#2,269 Like Going Home.

As we do every spring, we made our trip to Oxford to speak to the art department about our rambling career journey to here. I look forward to this every year. And every year I meet new faces who are feeling equal parts ready to begin their post-graduate lives / terrified of post-graduate life. Today, my message was a little different than years past. I told them their plan was probably a good plan. But their plan would change, and that’s okay. You have to learn to embrace it when the plan changes, because it’s what creative hearts were made to do. I thought letterpress would be my career forever, but my creative pursuits kept growing and changing. And I’m thankful for it.   

  
After our talk we wandered to the rooms where our plans started together so many years ago. 

This was the printmaking room where I plugged away so many hours, learning how to be an artist.   

I learned how to be critical of my work, and how to give myself grace when it wasn’t quite what I wanted it to be… Yet. I learned from the best and made dear friends who became professionals and colleagues as each day put more space between us and our time as college kids. This is where I grew up with Ben holding my hand along the way. Today I was fighting tears remembering it and feeling incredibly thankful for that experience and how my 21-year old plans changed the way they did. I never could’ve dreamed this is what 30 would look like. It’s a good thing I’m not in control and my Heavenly Father is.

Ben went down to the woodshop where he first learned to use a saw, waiting on me to finish my studio classes. This is where his unexpected story as a “maker” began.  

It always feels like going home. I hope we will always be welcome there in Meek Hall.

And we rushed home as fast as we could to celebrate Mallorie’s 30th birthday at a surprise party Jim threw for her. I forgot to take pictures because there was so much talking to do! She took her piece of cake straight to Lucy so she could blow out the candle.   

I’m glad to have a cousin that loves my best friend so well. I hope she knows how important she is to so many of us. Happy early birthday, pal!  
P.S.

Emily gave birth the day before yesterday and showed up looking more lovely than I did on my wedding day. #SUPERWOMAN