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Inspiration: The Small Things

"_ didn't divide problems into big and small like everyone else does. He always said that angels are in the simple things; you never find angels where things are complicated. He believed that the small things are important." - The Awakening of Miss Prim

If you didn't already know it, I'm a reader. I love to read! But I especially love to read when a story can take me out of my own world and into another. Non-fiction won't hold my interest for more than a day, but a novel can hold a place in my heart for a lifetime. I like to stagger my reading, a challenging read followed by a much lighter tale, but recently, light reading is about all I can handle.

And sometimes the most surprising enlightening thoughts can come out of a light read. Like the quote above from the book The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera. This book keeps reminding me that life is about the little things, not big enormous things we tend to think are most important.

I've had a lot of big things happen to me this year - - I became a mother; I moved to a new home; I lost loved ones; I took on a new position at work; I had several good friends move to new cities. That's a lot of big life changes in a relatively short amount of time. And yes, at times, I'm feeling completely overwhelmed by how complicated things can be. But this book...it's helped bring life back into focus around the small things, the simple things. Because a life made up of all the small things doesn't seem nearly as scary to navigate as one made up of the big complicated things.

New in Shop!

You guys, I did it! I actually added some new things to my shop. I got this burst of creativity and this need to create just took me over.  I'm excited to share a few new designs and some great color combinations with you! Head on over to the shop and check them out!

Keep Your Chin Up

My dad used to always tell me to "keep my chin up" when I was down about something. So, it's only fitting that a fortune cookie I got a few weeks ago would remind me to do just that. Oh wise fortune cookie, how I needed to hear those words!

The so-called "getting on with life" is hard and yet I know it's what he would want for us. It doesn't mean that it's not completely overwhelming at the same time. You see, so much change has taken place since this terrible ordeal happened - I've lost more than one family member, moved into a new home and had major job change/promotion in just the past 7 months. To say we've been living out of boxes for months now is NOT an understatement, it's the gosh darn truth. And I know it's time to start living again - settle into our house and actually make it a home, start seeing friends again on weekends, etc - but it's hard to kick start all of that when you feel like you've been blown over by a tornado! To pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get on with it isn't that easy, but my desire to is growing with each day. Healing is a slow process and admitting that life will go on even if there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him numerous times is just the start.

Yes, dad, I'm taking your advice and doing my best to keep my chin up each and every day because I know it's what you would want for me and what you expect of me.

Healing Sands

We headed down to the coast for a few days of rest and relaxation, seeking out the healing sands and soothing ocean to cleanse our hearts, souls and minds. Watching Tuck discover new things at every turn (birds! sand! seaweed!) filled my heart with joy and calmed my frenzied mind.

It was his second trip to the beach, but he was only a month old for that first trip. He ran and ran and ran. He loved it so much he couldn't believe his eyes, that a sandbox this big existed just for him!

My dad loved the beach. I remember so many trips we took to the beach in North Carolina growing up - it was our go-to vacation as a family. Dad losing his ray bans in the ocean...jumping waves holding hands with him...building sand castles together...walking on the beach laughing at him wearing jams! Making memories with my son at the beach was cathartic to say the least.

One morning before the rain came in, we went down to the beach to take a walk. Tuck was scared, the wind was blowing and the skies were ominous, until he zeroed in on a pink volleyball that had rolled into the dunes. With a ball in hand, his fear dissipated and he just played. I got some of my favorite photos from the trip capturing his morning with a pink ball on a deserted beach.

The only souvenirs we brought home were a few shells, lots of good memories and renewed hearts.