create. love. be.

There have been many periods of change in my life. This summer has been one of the most eye opening of my life.

I was reading my cousin Emily's blog, her beautifully written words and what an amazing way to share her life and love for life, and it made me decide to start one of my own. I love to write, it is the most cathartic thing for a person to express their feelings, even if no one reads them.

Like I said, this summer has been in a word...hectic. I was DIY bride last year, now I am army wife/ puppy mom/ crafter extraordinaire/ unemployed at the moment. I am beyond lucky to have met the love of my life and my best friend all rolled into one beautiful package I now call husband.

After a year of glue gun burns, my unholy mother of all messes around my parents house (moved back in for the last year of my 'single' life!), moss and manzanita trees, complaining about long hours at a less than stellar job...I had my dream day.

Let me just say that I was prepared for something catastrophic to happen. Stephen couldn't get leave to come up for the wedding....or I would trip down the aisle because I am just that graceful. I had nightmares about this important day that I really revolved my life around for a year going badly; but when the day came...it was perfect. If there were hiccups I didn't notice them, my 'vision' was fulfilled, and I was just so incredibly happy to be with Stephen and start our life together.

After a honeymoon in South Carolina we moved to Stephen's new post station in Fayetteville, NC at Fort Bragg. Let me also state that I did not get to visit Fayetteville before we moved...we picked an apartment out online, prayed for the best, and just got incredibly lucky. We unpacked, settled in our first home together, and Stephen returned to work. Me? I got bored.

There were no more projects to work on. Being the crafter and origin of many a mess, I LOVED doing all of the little things for our wedding. But now...there's really nothing left. And the job hunt I so confidently decided would be 'easy...I've got a college degree', yea. Not easy. So I decided that the only cure was to keep on doing it. Keep making messes and creating things, but hopefully get paid. So I started my own little business. www.lifeissobeautiful.etsy.com The name? Well Life Is Beautiful was taken, so I threw in the So, and decided it was a good name. A positive name. I'm learning as I go, and really hope that things take off for my fledgling business, but if not...it's just fun to create.

So here I am. 4 hours away from my family, the furthest I have ever lived from them. With my new husband, learning to coexist together (ugh...the toilet seat) after 2 1/2 years of long distance dating and engagement. This little business I am pouring my heart into. And living life as an army spouse and all the complications that can arise from that.

I chose the name Life Is So Beautiful, because it is. I've seen some less than beautiful things in my 26 years on this earth, cancer being one of them, losing those we love too soon being another, but I walked away with a new outlook.

Look for the beauty in life

It's in the silly moments with Stephen, when our puppies are so cute we have to devote an entire facebook album to them. It's in my family's fierce love for each other, in my little sister's laugh and my big sister's beauty. In learning to give without expecting in return. In learning to submit as God has asked me to without losing who I am in the process. It's in my mother's smile and my father's hug.

I promise that every post will contain one thing about my business (create)
One thing about my relationships (love)
And one thing about my life (be)