31 December 2019

.a decade.

Hello Dear Ones,

I haven't written much this past year. There's been a lot that needed attention and I didn't give as much time to reflection, which is usually what I use this space for. It's been a good year, an important year. Here I am on the very end of 2019 in awe that it's the end of a decade. It feels like so much and nothing at all. I don't believing in putting too much pressure on it - there's enough expectation in our world, but I was reflecting upon the last 10 years last night I felt very grateful for all the adventures that 10 years have held for me so I wanted to write down some of them as a thank you. I understand that I walk this earth a great deal of privilege. I'm grateful for my freedom and hope that my experiences help me to be a more understanding and compassionate being. 

Road Trips
I went on my first road trip in 2012 and took many more this past decade:

1. Washington to Texas (thru Idaho, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico) 

Highlight: Camping in Colorado during monsoon season!!

2. Texas to Washington (thru New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon)
Highlight: Solo camping in Joshua Tree National Park

3. Idaho to Massachusetts (thru Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York)
Highlight: Sleeping in a teepee at Devil's Tower in Wyoming, Badlands, and Ithaca, NY (I love that place).


4. Maine to North Carolina (thru New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia)
Highlight: Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway and Mass MOCA


5. North Carolina to Washington (thru Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho)
Highlights: Santa Fe, Palo Duro Canyon, Sand Dunes (Idaho)


Places I've lived in the past 10 years!
  1. Wenatchee, WA
  2. Seattle, WA
  3. Arlington, WA
  4. Malawi
  5. El Paso, TX
  6. Chicago, IL
  7. Boston, MA
  8. Portugal
  9. Ketchum, ID
  10. Essex, MA
  11. York, ME
  12. Asheville, NC
  13. Leavenworth, WA

My Deepest passions of the past 10 years:

  •  Metalsmithing: I took my first metalsmithing course in 2010 and haven't stop studying metal since.
  • Maternal Health: I became a birth doula in 2010, started Midwifery school, caught 5 babies and attended 60 births and taught Sexuality Education in Boston, Idaho and Washington.

Top Moments
  • Arriving in Malawi
  • Catching babies in Texas
  • Moving to Boston
  • Attending the birth of my niece
  • Becoming an Aunt
  • Solo travel (BIG moments of joy were camping in Joshua Tree in 2013 and camping in Palo Duro in 2019) 
  • Spending 3 months in Portugal taking jewelry classes
  • Teaching jewelry after almost 10 years of learning the craft
  • Starting my Master's program 
  • Making art + sharing art for 10 years!!!
Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. I hope that you have time to reflect on your 10 years, whatever they looked like I hope you see the beauty in yourself through them. Happy 2020!

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