Today I left work at 5:00. I went and picked up Reagan and spent the evening enjoying her and Ryan. Sounds pretty normal, right? And nowadays it is. 
But two and a half years ago leaving work at 5:00 was a rarity! I had my dream job, I literally remember saying that when I was hired. I was the events coordinator for fundraising events at HopeWest. I loved everything about that job. From my volunteer committees to designing decor, from the silent auction to the print materials, and this list could go on and the on. There were so many moving pieces to each event and planning was year round. Not to mention the long hours, strict deadlines and endless worrying. Oh, and by the way there were seven large events each year.  Yes, seven amazing events! And it was my privilege to be part of each of them. 
The funny thing about seven events is there isn’t really any down time. So I found myself trying to plan my personal life around work. And I am not talking a trip to Mexico. I mean my real life with Ryan. We wanted to start a family, but I found myself looking at the event schedule and trying to plan when we could conceive, so my due date avoided GJ events at the minimum.  
I bet you can guess how well that went! You got it. My plans didn’t turn out as I had hoped. How crazy was I being? Planning my personal life around work. Try for four months then stop. Try again and stop. For three years, Ryan played this crazy game. (Such a good man.) Then eventually life got real for us. We weren’t getting any younger. It was either time to focus on starting a family or dedicate my life to being a wonderful event planner.
All I could think was I want to be able to talk about something other than work. To have something more meaningful to me personally! And to do this my dream job had to change. I knew I couldn’t be a mom and be the events planner I was. And then came the hardest part.  Telling my boss, who I loved (still love), I couldn’t do this anymore. I could hardly believe it myself as I tearfully told her. It is really hard to leave a job you love! But sometimes you have to do the hardest thing. And so I did. I left my dream job for a job that has brought me balance. I am still able to work raising money for HopeWest. I get to create. I get help grow a business. I do so many different things in a day at Heirlooms and find the work rewarding in different ways. 
Is it the same? No. Do I miss what I did? Sure.  Have I stopped planning my personal life decisions around my work schedule? Yes. Does my work define me anymore? No. Have I found work life balance? Yes, for the most part (always room for improvement). Do I regret putting my family first? Never for a moment.
So today, I found joy when I left work at 5:00. Knowing I made the right choice two and half years ago when I put my family first. 

When I am at work, I often get texts with pictures from my mom. These of course are of Reagan! My parents provide the best daycare I could ask for. I am so grateful for their help and willingness to watch my little love. And these photos make my day!

Today I got the sweetest text of Reagan and her cousin Sydnie, who is almost six. Reagan loves Sydnie! Idolizes her. Try’s to do everything she does. And today my mom captured her simple admiration of Sydnie. They were out walking. Sydnie decided they needed to rest, so sat on the curb. And her little copy cat cousin followed suit. Sitting together, like two best friends. Melts our entire families hearts! The relationship of Sydnie and Reagan brings me so much Joy, because I know this relationship will be ever changing and life long. Cousins are such a gift. And being able to grow up around your cousin, means you will always have someone to admire, to play with and maybe even find a bit of mischief along the way – but not too much! Cousin LOVE is so unique! 

And, thank you Mom for always sending Joy my way, with your messages and photos of Reagan! 

The last couple of nights have been tough. Poor Reagan is teething pretty badly and is up and down all night long. This means limited sleep for me. And today I felt it. Pure exhaustion.

So tonight when I was leaving work Ryan called to tell me he had to fix an irrigation problem at my parents. So I was thinking, okay, get on your mommy face and go pick up Reagan. But instead,  he said go take a nap, your parents will watch Reagan! And let me tell you, those 20 minutes I actually fell asleep on the couch, made me feel like a new person! Thank you family for 20 minutes to regain a bit of my sanity! I am so grateful!

Always a great Sunday when the Masters is on. And our tradition is watch the final round with my parents and have a delicious dinner. Besides the golf, my mom and husband entertain me with their banter. My husband knows how to tease my mom and she takes the bate every time. It’s all in good fun and makes my dad and I laugh! 

Like most mamas and dads out there, our weekends are busy! The house hold chores and errands that need to be completed could take my entire weekend up. Just thinking of the to do list is exhausting. And two days to do all the to do’s is nearly impossible. That is especially true when I want to spend time with Ryan and Reagan and maybe do something a bit fun. 

As I have tried to develop a little bit of balance for my weekends I have found I have three categories. 

1. The Must Do List for a Successful Week: This list includes grocery shopping and laundry – 100% essential in my book. When these two things are completed we have food to eat, planned meals, and clean clothes to wear. 

2. The It Would Be Nice To Get Done: This list includes cleaning my house and running errands. What I have found is this list is pliable. I can usually get anything on my errand list at the grocery store, so if I don’t have time to go to Target or anywhere else, I can get by and I don’t worry about the extra buck or two it cost me because it saved me time. And cleaning… my definition of clean has changed. I used to clean weekly- floors, bathrooms, dust. The whole house every weekend. But now I just don’t have the time and energy to necessarily do it all every weekend. So I do what I can. Some weekends the whole house is done. But sometimes, like today I cleaned the bathrooms. And we have plans tomorrow so this weekends cleaning plan is look past the dust!

