I adore books; reading them, trying to write them, decorating with them, looking at them, etc.

Taking that love and finding a way to incorporate it into the holiday I cherish most thrills my heart.

Definitely doing this again soon.

I find so much joy in simplicity and creativity... it provides so much peace for me. We can all use more of that, right?

'Tis the season!

This 12 day break couldn't come soon enough! I swear!

Anyways- after a very eventful couple of weeks, a nice break will be heaven. Time to breathe, gather my thoughts, and plan for 2023. Take what I've learned and continue to grow... and I've learned a lot within a couple short months, honestly.

I've learned that very few people want what's best for you.

I've learned that unconditional love is an extremely rare thing.

That even the best of friends can seemingly change overnight and break your heart a little.

That family isn't always what it should be.

That you can give and give and it still not be enough sometimes. 

That some people are always the hero or the victim in their own story and never the cause of any problems.

That having too many expectations will only lead to disappointment.

That it's okay to talk about how childhood trauma affects you... even when someone tries to make you feel small for it.

I've learned how to set boundaries.

That you truly are in charge of your own happiness, and that comes by going with the freakin flow every day.

I've also learned that "going with the flow" does not mean silencing yourself for the sake of someone else's comfort, but just learning when to move on from your current situation.

I've learned that my husband is a beyond good man. Even better-hearted than I realized. Genuine. Honest. Straightforward. Patient. And strong enough to make hard choices when they need to be made.

That most people come and go... but more continue to come... so you're never really lonely.

That infertility sucks, but there's still a ton of joy and opportunity to be found in it.

I've learned that you can face verbal, physical, sexual, and mental abuse... grow up having to keep it all inside... never feel like you belong... contemplate the worst things... convince yourself you're the issue... and still somehow find love, peace, security, and self-worth.

I've learned that life is hard, faith can be weird, and love can cause pain beyond measure... but they're all precious gifts and worth every stinging dart they throw your way.