Good Morning, dear ones...

So many days have passed since I've visited this little haven! The search for Capri, the essence of who I was created to be and a place of rest, is something I gladly step back into. With a few changes...

This little treasure arrived in April after an intense two hours of labor and a lot of desperate prayer on the way to the birth center. She has brought with her a surge of joy as I expand my wings to make room to nurture two sweet girls from my heart.

We have made it through the rough newborn days of massive adjustment and hormones wildly fluctuating and are settling down to more of a rhythm. I find I'm loving the other changes brought to us over the last number of months: cloth diapering, kombucha fermenting in my cabinet, yoga with Andrew, Sunday hikes, keeping a carefully curated stack of reading which I'm steadily working through.

And so I say good morning again, my dear ones. If feels so wonderful to be back creating here, sharing what I see as I journey!

I Love...

bubble baths in the middle of the day
hedgehogs
white bakery boxes
freshly lined eyes
worn journals
birds in water color
chocolate with ginger cookies
minty chapstick on dry lips
green lights all the way home
pastry
blowdrying my hair on cold mornings

Looking Back...

Something subtle has changed this year. And like the proverbial train track shifting slightly off course, I've ended up quite a distance from where I began 2013. You might see the changes. The weight loss or the sense of purpose in my schedule. But the really wonderful things are hidden from view. The way my thinking has changed about myself and who I want to become.

At the end of each month in 2013 I've taken an hour or two to review my goals for the month and plan the upcoming four weeks. And what a treat this has been! Andrew has been so supportive and my favorite cafe of all time has been my destination of choice as I've put in the earbuds, turned on something calm and pulled out my pen.

The first few months I struggled to make any headway, and then I discovered that reviewing that months goals during my weekly planning time and scheduling in small practical steps made all the difference. Suddenly I was flying. Flying low to be sure, but I wasn't trudging along at the pace of snail with a broken leg. And this results-oriented girl was happy.

Because apparently making a goal isn't enough. It goes nowhere. But if you make a goal, draw your attention back to it regularly, and then schedule action into your life the the same way you would a date with a close friend... things start to change.

To indulge in a little more naval-gazing, I've compiled a list of the most important changes I've seen this year:

Learned a lot about healthy portions and choices, bringing food into more of a pleasure than a guilt-ridden habit.

Greater confidence and a sense of adventure.

Lost 20 pounds.

Drew some healthy relationship boundaries. These boundaries have taken the next step in freeing me from false guilt and co-dependency.

Became a runner, completed a 10K, fell in love with yoga and walked well-outside my comfort zone trying new fitness routines and methods to find what would work for me.

Learned how to knit and took huge strides in teaching myself things without dissolving into impatient tears and giving up. This seems like a small thing to write down, but I believe it has been holding me back in countless areas in life.

And more important than anything else, I've finally experienced healing from more of my scarring religious history. This has set me free to continue my search for what I believe rather than reacting to experiences I had no control over for so long.

I am left with confidence that the future is full of good things.

Because of You...

Do you ever stop to consider all the things the women in your life have given you? Not the gifts wrapped and ribboned, but the offering of influence, broadening your understanding, opening your eyes? Here are a few that come to mind this afternoon, though it is by no means an exhaustive list:

Because of you, Sarah, I plunge into adventures in my kitchen with confidence and I know that cobalt blue does actually work with my skin tone.

Because of you, Becky, I take care of my skin and make lattes for friends.

Because of you, Mom, I make lists that get things done and I enter each day with so many amazing skills learned at your side.

Because of you, Sharon, I know what it looks like to be there for someone I love. And did you know that you also taught me to ask how other people are doing and to really listen to what they say?

Because of you, Jennifer, I now love chevron-anything and I melt tension with making up crazy songs I would be mortified for anyone to hear. But if you heard them I know you would throw your bead back and laugh, because you get it.

Because of you, Susie, I was given a vision of what home could be and have gained more joy from a simple pile of threads, fabric and beads than I ever imagined.

Because of you, Bonnie, I plow through exercise videos and try new things at Trader Joes.

Because of you, Katie, I find such peace in knitting beautiful things and I am able to offer myself grace in a way never possible before your friendship.

Because of you, Ms. Bev, I feed my child chocolate with a huge smile and I feel that all will be well whatever life holds.

Because of you, Penny, I speak with boldness and I don't let anyone live rent-free in my head.

Because of each of you I am a different woman. Enriched with your experiences and bolstered with your love. For each of you, I am unspeakably grateful.

About Me...

How do I sum up my life in words? Describing what I do will tell you a little, listing qualities I value gives a glimpse, photos let you draw some of your own conclusions...why don't I just give you a little of each?