Happy Thanksgiving from Bend Soap! (A Message from Marilee)

Marilee here! Every year as the air cools and the colors change, I start to slow down and enjoy reviewing the year in full. November has always been one of my favorite months.

Even now, watching the deciduous trees here in Tennessee glow with reds, yellows, and oranges, I’m reminded of my childhood in Upstate New York and the fall colors of the Adirondacks.

Our family naturally leans into GRATITUDE around the holidays, but it’s become more than a seasonal rhythm. Gratitude is an hourly, moment-by-moment practice, almost like breathing.

Choosing to start each day with thankfulness shifts my heart toward God, no matter what’s happening around us. This Thanksgiving, gratitude has taken on a deeper meaning for all of us as we are learning that even amid tragic circumstances, there is so, so much to be thankful for.

Grateful for Dwight’s Life & Legacy

Many of you have walked closely with our family this year, and you already know the story we’re living through. It still feels surreal to write it, but we are still daily learning how to live in a world where Dwight’s physical presence is gone while his fingerprints remain everywhere.

Dwight’s impact is GROWING!

We see him in the construction projects we’re finishing, in the stories our children tell at the dinner table, and in the heartbeat of the businesses he poured himself into. His legacy is alive in our home and on our farm, and I am specifically so grateful for the life we built together.

I’m glad we had children (and a lot of them!). I’m glad we built businesses together that give us the freedom to invest our time in others. I’m glad we built businesses that include so many others in the journey.

One of the unexpected blessings of this season has been the way God has continued to open our eyes to the goodness of Dwight’s life. We have seen the depth of his impact and the care he put into leading our family.

I’m thankful for the unique gifts he gave us in himself and the intentional decisions he made for our family. In grief, God gave us a tender gift: the chance to see Dwight through a clearer and more grateful lens.

God has also shown up for us in deeply personal ways. Many times, a scripture placed on my heart in prayer appeared that same day in a card or message from someone else. It reminds me that He knew this road would be hard and that we were never meant to walk it alone.

This Thanksgiving, we are especially grateful for Dwight’s legacy and the way his love continues to shape our family.

Thank You to Our Customers, Team & Community

This section could be its own love letter, because my heart is overflowing with gratitude for the way you have carried our family through this year. Truly, you are not just co-workers and customers. You are friends. You are encouragers. You have been the hands and feet of Jesus to us.

When we shared the news about Dwight, you rallied around us with a tenderness I will never forget. You sent messages, cards, handwritten notes, meals, money, and even gifts for our children. Some of those cards came with words so specific and timely, I knew God had prompted them. 

Our Bend Soap team has been an incredible support as well. Every team member goes above and beyond to make the best products and give the best experience to you all! From our goat milk partner farmers to our customer service assistants to the shipping and marketing personnel … It takes a village to make the whole thing work. Thank you!

I am especially grateful for our CEO, Justin, his wife, Becky, and their family. God orchestrated their move to Tennessee exactly when we would need them most. Justin has stepped into leadership with such steadiness—not only helping run Bend Soap, but investing in our family and community during this season. 

We’re also incredibly thankful for our local community here in Lawrenceburg. Special shoutout to Bryan and Mica Stinnett and their family who have been a backbone for us, praying and working alongside us, helping us keep moving forward in faith and hope.

If I could say one sentence to every customer who has stood by us this year, it would be this: Thank you for loving our family with the same care and faithfulness that Jesus shows His own.

Finding Joy in This Season

Even in a year like this one, there is so much joy woven into our days. Our children have been a bright light in every sense of the word. Their laughter fills our home. Their resilience astounds me. Their joy invites me to keep putting one foot in front of the other. We are incredibly grateful that God gave us a big family so we’re never alone. 

This year, we’ll head back to Bend, OR for a big Thanksgiving gathering with Dwight’s family. For many of them, last Thanksgiving was the last time they saw him, so we know there will be tears, but also warmth, connection, and the celebration of a life that touched so many. We’re planning to go ice skating with all the cousins, aunts, and uncles, and I can already hear the laughter.

We’re also finding joy in watching Dwight’s unfinished projects come to life. It’s bittersweet, but mostly it’s beautiful seeing his vision take shape and cherishing the reminder that the life we built together is still growing and unfolding. And above all, we’re finding joy in God’s goodness. Even in the hardest moments, He has strengthened our hope and trust in Him.

Our health has been another blessing we don’t take for granted. Watching Chance thrive without eczema and seeing our children grow strong and comfortable in their own skin reminds me why this work matters so deeply.

What began as simple, toxin-free solutions for our own family has become a way to serve so many others, and that mission feels more meaningful than ever.

Looking Ahead with Hope

As we look toward the future of Bend Soap, our hearts are full of purpose. We are committed to keeping Dwight’s vision alive: helping families break free from the toxins in conventional skincare and offering the cleanest, purest goat milk products we can create. 

Our upcoming storefront, new product launches, and the growing community around our brand all feel like steps forward in that mission. If you’re walking through a hard season yourself, I want to leave you with this encouragement:

Look beyond your circumstances. Look to God. Make Him your Savior, and live for Him—His best will follow. From our family to yours, thank you for standing with us, praying for us, and helping us carry Dwight’s legacy forward. We are grateful for you today and every day.

Happy Thanksgiving! Before you go, I’d love to know: what are you giving thanks for this season? What moments are you holding close? Let’s fill the comments with gratitude.