Sienna Mae Gomez stands on the beach with a surfboard.

LIFE AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT: SLOWING DOWN & SOAKING IT IN


I'm still getting used to the fact that I'm engaged. Ever since Cole asked me to be his wife, I’ve felt this strange mix of excitement and calm. Everyone around me seemed to expect movement - dates, dresses, planning - but I just wanted to breathe. For the first time in a long time, I’m learning that it’s okay to slow down. Not every milestone needs to be followed by another rush forward. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our future is to actually sit in the present and let it sink in.

When something big happens, it’s easy to feel pressure to turn it into something bigger - to share it, plan it, document it. But lately, I’ve found so much peace in the quiet in-between. Evenings spent cooking together and figuring out new recipes. Weekends at church and the Farmer's Market. Dinner with friends and time with family. The slower rhythm has given me space to breathe, to listen, and to feel grateful for what’s right in front of me.

A collage of five photos of Sienna enjoying slow, simple moments—walking through a green forest with headphones on, browsing farmers market stands with fresh produce and spices, smiling in a striped bikini and red hat under the sun, and admiring baskets of fruit at an outdoor market.This season has reminded me that the best parts of life usually happen quietly, behind the scenes. There’s something special about keeping a few moments just for yourself, ones that don’t need to be posted, perfected, or shared.

Slowing down has also changed how I think about the future. It’s less about what’s next and more about what lasts. Marriage, for me, isn’t about the wedding - it’s about the life after it. Cooking together, praying together, learning how to grow alongside each other, and choosing grace when things aren’t perfect. It’s about building something steady, one small day at a time.

Right now, I’m in no rush. I’m soaking in this chapter for what it is - a pause before a new beginning. The world tells us that love means constant motion, but maybe real love - grown-up, grounded love - is learning how to be still.

A collage of three photos of Sienna and Cole—hugging outdoors by palm trees, smiling together at the beach, and Sienna taking a relaxed mirror selfie at home in gray Routine the Brand pajamas with under-eye patches.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” -Psalm 46:10

If you’re in a season of waiting or transition, I hope you give yourself permission to slow down too. You don’t have to have everything figured out. Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is to just be where your feet are - and trust that the rest will unfold when it’s meant to.

xo, Sienna

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