A Year Ago Today

It was a year ago today we packed up our life to make the biggest move of our lives. Without a home we had never seen in person or a job we had not applied for we left the place we called home for 13 years. It took a year of hard work and planning and with a heavy heart all the way. 

New York is not a place you can just abandon, it becomes part of you. Brooklyn especially will always hold my heart. I could go on about this place I grew up since I was five years old with a lump in my throat. I can recognize the smell of my street, and avoid all the cracks on the sidewalk with my eyes closed. A game I used to play.

Our circumstances led us to an unhappy place and sometimes drastic times call for "get up, pack up and get gone". I went from waves of heightened excitement euphoric states to crazed tormented staying up all hours of the night state. The captain was my rock reassuring/steering me and keeping me balanced through those waves of emotions. He is my captain.

all packed but feeling homeless

With an uncertain future we lived the last few hours soaking in as much as we could. But the hardest thing was saying goodbye to my mother and my aunt that have lived the same building as I for most of my life. After we signed the paperwork to rent out out our New York apartment it started to become more real . We were living at a hotel for over a week before we left so our apartment could be painted and packed up for our new tenant who still loves living in our apartment. 

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We had a pod/trailer in front of our apartment that had a limited time to pack it before it took off again. We only had few essentials in our car that could live off from for a few weeks. The pod takes awhile to make a 15 hour drive to our new home, it has to be transported to other lots and change drivers along the way. When the pod took off with our stuff, what was in the car was all we had. It was a nervous feeling but freeing at the same time. Having feelings of homelessness on the open road ...we were off.

Our  last meal at our favorite joint on our block

The road trip is one of my favorite memories last summer.

my lucky earring, a car knit and coffee pit stops

There was something special about not seeing out new home in person. It felt like we had won a prize! After walking in huge weight was lifted because it felt homey and was perfect for us. We felt like we were home.

king holds the key

With bare essentials we found we had more with less.

Coming from a cramped NY apartment we loved having no furniture in a big space.

true story

This room had bubble wrap on the floor for months. It was great to run on it and hear "pop" in an empty room. It was like having our own 4th of July firecrackers indoors!

bubble wrap ... lots of room ... and great acoustics

Nothing makes me more happy than to give my kids their own room and privacy.

the king of his castle

Thanks to grandma for sending us a box ... not for the goodies inside but the cardboard itself.
Its amazing the fun you can have without furniture in the way.

cardboard shields, swords and armor 

Taking silly photos with Photo Booth was one of Lulu's favorite ways to take a break from the southern heat.

I believe in taking chances as long as you do it together as a family. I have learned a lot about myself this past year. My confidence as a blogger has matured and my new role as a stay at home mom has as well. My creative process has given my the courage to become a business owner this past January ( I have truly loved making each one of my items). And most importantly I have learned to surround myself with positive people that support me and not dull my sparkle.