One year ago, I was experiencing a seriously rough time. Like, life-changing rough. I didn’t know WHERE I wanted to live, or HOW I was going to live. All I knew was that I was suddenly single, and that everything was changing. So much has happened in the past year. It’s so different, and so very good.
Now…
I love what I do every day. When I leave the house, I kiss the dogs and say “Bye, I’m going to knit!”. I never use the word “work”.
I am surrounded with friends. Not just any ol’ friends. Friends who look at me with a soft focus. They are slow to judge, and quick to help. They support me when I need it (or they send their husbands if it involves electricity or a lawnmower), and they call me out when I deserve it. They challenge me, they knit with me, they hold me, they make me laugh. They are introducing me to this new city, drinking wine with me at my house, and skipping dinner to talk with me on the phone. I’ve found friends who don’t expect me to censor myself or to try to impress them. They’ve seen me swear like a sailor with chipped nail polish, and they are still my friends.
I have a dinky, outdated, wonderful house. I have a big yard that has me complaining every week, but I love it. Every morning I wake up, make coffee, and open doors and windows to let the fresh air in and the bad dogs out. I’ve been here six months, and I haven’t even finished unpacking. It’s new and awesome to me every day.
I’m dating. I don’t talk much about it on verypink, but it’s really fun. (Enough said on that for now.)
I’m busy. I knit, I take photos, I teach knitting, I design, I hang with the dogs, I date, I see my friends, I watch old movies, I read, and I try to feed myself well. I manage all this, plus a 15 minute nap in the afternoon.
I’m learning. About who I am as a single person, and what I enjoy when there is no one else to consider. I’m learning about Austin, and air conditioning, and allergies, and photography. About food, and dogs, and other people.
I am so grateful. Every single day. I can barely remember the woman who was so sad and confused one year ago. Lookit me! Hey! I did it!
Thank you, thank you. For the support, the Christmas cards, and the emails. I don’t know how to express how much they helped. People actually email ME now to ask me how I made it through the turmoil. ME!
I am so happy, and excited to see what the next year will bring.
It’s like NEW YEAR’S in JULY!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I’m thrilled to see this very positive and uplifting post from you. I started reading you just as the boom hit last year. I’ve been through divorce and when I read your post, I just had to leave a comment. It’s amazing when you think about where you were coming from to where you are and continue to move forward. I’m glad you’re here on the other side! 🙂
Staci – this is a wonderful post! You are a wonderful person! I’ve been with you for over a year, and yes- you’ve done so very well – you made it look easier than I’m sure it was.
I’m so glad you have found such valuable friends, that you have held your head high, and continued with the things you love, accepting the challenges with grace and poise. I look forward to your posts and am so glad you have continued to write, design and post your photos.
Please know that your readers rely on you as much (and maybe more) as you rely on them.
Hugs to you, here’s to many more successful years! Please keep sharing your world with us! You are inspiring in more ways than you know.
You made my day.
Congratulations on making it through a tough year. You managed quite nicely. May you find your joy in Austin. Onward Thru the Fog.
I don’t post often but did want to say how happy it makes me to see you so happy with your life. Congratulations!! You give me confidence as I worry about going back to work after being home for 4 years—THANKS!
Congratulations!
Change is growth, ultimately growth is very good.
Look at the strength you have. You did it.
I knew you could, What a gal!
Look at that smile. . .you knew it too!
By the way you look marvelous.
I always knew you would make it to the other side and that you could face every challenge that came your way — no matter how difficult. I always saw such strength in you. It is good to see you see it in yourself. Congratulations on making it through the past year — it is delightful to see you so happy.
I haven’t had time to read any blogs in a while, but today I thought, “Hey… wasn’t there a blog I used to read? Something about pink? And some dogs? BASENJIS!” And then I did some chanting and incantations (by which I mean I Googled the phrase “pink blog basenjis”) and lo and behold! Here ’tis. And it’s great to hear that you’ve been doing well over the past year. Yay for happiness! And yarn! (…and I still haven’t learned to knit but continue to say that I will!)
Hi, Stac. Just wanted to drop a line and say, “You Rock”!