is email us every couple hours—“Just to update, there is no update.”

Oh Lilliana. You’re not being helpful. I asked her at the end of this day if there was one more thing she could do to just make sure there’s no way we could get the lease signed today. I reminded her that we were there and ready to move in. Willing to pay the six months rent upfront if that would help. We were desperate parents just trying to help get our son situated. She blankly looked at me and said, “You know all I know.” And I’m like—yes, Lilliana. And therein is the problem. I don’t work here. You do.

I asked her if she could call corporate and see if the background checks maybe were there? She said she had emailed and they told her no update was available.

Email. What is wrong with these people? She was young and seemingly indifferent and unmotivated to help us. To make a phone call seemed like a crazy thing to do. Sending an email is not helpful at this point and yet she just wasn’t interested in hearing any of our ideas. And we had a few good ones. None of them seemed to land with Lilliana. She preferred emailing every few hours and doing nothing. It was maddening.

So in an effort to try and look for a silver lining, I came up with a summary of lessons from sweet Lilliana. I even found myself, when I felt unmotivated today to do some laundry or take that three mile walk or go to the gym or make good food choices, saying, “Don’t be like Lilliana.”

Lazy. Indifferent. Unhelpful. Unable to think outside the box. Here is my takeaway sheet for when I’m feeling like being a Lilliana.

Maybe you can also use this reminder as you start your 2026?

As far as Mack, well…he’s going to doing some growing up this week as he has had to store some things in a friend’s garage. He stayed one night with the friend and then he is staying tonight in a hotel. He has classes at 9am. Then maybe, just maybe, the apartment complex will let them sign the lease and move in tomorrow evening. He doesn’t have classes on Tuesday so he will have that day as well to get his life set up. He will be fine. It just wasn’t how we wanted it to go. But if I needed to glean the “Lessons from Lilliana,”then I guess it had to go that way.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We got one last family dinner in during 2025! Thankful for the time with all of us.

We spent the last evening of the year with some friends here at the house. Just a calm night of food and catching up with our friends.

Molly went to a wedding

Mack was here then went to see Brooke.

It was a sweet evening.

Today has been spent resting and packing up Mack’s stuff for moving him into his new apartment tomorrow! It’s not a furnished apartment so we have to pack up a lot more stuff this time. Am I looking forward to the work involved in getting him settled in again? No, not really. But I’m so happy Mack won’t be living with the druggies and gamers. Yikes that was rough. But he made it and is better for it. He will appreciate the new set-up, I’m certain.

So tomorrow we start the emptying of the nest again. It feels good to get all of his stuff plus some extra furniture out of here! Ruby leaves next week and Molly leaves a week or so after that.

Never a dull moment.

Rolo misses the calm. She looks at me with concern from time to time—like she’s asking, “How much longer will all these people be coming in and out of here?”

Praying 2026 will be a year of God’s presence and power in every step all of us take. In all the going in and out, that He would guide us and we would walk in the purposes He has for us. Cheers to 2026!🎊

It’s the day after Christmas and my tree is put away. The nativities are safely wrapped and stored. My coffee table is clean and neat. Floors are vacuumed. And only a few remaining gifts sit in the corner until we see some family later on.

Some might see these behaviors as psychotic. But I just can’t help myself. And Josh and the kids seem to enjoy the clean, uncluttered house as well.

And just because we clean it all up in record time, doesn’t mean we didn’t have a lovely holiday. Let me share a bit here.

First of all, I used a good bit of time on crafting. This picture above is a pin and beads ornament I made. A sweet friend commented upon seeing it, “oh look—it’s covid!” And I don’t disagree with her. Lol.

One of my favorite works of art is this tree:

It’s covered with jewels and broaches. Some are my grandma’s and some are my mom’s, but most are randomly purchased on Etsy and Amazon. It was super fun to make!

I also made this little one from a red, white and blue theme.

And then this one I may just leave up all year:

The kids all arrived day after day during the second week of December. Ruby had a little surgery so we cared for her and tried to stay at home as much as possible. Molly and I did some shopping one day. Josh and Mack went hunting in Virginia. My older sister and her family came for a quick visit. Josh was asked to share the Christmas message at our Christmas Eve service and Molly got to sing a special song. I was treasuring it all in my heart (after being a fantastic assistant to each of them—clothing choices and all that it entails! Which shoes go best? Listening to the devotion a gazillion times and listening to molly play and sing…not complaining. Just saying I’d make a great road manager if anyone needs one). Here are some photos from these shenanigans.

We also took the family and Brooke to dinner on the 23rd. It was a fun night!

Christmas Day we had our usual breakfast and opening of stockings. Then we enjoyed opening gifts and a yummy dinner. It was a great day, and I didn’t take any pictures really. Just enjoyed being together.

If I’m being honest I was pretty much exhausted on Christmas Day. This is probably very normal, but it seemed everyone needed a lot of things from me over the past month or so. And I’m so thankful I’m able to be a help and that I have the health to help, but it does have a way of catching up with you! So thankfully a good night’s sleep and a slow day today has helped. I miss my routine so terribly. It’s hard for me to just chill the heck out in these “lazy” days when you don’t even know what day of the week it is. But I’m going to try to enjoy this season! Routines will be here before we know it.

It was a good Christmas celebrating our good God! Thankful for Jesus. God with us.

This Christmas will be our tenth Christmas in Charlotte. That is wild to think about! I can still vividly remember that first Christmas here—so many unknowns and the hard parts of it all were just beginning to hit. Ruby was 12, Molly was 11 and Mack was 9 (the absolute best age for little boys!).

This Christmas all three of our college kids will come home (for a very long break—21 years old, 20 years old and 18 years old). It struck me that this is our girls’ last college Christmas break! After this, Lord-willing, they will have jobs only-He-knows-where and may not be able to be home for Christmas? Or at least won’t be home for five weeks at Christmas! So I plan to soak up the time with them all and enjoy this season.

This morning I was listening to a song and one line says about God that He is “strong enough to carry me.” It took me back to late 2015 and the impression the Lord gave me before we even knew about this job in Charlotte—He was picking me up and turning away as He carried me. Once we knew we were moving, I kind of thought THAT was the reason He gave me this impression in my heart and mind. But once we got here and faced many challenges, I realized, “OHHHH, You are still carrying me through all of this!!” Loneliness, no church family, homeschooling not going like we hoped, unrelenting sadness, my mom’s death, raising teenagers, launching kids to college, continued church challenges, etc.

And this morning as my mind was thinking of some hard things that seem to rise to the top of my mind during the holiday season, I heard Him say, “I am still carrying you.”

Isaiah 40:11 “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in the fold of His robe; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.”

I love the Message translation: “Like a shepherd, He will care for His flock, gathering the lambs in His arms, hugging them as He carries them, leading the nursing ewes to good pasture.”

I hope you realize God is a good Shepherd. He carries His children with tender care. He always leads us to good places. We can trust His goodness and care.

{can’t seem to post the video of Cain the Band singing “Wonderful,” but you should go find it and listen!}

Instead, enjoy this 2016/2026 comparison pic!

This Thanksgiving we had all the kids home by Monday night. And then we spent Thanksgiving at our friend’s house, The Peppers. They were amazing hosts! All we had to bring was the turkey—and that’s always been Josh’s job, so I made out easy!!!

It is so nice to have friends who feel like family. They were so kind to us!! And the time with them was so sweet. The food was amazing too! Sara outdid herself.

It was a HAPPY THANKSGIVING indeed.

And now it’s back to just Josh and me! And the house cleaners come tomorrow. Perfect timing!!!

24 days til Christmas……