life in the Southwest (chapter 2)

Moving is never easy. After 26 years, the emotional stress and logistical nightmare is, frankly, overwhelming. But, it is survivable. 

We made the cross-county journey in the middle of the summer... a caravan of three vehicles: two humans and two cats in one car, two humans and two dogs in an other and two humans and essential possessions in a Pensky rental. The trip was two-days long and we all arrived in one piece – physically and emotionally.

Since settling into our rental (we are remodeling a home - a story for another day), we have slowly begun new routines. My oldest is already back in Midwest, ready for his third year in college; my youngest is two-days away from starting a new chapter in a much larger high school; my significant other is quickly establishing his career at a new university and I continue to look for a job while juggling the remodel of the house and the maintenance of the rental. 

It's been a whirlwind adventure and even now, as I drive familiar roads for every-day errands, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that we are actually living here. And, that's not necessarily a bad thing. 

In fact, it's a good thing. When I say we are settling in, it has not been without the incredible support of family, friends, new school and soccer mates and colleagues. At every encounter, we have been met with open arms, smiles, excitement and encouragement. We are welcome here. And we, in turn, feel welcome here. In fact, we feel like we're home. 

And, we are. 

change

Change. Some people embrace it, others panic. Yet, change is inevitable. It can be something as simple as a shift in a routine, or as monumental as a completely different direction in your life.

We are getting ready for the latter. After more than a quarter of a century in Illinois, we are returning to the mother ship: El Paso, Texas. Truly, we have lived longer in central Illinois than we had in El Paso, where both my husband and I were born. 

We raised both our boys as central Illinoisans. Our oldest will be a junior in college. He'll remain in Illinois to finish out his degree. He loves his degree plan, his professors and his experience there. And, he's an adult. 

Our youngest, however, will be starting his freshman year in high school. And, while that is the "best scenario" for a move, it is nonetheless, a HUGE change for him. And, he's scared. 

What we are learning is that change can bring opportunity. And for him, at that age, the opportunities will be infinite. 

El Paso, Texas is overwhelmingly larger than the community in which we live. And, I'm excited for him to have opportunities to grow... opportunities that will introduce him to a whole new culture, lifestyle and environment. Change, for us, will be good. 

This blog is about my favorite things. Change is a favorite thing. How we embrace change can define us in ways we sometimes don't understand. So, for me, challenges that often come with change are really opportunities for growth. And, truly, you should never stop growing.

My youngest is a smart kid. He's scary smart. He's sensitive, kind and eager to please. And, he's competitive. VERY competitive. He doesn't know it yet, but the world is his oyster and as scary as this change will be, when that world opens up for him... he'll be enjoying it so much, he'll forget how scary it all was at first. 

So, cheers kid... it really will be okay.

chaos

I don't know that I'd classify chaos as a "favorite thing", but it is, nonetheless, part of what defines us.

Chaos can be day-to-day schedules: get up, run, get ready, make lunches, get the kid UP, get breakfast, drink the coffee, get the dogs out, get the dishes cleaned, finish the coffee, animal proof the house, get the kid TO school. Go back and make sure you've closed the garage door.

Chaos.

It can also mean the condition of your state. Here in Illinois, we're heading into our 10th month without a budget. The ONLY state in the union to still not have a budget. And, the largest victims are its people. Of course. And that chaos trickles down into a kind of emotional chaos that doesn't sit well day to day.

Amidst the chaos, however, there is familiarity. And security. And this is where the "favorite things" come into play. I have a FANTASTIC group of women in my office. They are friends first, and they are all super talented. They inspire me, comfort me and give me my grounding as a woman and a designer. 

Day-to-day chaos at home is manageable. It's what I signed up for when I became a wife and mother and I'd do it all again without hesitation. Chaos from the state, however, I did NOT sign up for. But, it is manageable because of these gals. And I am grateful every day for them. 

motivators

Life's been stressful as of late. The state of Illinois hasn't been kind to higher education and my employer, EIU, has been hit especially hard. 

Last year, when the marathon I had been training for was called 3/4 of the way because of storms, I received a free entry into this year's. And like last year, spring marathons require training in colder winter temps and cool spring rains. It's not ideal and I did a lot of whining about it last year. This year, however, with the events at the office, I've welcomed the chance to run long miles, if not for the training, for the time to decompress.

The best part about running is it keeps me physically young. I've run races with my boys (my youngest runs XC and is quite good at it - he keeps it real when he runs with me); and I train and run races with some pretty amazing women. I'm the oldest of the lot... by quite a bit. Every run is an adventure – if it's not the miles themselves, it is the random mule, or horse, or home with 200+ potted trees and shrubs artfully placed. You will never know what you might see along the way. The best part? After every race or run, the time spent with my boys or my friends leaves me refreshed, rejuvenated and motivated for the week ahead. 

paper art is cool

This craft is amazing. I love paper art and am envious that I don't have the skills (or patience, for that matter) to work with the medium the way these artists do. My latest find are these amazing 360 degree visual books by Yusuke Oono. Check them out. 

When my boys were little enough to be read to before bed, we had two fabulous books that were just a little bit like these 360 degree stories with cut out paper elements that were designed to cast shadows on the wall with the supplied flashlight. William and the Magic Ring was our favorite of all bedtime stories. 

what inspires me

A long time ago, back when blogging was a new thing, I thought maybe I'd start a food blog. I love to cook. And, if I do say so myself (actually my friends and family can vouch as well), I'm pretty good at it. 

So, while this is mainly a design blog, it's also an inspiration blog. Food inspires me, so don't be surprised if you see the ubiquitous food shoot appear now and then - along with some diatribe about the process. 

What inspires me? Life. Life and all that it implies... inspires me. Every morning, I run a few miles. In those twilight hours, the sun peeks over the horizon and, in the Midwest, we get some pretty amazing sunrises. Color. Clarity. We'll start with that.