Goodbye Texas

I want to have an open-hearted chat with y’all for just a minute. Let me just start off by saying thank you. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. Thank you for growing up and sharing your stories with me.

Goodbye Texas

You have given me the strength to speak my mind and to write my thoughts and beliefs. Along the way, when so many things seem to happen simultaneously, writing to you guys every week relieved some of the weight on my shoulders.

I haven’t spoken too much about it but I’m moving! Leaving Texas is SO much more difficult than I ever imagined. Leaving my friends, my family, my safe place…

This is home.

My children have grown up here. My marriage has survived through unspeakable things and here we are, stronger than ever. I have changed as a mother, as a wife, and as a human being.

Even my self-worth and inner strength have blossomed immensely and I think it’s because I write this blog. Sitting at my desk, writing this piece for you, makes me feel so much more than I could have ever imagined. Y’all have pulled me through my ups and downs and I have faith that this time will not be any different.

Positivity is my sunshine from within.

Although I am sad, I’ve decided to look forward to the future with positivity only in mind. This change WILL be good. It’ll be a new adventure and what is life, if not a continuous adventure to share with our loved ones?

Something positive: We are buying a house.

We haven’t owned a house in…. goodness, Forever! I’m excited to get there and start decorating our new home to reflect us as a family. Smalls is the most excited because he’s moving to a big boy bed!

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Throughout this move, I can’t put into words the stress I have felt. Between packing our boxes, closing on the house, coming to terms with leaving, AND getting a visit from Hurricane Harvey, I felt myself all over the place and caught myself reaching for my clutch, food. This has been one of those tests we seem to put ourselves up to from time to time. I think the most stressful thing about this entire experience was the self-pressure I was putting on myself.

Truth time: I’m not perfect. I slip up and eat a slice of pizza sometimes. I don’t say the right thing at the right time.  The most overwhelming part of it all is that I started to shame myself.

I will be STRONG. Be BRAVE. Be ME.

I KNOW better.

I thought I was past it and then it reared its’ ugly head again. Sometimes, we have these moments where we feel like the world, our thoughts, and emotions are trying to push us down… Don’t let it! Our life experiences and the people we encounter is what shapes our minds to express positivity, faith, and happiness.

That is the part that I keep reminding myself. It doesn’t matter where I live as long as I take everything with me in my thoughts, my emotions, and in my heart. Most important of all, I’ve decided to act on it.

So, this is it…

After writing all of this, I’ve decided I won’t be saying goodbye. I will be leaving this post with how I started it, by saying thank you.

Thank you, Texas. Thank you for giving me some of the best times one could hope for and thank you for letting me find myself.

I love you. I’ll be back soon…

Make sure to check your inboxes Sunday morning. I’ll be sending my newsletter from my new home ?