giving thanks and embracing change {personal post}

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I want to take some time to give thanks. Although I incorporate personal notes in most of my posts, I seldom write a completely personal post. Today is the day my friends! We have so much change happening and I want to share the good news, the nervousness I’m feeling and the excitement. I also want to take some time to give thanks for many things in my life.

First, we had a baby in April! He’s wonderful! He’s changed our world beyond anything we could’ve expected. If you haven’t already, please meet Bodhi! I am more thankful for this little man and my husband than anything in the entire world. Bodhi is a busy, fun, silly, happy little guy who hates sleep! He loves life, so really just prefers to be awake. All. The. Time!

{Bodhi at the zoo! photo credit---live the fancy life}

Second, I got a new job! I started last week. I left a company that has been wonderful for more than four and a half years for a new challenge. So far so good! More change! I’m not good at change, by the way, but it is all positive change that I am learning to embrace. The challenges that come with new opportunity are far outweighed by the positives. Thanks to the Making Things Happen Intensive in Florida last December, I made the decision to leave a comfortable place with wonderful people for the unknown. For once, I didn’t let fear make decisions for me.

Third, we are building a home. As a design lover, I am enjoying every second of building our new home. We get to pick nearly everything and as you can see if you look at my pinterest, I am inspired! I plan to share some of our ideas as we go and I will do before and after posts once we move in and begin to furnish and decorate. For now, this is one of the kitchens I used as inspiration for our new kitchen.

{photo credit---House Beautiful

Shocker—this once small-town girl (Benson, Minnesota) turned city girl (St. Paul and Minneapolis) is headed to the suburbs. And I’m oddly pretty excited for our new hometown. The fact that I’ll be working downtown Minneapolis definitely softens the blow a bit and makes our new town feel peaceful, tranquil and secluded from our working lives. My husband and I are just one building apart and my drive time is much shorter.

There is something so comforting about the fact that we will finally be in a home with no plans or desire to leave. I think it will finally feel like “home” rather than just a house.

So, all three of these things are taking up most of my time right now and learning our new normal is our current challenge. But, we are so grateful for all we have.

{photo credit---live the fancy life}

As I work to embrace change, I want to give thanks for some constants in my life:

• My kind, compassionate, handsome husband (who is also a great cook) and my wild man son—You two keep me in check during our day-to-day lives. You are my everything!
• Our parents—My mom and my husband’s parents watch Bodhi every day during the week. This makes taking a new job so much less scary. Knowing Bodhi is ok makes each day a lot easier. And they love him so much. There is nothing like knowing that someone loves the people who are most important to you. Bodhi is adored by many.
• Inspiration—blogs, pinterest, photographers—all of these keep me inspired to blog, to write, to create, to host and to live a lovely life.
• Some very special girlfriends—I am a huge advocate for working hard on maintaining friendships with your girlfriends, but it’s hard when you have a baby! Having a baby has certainly brought me closer to some of my friends. I am so grateful for many people in my life, but the mama friends who have become some of my best friends are really helping me be a rockstar mama while trying to maintain some sort of self. Thank you to all of my friends and a special thank you to Cassie, Jana, Lisa and Leila for your support during the best moments I’ve had as a new mom and some of the most difficult. You know what you’ve done for me this past year. I am beyond thankful that you are in my life!
• No sleep—While I feel exhausted most days and most hours of every day, I am thankful for the extra time I get with my son in the middle of the night when most of you are fast asleep. Everyone says that time flies when you have a little one, but guess what!? Time totally flies! I’m trying to accept Bodhi’s terrible sleeping schedule and instead of feeling frustrated, we are working on enjoying those moments. Someday he will sleep in a college dorm room. Maybe even with girls. Noooo! So, I will enjoy this time now—while he’s just 6 months and tucked safely into bed under the same roof as us!

And last but not least, I live for the weekends. I get to do everything I love, spend time with those I love and sometimes, if we’re lucky, we get a nap. I am thankful for weekend naps with my guys! Life is beautiful!