When we first met the Finley family in 2021, they were still settling into life in River Ranch. Like many neighbors at the time, they were navigating the unique challenges of the COVID era while getting to know their new community. Five years later, River Ranch feels very much like home, and the Finleys have plenty to celebrate.

Leslie and Brandon, both Lafayette natives, continue to build their lives around the things that matter most to them: faith, family, friendship, and time spent together. Leslie has worked in pharmaceutical sales for more than 20 years, while Brandon works in sales with BSN Sports. Their Catholic faith remains at the center of everything they do, and they still love gathering with family and friends, cooking, and cheering on Louisiana sports teams.

Life has changed in some big ways since their original feature. The family has added a second dog, Honey Peanut, to join their French bulldog, Stormy. Leslie and Brandon have both celebrated milestone 50th birthdays. And perhaps most notably, they are preparing to enter a brand-new season as empty nesters.

Back in 2021, Luke was a middle-school student with a busy schedule filled with soccer. Today, he has graduated from St. Thomas More and will soon head to Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi, where he'll continue playing the sport he loves.

"Soccer! Soccer! Soccer!" Leslie laughs when asked what her family is involved in these days. "I've become a soccer fan without realizing it."

While the next chapter will bring more road trips to Mississippi, the Finleys remain grateful for the community they've built in River Ranch. Leslie still enjoys walking through the neighborhood, working out at City Club, and spending afternoons on the patios of neighborhood restaurants.

Looking back, she has gained a new appreciation for how quickly life moves.

"Try to savor every moment of where you are on your journey," she says. "Quit worrying so much about what's next. Be grateful for time spent with family and friends."

It's advice that comes from experience. Five years after we first introduced the Finleys, their lives may look a little different, but the values that define them haven't changed at all.