changes

In the last two months my life has been shaken, stirred, simmered and sheared. I had a beautiful life before, and now it's been transformed into something else, beautiful and new. Walter Breuning was 114 years old when he died earlier this year in Montana. One of his tips for a long life was, "Every change is good, Embrace change." I've never been very good with change. It is something I crave and something I need to remain interested in life, but I always approach it reluctantly. When you are blessed with so much good, how can one be sure change won't bring something less good?


I started packing and moving my things in May. Mike got a job in Bellingham in April, and suddenly, things were changing in earnest. I knew change was a possibility when I accepted Mike's marriage proposal new years eve, but here came the change, gaining momentum and moving forward. I've lived in Seattle since I was 19. I've lived with Melissa since I was 19. From 1998 at UW to 2011 at Exteriorscapes, I've been following the path of landscape architecture in Seattle (minus the time I left and went to travel the globe, which was a long set of exciting and fun changes). But here I was, having committed to living in a new city and marrying a man I didn't want to be without. Change!


Melissa, Claire and I packed and packed, cleaned and patched our home of 4+ years. It was the longest I've lived anywhere since being home with my parents. Load after load, and finally we were done and we left. My single life! Working for me, weekends for me, wine or steak, whatever I wanted! It was fun, and I had great friends to share my life with. It was hard to go.

Our wedding was really great. All of the events and celebrations leading up to the big day, were very, very special to me. I've never felt so celebrated and supported. Mike and I met for some photos at the Ballard locks, and he looked so handsome. We boarded our wedding sailboat at 4pm with our families and a few friends. My sister made me the most beautiful bouquet and a charming boutonniere for Mike. We sailed, and I was nervous. I don't think I said much to anyone and my mind was traveling on the wind elsewhere. It wasn't until Mike was looking into my eyes and calmly saying that he would love me forever that I was able to really be present. We had a nice dinner afterwards and people said some great things about us. What an amazing day. We had a blast camping on Orcas the rest of the weekend and appreciated the time we had to spend with our friends and family.

Now, we are here! Bellingham. I am at home, playing housewife for the summer. I am cooking and baking, unpacking and hemming curtains. I slept 10 hours a night for 10 days. My neck seems to be working out the rest of the kinks that give me my headaches. Mike works all day, then we have dinner and say hi to the chickens together. It's a pretty simple life. Eventually I'll get a job, or start my own consulting business, but until then, I'm trying to rest and become re-inspired about what to do in this short life. What a blessing to have some space to embrace all these changes. I'll be 114 before I know it.