And the final category…

3. The Must Do To Feel Positive Heading Into Next Week: This list is actually the most important one of them all. It requires me to dedicate my time to Reagan, Ryan, myself, my family and friends. It isn’t that important to complete my to do lists. And at the end of the weekend what will really matters? Spending time with Reagan at the park or reading? Enjoying Ryan’s company? Taking a minute for myself? Catching up with friends at breakfast? Family Sunday dinner? Or a spic and span house? The answer is easy. I choose my people! 

My definition of clean has definitely changed, but I have so much more Joy by giving myself a bit more grace to do what I can. 

Tonight I am simply happy. It is Friday. I had a wonderful night with my family. A delicious dinner. Reagan is amazing and makes my heart swell. Changing and growing everyday. My husband takes such good care of us. My parents are the best. Tonight was one of those nights you will remember for no other reason than you truly enjoyed the people you were with. 

Today was a big birthday for my Mom! 60 years young and better than ever! Every year when we celebrate my mom’s birthday, Ryan and I have everyone over for a dinner of my mom’s choice. As moms do, she is always taking care of everyone, so this one night, that is solely about her, is always important to me! It is when we get to show her how much we love and care about her. And I always try to make her day extra special!

Tonight we talked about how each year is a gift. The number simply shows us how lucky we are to add another year! So on my mom’s birthday, I want to say Happy Birthday Mom! I love you and am so grateful for you! You are such a gift! 

Thank you for being so many things to so many people. Mom. Wife. Sister. Aunt. Nana. Friend. Teacher. You are so… Kind. Loving. Generous. Sweet. Dedicated. And we love your quirks… Because you have one of the cleanest houses I have ever seen and it makes me laugh when you talk about how dirty it is. Your hatred for crumbs is comical and your granddaughters just don’t understand. And no ones wine glass is safe when you are around. 

You are simply the best! Thank you for bringing so much joy to my life. You make my life better each day! I will never be able to repay you for all that you have done and all you do. But I can say thank you, one more time!  And here is to 60, I pray it is the best year yet! I Love You dearly💛

Today was one of those days I just couldn’t seem to get a hold of the day. Everything was just a little bit off. I could go into the details, but where is the joy in rehashing the days obstacles. 

When I arrived home I was greeted by my hubby Ryan, sweet Reagan and our Yorkie Stanley. Evenings are my favorite part of the day, even though most nights I am exhausted. I still try to be present and soak up all Reagan has to share with us. 

Tonight started off great. A little outside play. A little snack. And then Reagan lost it. Why? Who knows. She is 17 months and has no reasoning. And when she loses it, she wants her wuba nub (it’s a type of binki). This about kills my husband- he hates it. So the rule is only at bedtime. But she doesn’t care and cries and cries and cries. Eventually, Ryan says let’s go outside again and play fetch with Stanley. A distraction! Great idea dad!! And it does just the trick. Reagan stops crying and is having a great time again.

As I sat in the grass and watched Stanley chase the ball. Reagan try to steal the ball. And Ryan try to appease both. I felt thankful for the game of fetch. Most of the time Stanley drives me nuts with fetch, trying to play all day and whining and dropping the ball in front of me constantly. But tonight fetch brought the family together for 10 minutes of fun. And I am glad I was able to just appreciate the game Stanley lives for! 

Some days are simply about people. And today was about my dad, because it is his birthday. And we celebrated him and loved on him extra today. Something he deserves everyday, but a birthday makes you stop and really take time to make him feel extra special.

And now as I sit here reflecting on his birthday, I find myself thinking about the man who joined this earth 66 years ago. And I start to think of who he is…

David John Hunt. Youngest brother of 11 children. 7/11 – seventh boy out of eleven. A son. A brother. A husband. A dad. A great father in law. A Grumpa but later named a Pappi. A friend. One of the hardest workers I have ever met. A dedicated family man, always making sure he is available. An avid golfer. CMU baseball fan. Loyal Delta Panther Football fan. A garage organizer and reorganizer. A gatherer of random materials he can make into something (the materials just sit in the shed.) A saver of memories. A advice giver. A story teller or perhaps story exaggerater. This list could go on and on. Perhaps I will just say, he is one of the best! 

I am thankful my dad is my dad! He does so much to make everyone’s life better, and I am grateful for him and our relationship. For 33 years he has brought me so much Joy!  Happy Birthday Dad! I am so lucky to have you!!! All my love to you today and always!

When I was young and my mom would pack my school lunch, sometimes I would get cold left over fried chicken! Such a treat and so good. With fried chicken I also got plain potato chips, a single piece of bread with butter and raspberry jelly folded in half, and some sort of treat. It was such a special lunch and I always loved it!

Last night we had fried chicken to celebrate my Dad’s birthday. And of course my mom made extra so my sister and I could take some for lunch. (Thank you, Mom!) As I packed my lunch I suddenly remembered the perfect pairing… a single slice of bread with butter and raspberry jelly folded in half. 

And today when I ate my lunch, as I read emails at my desk, I was completely satisfied and happy as I remembered what a treat this lunch was 20 years ago and what a treat it is still! Sometimes Joy is found in the strangest places. Today, Joy was folded in a piece of bread with butter and raspberry jelly. But, we know it is so much more than that!