Dreams are so interesting. Sometimes they are easily recognized-clear from the start. Sometimes they develop in your childhood and slowly, maybe as a feeling at first, you discover them again. I think, in my case, it’s a bit of both.

“I don’t know what this passion or dream will become.. but i think I’m ready to find out…”

But first, I’d like to tell you all a story.

My earliest and fondest memories of my childhood are of creating. I had the insane privilege of having a stay at home mom who cultivated this love of creating. There was always space for discovery. There was freedom to explore and build and imagine in our home growing up.

My brother and I built couch forts we called “monkey trees”, created obstacle courses in the basement and spent quite a bit of time outside (Probably more for my mom’s sanity because she often told us to go outside when we whined that we were bored.) We climbed trees, rode bikes, played in mud, and caught lightning bugs.

We learned the vast nature of imagination out there. But it wasn’t only in nature where we found it. Almost every day, there was some sort of art. Many times just painting stick families or doodles on a piece of butcher paper spread over the kitchen table. It was one of my favorites. Well, just about anything I could get my hands dirty for a little while was a favorite.

Throughout my life there were crayons and paint, story time, cooking, make believe, and Legos and dollhouses (which were VERY involved at our house) and so many other example we could be here all day. Of course there was fighting and crying and hard conversations, but imagination and creativity during our much needed “alone time” was the pathway where we could calm ourselves to mend things with each other. Creativity has always been a pathway to healing.

 Making things with my hands has always helped me think more clearly. I will continually thank my mom for this gift.

I think the environment you grow up in deeply influences the flow of your life. Ours was not only full of love, but also full of the freedom to create, explore, learn, read, sing, cook, paint, draw, and build. What a gloriously fortunate childhood we had.

And now, here we are years later telling the story about a dream realized-the most exciting, creative adventure yet. Stay tuned…