Hi Internet! I’ve missed you! I really have. As I sit here on July 1st, aka New Year’s Day for anyone in academic medicine, I can’t help but realize just how fast these twelve months have gone by. We’ve lived in St. Louis for a year. I have been in this house for a year. We have explored and adventured and explored some more. But it still feels hard. This season of our lives continues to be jam packed with new experiences, lots of laundry and food food & more food. I had to look back through what I wrote eight months ago to really reflect on all that has changed, because a lot has. Mostly good. But it’s still a grind. I think this has been one of the hardest academic years of our family’s life together. Everett’s first year was pretty awful, but this was tough too. It’s been full of unique struggles that so many of you who solo parent children at awesome ages can probably relate to. It’s sad to not be a family. It’s sad that he’s missing it all. But gosh, are we ever lucky to be here in St. Louis during this season of life. We never, ever run out of places to go, museums to visit or puddles to splash through. This city is really, really beautiful and rich with adventure. I feel so lucky that my husband’s fellowship brought us here.
As I mentioned last time I wrote, I still struggle with the eternal “what else” in life. This corner is still whispering for me to come back–and I think that is a positive thing. I am surely not done with styleberryBLOG yet. I think there’s so much more on the horizon, especially as life shifts to different interests and passions and goals. Everett finally potty trained recently, which means we are done with diapers. The “thing” that sort of got this ball rolling. As this blog transitions from the baby zone to the kid years, and I transition from being a sleep deprived, overwhelmed mother, to one who again finds her passions and joys get some attention during busy days, things will shift here. & that’s good. That’s what this place should be–my happy place. :)
When I first saw this come across my IG feed I just instantly loved the message & what it implied–figure out what you want. Last time I wrote I made my goal very clear–I want time with my kids, free of distraction, to explore their interests and just be with them. I am still happy with that decision. With every passing day, and each automatic please and thank you, and moment of compassion that I observe from the sidelines of afternoon play, and big words used in correct context, I am reaffirmed. Giving up some of my joys to focus on the joy of the preschool years with my children has been the best decision for us. I am happy with what I have, while working for what I want. Right now, that goal is not much beyond healthy, active, pleasant children who know they get the best of me. I’m about a month away from having two kids in school. I have had a child with me 24/7 for nearly the last six years. I cannot even imagine having an hour a week at home to myself right now–and soon I will have three school days. Three! Oh, the things I can do!!
I have so much to share…I have made some really major life changes (Paleo! Gluten Free! Early Bird life! KonMari!) over the last eight months, and I have so much to talk about. I was going to do a big giant update & then realized that I really want to break it up. I’ve learned a lot. & I am inspired to share. In my own time. In my own way.
Oh, and the house…this house! I love this house! It’s not my dream house, but it is such a perfect rental for us and I have really enjoyed decorating. Shocker, I know. ;) But I want to share, because I have learned that when I get five minutes to daydream and I close my eyes and picture what I am doing when time passes freely–I am decorating. Right back to my one true love. Maybe I have come full circle. Maybe the place where my heart was when I started this styleberry business was just exactly where it should be. Now that I’ve explored the other things that I thought I loved, I’m right back where I started. Color. Texture. Practicality. Pretty.
[above you can see evidence of the fundamental difference between my two children]
More to come.
& thanks for hanging in there with me!
XoXo.
[& Yes, I do still shoot with my fancy camera. No, I have not edited but a handful of images of my children since we arrived here. It is on my kids-in-school bucket list. Until then, these are Instagrams & some beautiful work by the oh so talented Ashle Photo, who we worked with last fall!]
Oh, and the age old question–YES. stylebabyLOGs will make a final print run soon. Stay tuned. & Thank you for your continued support of my business!!
