My Bridal Shower

This past weekend, my bridal party threw me a beautiful bridal shower.  Everything was perfect which is a testament to what an amazing job they did considering how particular I can be!  The girls did an amazing job capturing the rustic and romantic feel that I wanted the shower to have.  I loved every bit of it down to the very last detail.  I am so grateful for my girlfriends who took time out of their busy schedules to celebrate with lil' ole me.  There were great conversations all around and my girls honored my wish to not play any silly games or make me the center of attention by having everyone watch me opening presents.  Just a casual brunch with great friends - exactly what I wanted!

Absolutely perfect centerpieces!

Delicious brunch menu

The girls who made it all happen (minus D :( )! xoxo

My First Place

Six years ago, I purchased my condo and today it entered Pending status on the MLS.  In one week, it had 22 showings, 2 offers over asking and 2 offers under asking.  I am pleasantly surprised because I thought that I would have to hang onto this condo for many more years because I was so underwater just a year ago.  Even though I am still taking a loss on this sale, I am more than pleased with the selling price because my loss is less than I had braced myself for. 

Looking back, I went through a lot of ups and downs with my condo.  There were days when I relished in the independence I felt, living on my own and having my own space.  Other days felt lonely and I regretted not purchasing a place where there were homeowners on similar walks of life around, not to mention in a city where the housing market would actually hold its value. 

More importantly, my condo was also Echo's first home.  We tried to shield him as much as possible from the craziness of the move, but I will never forget his reaction when I brought him in to the empty space after we had moved all the furniture out.  He walked in, eager to find his daybed and relax after a long day.  When I opened the door, you could tell he was taken aback, slowly walking in and curiously looking around.  What once was familiar to him, no longer was.  Sad.

But all in all, it is always difficult saying good-bye to your first home because those four walls hold so many memories and have been through some of life's most pivotal moments with you.  That feeling of home still resonates within even as I walk through room to empty room.

Things I'll miss most...

• Being able to walk everywhere, whether it be to Nordstroms Rack or Petco or grabbing a cup of coffee at Starbucks on a Saturday morning
• Feeling super safe though living alone being on the second and third floors of the complex
• Not having to worry about house maintenance (e.g., gardening, termite inspections, paying for water)
• Location - it was so central to all of the cities we most frequented
• The condo was so cozy and always felt warm and inviting no matter the weather outside

TwelveTwo Solutions, Inc

This has been long overdue, but I finally decided to incorporate myself.  After much contemplation, I have come to realize that operating as my own company comes with financial and tax benefits that I need to take advantage of. How did I come up with the name?  I thought about a few others...Titanium Consulting, Echo Consulting (named after my little pooch of course), etc... but they were all taken!  One day a few months later, 12:2 popped into my mind.  Romans 12:2 is my favorite verse of all time:

Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then, you will learn to know God's will for you which is good, pleasing and perfect.

I quickly Googled this name, and lo and behold, it had not been taken yet!  I just knew this name was "the one" because TwelveTwo serves a dual purpose.  Not only does it represent my company, but it also creates an opportunity to share my faith if asked about the origin of the name.  Perfect.

Echo's 1st Gotcha Day

Since we don't know when Echo's actual birthday is, a friend of mine suggested the idea of celebrating his gotcha day instead - the day that we brought him into our lives.  To celebrate, I got him some gourmet treats and a brand new toy which, in true Echo style, managed to destroy within the first half hour.

Enough with the poses, lemme open my treat box already!

My Mommy loves me very much

Heeey, that's my cupcake!

It has been such a quick year and it has truly been a blessing to watch Echo grow into his own.  It seems like only yesterday when I had him on my lap on the drive home with his little head on me while looking up at me with those big brown eyes completely unaware of his new life with us.  Stopping by a pet store picking out his first leash and collar and some toys.  He now knows 20+ tricks, is fully potty trained (unless at someone else's house), is independent, and is just the sweetest dog.  I wish that I could freeze time so that he could stay this age forever - he is growing up too quickly!  Echo has taught me patience, forgiveness, and what it means to love unconditionally.  I will continue to cherish every precious moment with my little guy!

Doggie Roomies

We had a little visitor for 5 days this past week.  While his Mommy and Daddy were up north getting hitched, this little Yorkie spent quality time with his new buddy, Echo.

 

Sharing the only sunny spot together in the house

First night away from Mom and Pops

  

"So, what do you think?  Nice view, huh?"

On their way to doggie daycare