A Golden Retriever Breeder Year in Review | Rose n’ Thistle Farm
As we close the door on 2025 and step into a new year, my heart is full as I reflect on all the Lord has done. This past year looked very different from what we expected here at Rose n’ Thistle Farm. It was slower and required far more patience and surrender than I expected — but it was also deeply refining and, in the end, overflowing with God’s kindness.
Like so many seasons of life, 2025 reminded me that the Lord’s plans often unfold far differently than our own, yet they are always wiser, kinder, and more purposeful than we can see in the moment.
A Year That Began with Disappointment
The year began with a series of hard decisions and unexpected turns that stretched us in ways we didn’t anticipate. One of the most difficult was learning that Miss Sylvie did not pass her health testing. While this was heartbreaking, we knew it was our responsibility to make the right choice for her long-term wellbeing and for the integrity of our Golden Retriever breeding program. Placing her into a loving pet home was not easy — but in hindsight, it was a beautiful blessing. Seeing her thrive and be cherished exactly where she belongs has been a reminder that obedience often carries joy we don’t anticipate at first.
Shortly after, we experienced another blow when Cozy did not take to her spring breeding. This was devastating at the time, especially since we had never experienced anything like it before. When you pour your heart into careful planning, health testing, and stewardship, setbacks like this can feel deeply personal.
That theme seemed to ripple across the farm. Even our sweet dairy cow, Darby, did not get bred as planned — another unexpected loss in a season that already felt heavy.
Lessons the Lord Was Teaching Us
Looking back now, it’s clear the Lord was at work in ways we couldn’t yet see — faithfully shaping our hearts and our home. This was a season of learning patience, trusting His timing, cultivating contentment, and staying flexible when plans needed to change. There were also personal family trials throughout the summer that pressed us to cling more tightly to Him, to loosen our grip on control, and to rest in His faithfulness even when answers weren’t immediate.
It wasn’t an easy season — but it was a fruitful one.
“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” — Psalm 27:14
A Turn Toward Joy
As summer turned to fall, the clouds slowly began to lift, and hope returned in sweet and surprising ways. Late in the summer, we received the incredible news that we are expecting a baby boy in the spring of 2026. After a long road and many lessons in trust, this news filled our hearts with indescribable joy and gratitude. While the morning sickness was rough, we were overwhelmed with thankfulness for this precious life.
And then — as if the Lord wasn’t finished reminding us of His abundance — we were blessed with 17 beautiful Golden Retriever puppies. After nearly a year and a half without puppies, welcoming those sweet little lives felt like pure grace. From October through late December, our days were full of wiggly puppies, late nights, joyful chaos, and the privilege of placing them into wonderful families.
It was busy, joy-filled, and exactly what our hearts needed.
Life on Our Small Family Farm in 2025
This year beautifully reminded us why we are so committed to raising puppies on a small, family-run farm. Our dogs are part of our daily lives — raised alongside our children, surrounded by the natural rhythms of farm life, and cared for with intention every step of the way. Choosing to stay small allows us to prioritize health testing, proper socialization, and thoughtful placement into homes that truly fit each puppy.
Families often tell us that this is what drew them to Rose n’ Thistle Farm in the first place. It’s slower. It’s more personal. And it’s rooted in stewardship rather than production.
Ending the Year with Full Baskets
As we step into 2026, our baskets truly feel full, and our hearts are overflowing with gratitude. We are entering this new year with gratitude for all the Lord has carried us through and excitement for what lies ahead. The coming year will include some of our very favorite things: babies — baby puppies, baby pigs, baby cows, and most precious of all, a sweet baby boy.
This farm has never just been about animals. It’s about stewardship, family, faith, and raising both children and puppies with intention, care, and love. We are endlessly thankful for every family who has walked alongside us, trusted us, prayed for us, and supported our small, family-run Golden Retriever breeding program through every season.
Thank you for coming along in our journey. We can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store next.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…” — Ephesians 3:20
