A New Year's Message from Melissa
Dearest Community,
By now, you’ve likely seen the usual New Year messages — invitations to reset, set goals, make resolutions, reinvent ourselves...
And while I love a fresh start as much as anyone, today I'm inviting you to hit pause on the resolutions, and take a moment for reflection — not on what needs to change, but on everything you're already doing right.
The care you give. The patience you've found. The quiet strength you've offered. The traditions you've carried. The meals you've prepared for others — all the simple, beautiful ways you already show up for the people you love (and for yourself, too).
There’s so much talk about what to do better next year. But today, I hope you’ll thank yourself for the woman you've already become.
I’m so grateful to be walking alongside this community of strong, thoughtful women. You remind me—over and over again—that showing up with heart matters.
And, I'd love it if you would share with me in the comments below, some of the things — great and small — that you've done beautifully in this past year.
Here’s to carrying that into whatever comes next.
With love,
Melissa
P.S. Click below to find all the recipes from our New Year's Eve grazing table, and be sure to watch our very special year-in-review video!
47 comments
I am so grateful to share that I gifted myself Modern Prairie this year. It started out with a purchase of a few apparel items that were intentionally chosen to wear at the Little House on the Prairie Holiday cast reunion event. Overall between the expense of the weekend and apparel was the largest investment monetarily that I have ever made in myself, which includes my wedding dress! It was worth every penny. As I dove into the website and the App, I was quickly overcome with the feeling of connection to this community and what it stands for. It was also my way of honoring you, NanaPint, Melissa Gilbert, who was so influential for me in my formative years as Laura and now in this season of life as just you, Melissa. You continue to genuinely uplift and inspire. The event for me was not only an opportunity to be in the presence of the Cast, it was a time of complete reflection for myself. Reconnecting with the little girl who grew up watching Laura and reflecting on who I have become as a woman, a mother, a wife and a grandmother. Healing wounds that had not been opened for years, celebrating accomplishments, and simply being alone with myself and immersing myself in a community of simply kind human beings. The latter part of this year for me has been about finding me and really learning who I am, reluctantly realizing that the all of my roles of what I am to everyone else do not define “me”. I’m not quite sure what that means, but it is a very real and hard truth that I now need to figure out. My children are my heart, they’re young adults, all in very different stages of their lives, they are a reflection of me. I’m constantly questioning. Did I do enough, was I enough, how badly have I damaged them? I am finding it very difficult to let go, but I am getting there and finding a way to just be their support. My husband and I found time for each other earlier this year after 13 years since being married, our first weekend away together and not worrying about what everyone around us needed. This experience between MP & the LHOP holiday event was serendipitous in the most unexpected and amazing way. I do not really put myself out there, in a lot of ways, I have been a silent warrior in life. At 51, I am finding myself in one of the most exciting and vulnerable stages of life just yet and looking forward to 2026 being the beginning of putting myself out there and seeing what that may bring. Love to the Modern Prairie community and wishing for whatever your heart may need this year.
Hello. Even though 2025 was a very rough year for me, I am so thankful for my friends and family who have supported me, listened to me, let me cry on their shoulders (or phones) and get angry with me due to this never ending divorce and all the issues going on with my mother going through dementia. I am so glad I have my sons to lean on as well. I am concentrating on being independent and positive this year. I am going to try and take comfort in the little things and I’m going to try and “pay it forward” to those who need comforting as much as I have needed it.
I am thankful for getting A’s and B’s and my mothers house burning down and my moms best friend passing then my Mom passed in April and more friends who passed so I’m thankful 2025 is over
As I welcome the New Year, my heart is overflowing with gratitude for the many blessings of this past year. I’m thankful for unforgettable family moments—cruising to Mexico with my husband, son, and his family; showing the Texans how Louisiana really does a crawfish boil for our daughter’s birthday; and soaking up a beautiful week at the beach with all four of our kids and four precious grandkids. I cherished celebrating my granddaughter’s first birthday in Houston and my grandson’s second birthday in Austin, cheering on my 10-year-old grandson every fall Saturday on the football field, and watching my 11-year-old grandson shine on the baseball field in the spring. I loved every single shopping trip with my 15-year-old daughter just as much!
I’m deeply grateful for the many trips and priceless girl time with my BFFs—those moments of laughter, support, and friendship that fill my soul. I’m also thankful for the time spent with my mom and dad, treasuring every moment together even as life has become more of a struggle for them. Those moments mean more to me than words can express.
This year was also one of incredible growth and achievement. I am honored to carry the title Dr. Donna Bailey, earned at Baylor University in 2024—the hardest and most rewarding accomplishment of my life. I’m proud of the continued growth of our Girls Can Too program, teaching young girls that all careers are possible, and of publishing my second children’s book as a tool to connect with our educational partners. I’m thankful to have partnered with strong women leaders in my company to help grow their careers, to be honored as one of Louisiana’s Top 50 Women Leaders, and to serve as the keynote speaker at the ACT Workforce National Summit.
I found so much joy in the simple things this year—quiet moments on my porch reflecting on life, sitting at my piano playing my favorite songs, and watching our two bloodhounds grow from tiny puppies into full-sized “monsters” in just one year. I loved watching my husband bring his new genius creations to life and witnessing his creativity and passion in action.
I’m grateful for lifelong friendships, especially celebrating my 40th high school reunion, and for the incredible people I work with every day. Watching my staff learn, grow, and accomplish great things fills me with pride—and expanding our executive team from me being the only woman for years to now having four women on the team is truly something to celebrate!
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to Melissa Gilbert for the reminder to reflect on our accomplishments and happy moments rather than focusing only on what we think we need to change about ourselves. That perspective made this reflection even more meaningful.
As I step into the New Year, I do so with a thankful heart—for family, faith, friendships, growth, and the gift of life’s simple and extraordinary moments. Here’s to a New Year filled with continued purpose, joy, and gratitude.
MP has been an uplifting and encouraging part of my 2025. I have come to realize that getting older isn’t something to dread, but to celebrate. Cheers to another year learning from each other and growing together in grace!