embracing the good

As you may have noticed if you've been following for awhile, the site recently got a new look. When I first started this blog in March of 2015 (how has it been that long?!), we had just learned that we'd be moving to Germany. I was a veritable basket case of emotions. I was also about four weeks pregnant, which didn't help matters, but we didn't know that yet. I knew I'd be temporarily leaving behind my business, and I wanted a space of my own both to both document our adventures and use as an outlet for all these big feelings.

Then, we had Miles. The single most life-changing, heart-altering experience of my life. This blog quickly became a place to preserve milestones and memories. Since it was easier to type than write, I would usually go back to my posts every few months to update his baby book. It also served as a way for family and friends to keep up.

And now, here we are almost to the flip side of our two year stay in Europe. Our grand adventure abroad may be coming to a close, but one thing I didn't want to end with it was this space. Writing is good for my soul and cheaper than therapy. I've been questioning what I want my career and my life to look like when we return, and though I'll be continuing my photography in some capacity, I kept coming back to words. Maybe I could find a way, once again, make a living from my passions? After all, I've done it once. I explored the idea of narrowing it down to a smaller niché... that's what all the "experts" recommend. I have my blog for my photography work, and I had an inspirational blog with my friend Miranda. Maybe this one should focus on parenting? ...travel? ...food? Those are the things that take up most of my time and headspace, but putting this space in a tiny box just didn't sit right with me. My favorite bloggers are the ones who cover a bit of it all - that is real life anyway, right? 

And that's where I came up with the following - not necessarily a new purpose for this blog, but rather a sort of mission statement... a hope, which is this:

“This space is about embracing the good things in life - whether it’s the adventure in living 4000 miles from all you know, the light-your-heart-up giggle from a toddler playing in the room that looks as if it’s been devastated by a tornado, or the satisfaction in sitting around a table with people you love enjoying a home-cooked dish. It’s the freedom to be your realest self and share your deepest, darkest thoughts. It’s finding the time to read a book. It’s helping new moms, new business owners, newlyweds get through the challenges and celebrate their own goodness. The good things can’t be contained. They are everywhere, in the memories and the epic adventures, in the mundane and monotonous. And I’m not sure about you, but I intend to savor them all.”

I hope you not only find the musings of these pages mildly entertaining, but that they also inspire you to embrace the goodness, no matter how simple.

My favorite people: sleep deprived, jet-lagged, and sick, but this - this is the good stuff.
Photo by Rachel Moore.

goal setting for the new year

Happy New Year! I hope 2017 is treating you well so far. Obviously, Miles's year is off to a great start... we've had snow days, afternoons in the park, and he's officially decided that walking (errr... running) is a better mode of transit than crawling.

Last week, I finally got around to setting goals for 2017. Even though I know there's nothing special about a new year, it sure does feel like a fresh start. I always follow along with Lara Casey's Goal Setting series on her blog, but this year, I also got to use her PowerSheets! I'll be honest... I hadn't bought these in the past because I really didn't know how useful I'd find them. After all, I've been to the Making Things Happen conference, participated in a monthly accountability group for the past couple of years, and read the book, but these are such a powerful tool! After seeing how seamless they make this process and how helpful they are in gaining my focus, I'm definitely a believer. (They're sold out on their website, but you can still get to work on your goals using the blog series.)

I'm not gonna lie, this process takes work. Don't be fooled... this isn't just making arbitrary resolutions... it's about digging deep, evaluating, and setting meaningful goals with reasons behind them that motivate you to achieve them. After this process, I already feel a sense of balance restored that had been lacking for a very long time. (Let's be honest... I'm sure that sense will be upended at any moment, because I'm a parent, but for now, it's working.)

I'm not typically one to share my goals on the www, but for the sake of truly wanting to be held accountable (and maybe even inspiring you to join in), here we go...

1. Prioritize self-care. One big lesson for me this year, especially with a growing and increasingly active toddler, was that I have to start taking care of myself first. I was tending to everyone and everything else, and it made me constantly impatient and exhausted. There's a reason, on airplanes, that they tell you to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. If I prioritize me, I'm better for everyone around me.

2. Fuel my spirit daily. Even if you aren't religious, there's something about taking the time to just be quiet, meditate, and reflect that does the soul good. For me, this means spending time in prayer, scripture, and overall just filling my heart and mind with good things and relinquishing my own control. Man, do I feel free when I do this!

3. Love my tribe well. When you're busy with life, it's so easy to lose touch with those around you. This year, I want to be intentional about making my people (Josh and Miles, but also dear friends and family) know how loved and appreciated they are. I seriously don't know how I would have made it through this past year without the support of family and friends, and it's important that I take the time to encourage them, listen to them, and love them well.

4. Nurture my marriage. This is a big one for me. Having been together for over a decade before having Miles, Josh and I pretty much had things figured out. We rarely had petty arguments, could recognize when the other needed a break, and had plenty of time for each other. Living overseas and having a kid have been such grand adventures, but they've definitely taken their toll. With limited access (read: none) to child care, sleep deprivation, and the exhaustion that comes with an active toddler and a busy workload, we haven't made time to really connect with one another this past year. This is definitely worth the effort it takes to find our new groove as a family of three.

5. Be present and intentional in my time with Miles. I think part of it has to do with being so far away from all of our people, but I found myself slipping back into a constant reliance on my phone and social media. While there are times that I need to be on my computer while Miles is around, I want to make sure I'm taking time each day to be fully present with him and get to know who he is becoming. It can seem monotonous at times, but I know this time with him is so short, and soon enough, he won't want his mama's attention anymore. I need to soak it up!

6. Plan and forge a purposeful career path. With all of the changes that have happened in the past two years, it's clear to me that my business also needs to evolve. I want a career that serves my clients and my family well. I know this is not will not be a very easy or clearly defined process, but with our impending move back to North Carolina coming up, I want to figure out what work life looks like moving forward. I look forward to exploring this more!

My word for this year is NURTURE. Throughout this whole process, the theme that kept reappearing was the idea of nurturing. According to Dictionary.com, this means "to support and encourage, as during the period of training or development; foster." I can think of no better wish for the year ahead than to care for myself, my family, and those I love in a way that both supports and encourages.

Cheers to a new year, friends!

So tell me, are you setting goals for the year ahead? If so, what are some of your big ones? I want to know!