new year, new journey

A personal note.

When I unwrapped this ↓ sketch on Christmas morning, I was stunned. Gifts are not my love language, but my husband has a way of getting me…right in the heart. Finding things I’d never heard of yet really needed, speaking to me in a way that can only be described as love.

For nearly 9 years, our house has been everything to me…

the nest where our family grew from 3 to 4

the family room where my last baby took her first steps

our refuge through a pandemic that both stretched and brought us closer

the well-worn table that hosts daily dinners, crafts and card games

where we began our birthday cake for breakfast ritual

the kitchen hub where everything unfolds, from the mundane and messy to the laughter, tears, and tender conversations in between

the backyard that evolved from a lone sand table to a hangout space, welcoming neighbours and friends for homemade pizzas and sunset chats

the playground where I reimagine drawers and shelves, closets and rooms, transforming each intentionally and taking you through the savvy strategies I’ve learned along the way

This house will forever be the first we called “home”, but it won’t be our forever.

At the end of June, our family will be moving back to Canada, to a little city called Saskatoon! My husband came across an opportunity, one he, for years, dreamt would come but didn’t get too hopeful about. Not only will it give him an incredible chance to focus on what excites him, it bring us MILES closer to our families. Bringing our kids within driving distance of grandparents feels like a gift!

Right now, in all honesty, I am a huge mix of sad and scared.

This isn’t a small relocation. We’ve been outside of Canada for 14+ years, most of which was spent here in this house and small town. I’m grieving the unique communities we’ve become a part of—namely Nittany Ballet and the winter and summer swim teams—and the familiarity of everything, from our neighbourhood and nearby trails to the library and schools, parks and niche shops. Of our foursome, I’ve ventured out the most into our surroundings, aka Happy Valley. Getting involved. Meeting fellow creatives. Even just driving around (i.e. getting lost and discovering new routes!). I know I can and will find my way in our future city. But mourning what we’re saying goodbye to is something I need to do first, for me.

What’s keeping me going is the work I started and the purpose I realized I’m called to fulfill—

to hold space for you to talk through where you're at in life

to hear what's kept you from moving forward

to clarify what feeling "at home" means to you

to help you see your space and empower you to make it function and flow for your real life

…starting small with what you already own.

So, even though the next five months are going to be CR-A-ZY all over the place, juggling moving logistics with the inevitable emotions while maintaining the life we have here, I know with absolute certainty that our home journeys are going to continue, together.

Moving opens up so many new ways to explore interior spaces, from downsizing and packing, staging and selling, house hunting (do we rent or buy?), moving out then in, and navigating the new…city and culture, neighbourhoods and communities, and the space we choose to land in and make ours. It’s going to happen faster than we’re ready for, but I’m excited to take you with me on the ride in real-time!

(Deep breath)

Thank you for being here, and if you’re new, welcome. I hope you’ll stay and join me…as we restart small, dream for a new season, and embrace the process of transforming our next space into a place that feels at home.

Always,