2025 In Review

Grief. Grace.
& Gratitude.

This year began with possibility — the kind that fills you up from the inside out. In February Martha and I took Bill and Kevin the country legend Garth Brook’s in Vegas. We got a visit in with John and Camille Erickson which was wonderful!. We also enjoyed the PBR, Professional Bull Riders show in Memphis with Seab. A weekend we now treasure dearly.

This year began with possibility —

Early spring took me on a solo adventure through Paris and London, letting the magic of two timeless cities breathe life back into me. I walked endless miles with no agenda, dreamed in cafés, took myself to the opera, watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle against the night sky, and sipped tea pretending to be a local. While Bill worked the Masters, I roamed — and it became a personal highlight of my year. Those quiet, wandering moments renewed me and reminded me that I will always be up for an adventure.

But it was also a year where ideas started and stalled, because tragedy struck our family again. The Harden family, without our namesakes, will never be the same this side of heaven, but we carry on because we must. There are no words to describe the magnitude of losing Seab. Though he was the baby, in so many ways he was our rock. To bury him… to say goodbye… and then to stand just two days later and watch sweet MaryBeth walk down the aisle — we still don’t know how we did it. Yet MaryBeth’s joy lifted us when we needed it most.

MaryBeth and Davis beamed with happiness that day — the kind of joy that lights up a room. We are so grateful to officially welcome Davis into the family. The joining of these families, and the deep ties to Eastman, is something rare and special in today’s world — a true blessing. And we could not have made it through that week without the love, support, and steady comfort the Marchants and Joneses poured into us. Their presence held us together in ways we will never forget.

It’s hard to believe Mary’s boys David and Karlton will graduate high school in May of 2026! Mark will be a sophomore. The boys all love hunting and being outdoors. They all work hard to keep gas in the trucks and on the road! Dad would be so proud of all of them.

As summer unfolded, we did our best to keep moving forward. Lucy — Seab and Christina’s greatest blessing — turned five and started kindergarten. Christina’s strength, grace, and kindness to all of us has been an immeasurable gift. She has been so wonderful to Mom, making Sunday visits and keeping us connected to all the little joys of Lucy’s world. Seab absolutely adored Goose, as he called her, and he would be so proud of the big girl who marched so confidently into her new school and walked down the aisle for both MaryBeth’s wedding and Christina’s sister Aliana.

This season of grief has taught us that most moments going forward will be bittersweet — an acceptance we didn’t choose but are gently learning to navigate. Martha and I have spent a lot of time together in Memphis, doing our best to heal and figure out what life looks like now. “Forward” happens whether we ask for it or not; the world keeps turning. But ours will always carry a deep and permanent void.

Martha’s kids are all growing up Luke (15) started high school and plays saxophone in the band. Sam (13) has found his singing voice and will be starring in his first play this year. He has already stolen the talent show! Juliet (JJ 9) is the athlete in the family playing soccer and basketball. They keep Martha and Kevin busy, busy!

September brought yet more pain —
and more joy. The world lost the great Richard Lawless of Dallas, TX. He was a visionary, mentor, bold risk-taker, and dear friend. He changed the trajectory of my life when he recruited me to Dallas to work at The Lawless Group — a season I’m forever grateful for, one Bill and I still look back on with gratitude and disbelief that we got to experience it.

Just weeks later, we celebrated Katherine’s wedding in Nahant, MA — a truly magical day. The skies were perfectly clear, the sun glowed warm for late fall, and the backdrop of sweeping ocean views made the entire celebration feel touched by something bigger. Watching Bill walk Katherine (Bill’s middle) down the aisle was a moment I’ll never forget. She was radiant, and she and Alex glowed with happiness. The Ward family being together and meeting Alex’s family all the way from Australia made it the perfect celebration.

In October, Elliot, Bill’s oldest daughter Elizabeth’s son — turned seven. Where does the time go? He’s fully into skateboarding and dinosaurs these days, all energy and enthusiasm, and he keeps GrandPaPa on his toes (and worn out!) in the best way.

Andrew is still in Nashville chasing his dream — writing, playing music, working hard, and carving out a life he’s proud of. We’re excited to see where 2026 takes him and hope to catch more of his performances in the new year.

November arrived, and I decorated early for Christmas — partly because of travel, but mostly because the ritual brought comfort. As I assembled the tree, the tears came quickly. The first ornament I placed was handmade by Beth Ethridge from Seab’s clothing. There are simply no words for her kindness. She created pillows, keepsakes, and the most precious “Daddy Bear” for Lucy, sewn from her father’s shirts. Lucy sleeps with her Daddy Bear every night — a gift that brings comfort and helps her remember… and will help us make sure she always does.

Thanksgiving was a profound gift this year. Christina spent the holiday with us and shared Goose with our family — something that meant more than she may ever know. Martha organized “mandatory fun,” complete with games (and yes, Bill participated!). We stayed fully present, laughed, rested, and simply enjoyed being together. Goose was our shining light, her spirited, vibrant little personality bringing joy into every corner. It felt healing in every way. Seab would have been so proud of his girls.

We gathered in Folly Beach, SC, and visited the Angel Oak Tree — a place Seab and Christina had visited years earlier. Estimated to be around 15,000 years old, the Angel Oak is one of the oldest living things in the country, a symbol of endurance and quiet strength in the face of time and storms. (For those who haven’t seen it, it’s truly breathtaking. When Seab first visited, he picked up an acorn that he and Christina later planted at the farm cemetery for Hazel, their first daughter who passed in 2018. Returning to that sacred place with Lucy was deeply meaningful — a full-circle moment woven with memory, grief, and love.

We also made it over to Lexington, SC to visit with Bill’s mom Karyn, Jimmy and Cindy. They are all doing well. Karyn enjoys time with family and trips back to PA to see her brother and nieces. It’s always a treat to laugh and share stories with them.

Mom is persevering, though this year has been unimaginably hard for her. She misses Seab’s protection, his steady presence, his capable hands, his love. No mother should ever bury her child — and certainly not at this stage of life. We cling to what we know: life is not fair, and some answers will never be given to us on this side of heaven. We ask for continued prayers for her healing, strength, and peace in the days ahead.

We have been held up by an incredible circle of friends whose love has carried us through. Thank you feels far too small for the support, meals, check-ins, prayers, and quiet understanding we’ve been shown. Every act of kindness has mattered. Every gesture has helped us keep going. We are profoundly grateful.

There are good days and hard days — part of a journey none of us chose but must walk through. I don’t know exactly what 2026 will hold, as this loss continues to reshape me, but I do know this: I’m living with More Intention, More Empathy, and More Gratitude for the fragile, Beautiful Gift of Being Alive.

We wish you health, happiness, and full hearts in 2026 — we will be on the road as always and hope to see you throughout the year.

enjoy the photo highlights below