This week on Real Date Update, Emily opened up about something deeper than dating — gratitude, grief, and the power of family.
She was supposed to have a virtual date with Brent (yes…White Lightening himself), the Colorado charmer who’s been giving her major butterflies. But life had other plans. Emily revealed she had to cancel their date after her beloved Aunt Grace passed away — right before Thanksgiving.
Instead of shutting down, Emily chose to honor her aunt by leaning into gratitude. She started thinking about the people who make her life full… including her cousin Nicole, Grace’s only child. With both her parents now gone, Nicole is facing the holiday alone — and Emily felt called to step in.
So she did something beautiful: she created a family gratitude group chat, inviting everyone to share what they’re thankful for this year. Nicole loved it. She even sent the group one of her mom’s favorite recipes — a handwritten treasure, Grace’s Fruit Tart — as a way to keep her mom’s spirit at the table this Thanksgiving.
Scroll down to see the sweet handwritten recipe that sparked a whole lot of love and remembrance.
Sometimes Real Date Update isn’t about the dating at all — it’s about the people who show up for you when you need it most. 💛
