After A Long Pause

Hi, hello there! After a long pause online (blogging) and ultimately deciding to end my previous blog, Our Sweetened Life, I decided to start sharing life again here at this space.  Welcome to a fresh start, blogging all over again, and I hope you join me and my life adventures with my sweet little Laina girl.  
Through my sharing, I hope to inspire and open the space up for discussion.  Most of you may know I'm a single momma of a sweet little 4 year old girl who keeps me on my toes and makes me want to be a better version of myself. I mean...I made my match, right?!  She's a bright, hilarious and open child. She's pretty much down for everything and enjoys every adventure we experience.  Her favorite things right now are ballet, gymnastics, baking yumminess with me, playing teacher and seeing where the wind takes her.
I'm planning to resurrect my favorite hobbies and share once again things that inspire me, my photography, my baking, my love of the outdoors and all things CALLIGRAPHY! I look forward to sharing all of that right here with you.  I can't tell you how much I've MISSED blogging and sharing. And therefore, SO pumped to finally start again.
I feel compelled to offer an explanation as to why I stopped.  Some of my life struggles since pausing my blog in 2016 includes a very major and long battle with Lyme Disease, followed by separation and divorce. Then in perfect timing, job loss! And it's crazy to realize all that has happened in such a short period of time (like all in less than a year).  Yet took years in the making, really.
All is not lost though. And every day I had the choice to decide wether I would stay lost or rise above and believe that things will shift and it's all meant to be. And will get better. "We are exactly where we should be." I truly love and believe that quote, even though I spent many mornings in yoga crying on my mat and swearing at that very quote. Along the way, I have learned many lessons and feel as though I have constantly been put to the test.  Countless sleepless nights, countless rejections, questioning my nature and abilities, confusion, sadness, doubt, all very normal shit!  At the same time, I can say "it could always be worse".
Because the truth is, my health is in a great place. The truth is, I have developed and maintained a healthy relationship with my ex and we are kinda nailing the co-parenting thing. The truth is, I was really happy to be laid off. Not really. But kinda. I was ready and wanting a big change.  And ironically, shortly after getting laid off, things with The Paperly Studio took off.   It's been a JOURNEY for sure.  I'm still not quite on firm ground, and I know sharing all this puts me in a vulnerable place, but heck, that's where I've been for a while! And maybe you are gong through something similar? Just know, YOU AREN'T ALONE.
There is so much I want to share! I want to share what it's like being friends with your ex husband. I want to share my insecurities when it comes to parenting. I want to share the pain deep in my soul about my divorce and separating our family--because it's very real and worth sharing.  I want to share how difficult and doubtful its felt to completely change my career. It's hard lemme tell ya. It won't all be serious though! I've got lots of beautiful and inspiring stories and creative things in the making....so, stay tuned my friends. I hope you come here for not only beautiful calligraphy and hand lettering but also some thoughts on life and all the adventures we are having.  For now, here are some cute pics!