Our 25th anniversary is coming up. Sometimes when I reflect, I get so flooded with joy it takes my breath away. The family we built is remarkable to Steve and me. How did we come to be so lucky?

Adrienne just graduated, returned home, and is working in her field. Addison has a few brainy scholarships to study at the university next fall. Our businesses are doing well, even in this economy, and we are still in love. The kids (young adults) actually like spending time with us, they are best friends with one another, they love Jesus, and they love their lives as much as we do.

Of course, we arrived here by the grace of God. I write to capture moments when a person, a scripture, a book, or a mounting feeling caused us to change course in an impactful way. Here is what those collective pivotal moments led us to:

The Brendtros have now officially lived in Florida 1 year! If we haven’t written as much on LOTF, it’s because we’ve spent quality time this year enjoying what the Panhandle offers. While we miss our people and places in Nashville, living near the ocean is a dream come true! We have a new house, a beach pass, and a 3-foot backyard gator. (You can guess which thing we are less excited about.)

Looking Back

Nearly five years ago, we said goodbye to Kansas City. We believed God had more for our family and a new location would free us up to uncover just what that meant. In the process, we resigned from a church organization that dominated our time. This was a difficult and scary decision.