Garage Sale Success

Today, along with my friends Hillary and Jen, we had a garage sale to de-clutter and get rid of things that we haven't used in a while. Before the sale we shopped each other's items and it was amazing to see what was collecting dust in one basement was a living room prize to another. It made me so happy that the pretty shelves that Candler and I hadn't used in three years are now housing family pictures in Hillary's living room. It also was great just to go through our whole apartment and just get rid of anything that I hadn't used in the past couple years. My brain thinks "Oh, I'll use those construction paper pieces shaped like rain drops left over from the craft at church one day" and they end up sitting in the basement never used. So now I'm feeling rejuvenated that I've reclaimed tons of space in our place and hoping that I can continue to have the mind set of "Do I really need that" and if I don't love it and don't need it then it can find a place in someone else's home.

After a long day of setting up, greeting customers, making sales, helping to take care of Savvy, and keeping our garage sale primped (thanks to Hillary's years of retail training I think it was the most organized and esthetically pleasing garage sale that I've ever seen) between customers I am ready for bed. Great memories - random lady showing up at 7:30am and staying for 1.5 hours and interesting family that bought $28 worth of items, loaded up in the car, decided they weren't satisfied, tried to haggle more with us and we were done so we took the items back and gave them their money. Moments later another car comes along and buys the items they had just returned. Oh garage sales ;)

One last thought - while we were eating hot dogs on Hillary's porch we were talking about how life is different now that we have kids. For me the thought crossed my mind as I woke up at 6:30am - showered, pumped, got a bottle ready for savvy, gave Candler the monitor, packed the diaper bag, grabbed a pasta salad from the fridge, and was on the road at 7:15am by myself which was the earliest I've ever left the house since Savvy has been born, let alone leaving without her. I was talking with Pete and Megan (our friends that live two doors down from us that have been married for almost a year) to enjoy the point that they are at in their lives. I wouldn't change a thing about my life and I am overjoyed to be Savvy's Mom. But there are things that I think I should have appreciated more in the moment...

• In high school - no real responsibilities. I got a job at age 15 and have been working ever since. I wish I mentally would have relaxed and realized that staying up and reading the required essay for AP English until 3AM wasn't as important as I thought.
• In college - I wish I would have "studied" more on the oval at OSU. I really miss college and the libraries. There is such freedom in not having classes on Fridays or having your main job to go to class, learn, and study. I loved it and I wish I had realized then how much of a shelter it is from the grind of day to day work. Enjoy the flow of having your schedule change ever 10 weeks.
• Newly married - Enjoy everything from going to the grocery store together to learning how to cook your spouse's favorite meal. I love that Candler says I make the best tacos even though all I do is add taco seasonings to ground beef. Enjoy taking trips together.
• Working Full Time - Heck I'm glad that Candler and I had some crazy traveling for work. We have some wonderful memories and I think a different perspective on life after traveling to Europe and Asia. I wouldn't have been okay flying out an extra day early for a business trip to take in some site seeing had I had Savvy waiting for me at home. Remember that you work to live, not live to work. Some of the best advice given to me when I started work at P&G. They told me that they hired me because they knew I could work smarter and get 50-60 hours worth of work down in 40 hours and then still have time to do what matter most. Sometimes work seemed to overwhelm me and stress me out but just remember that it shouldn't be the reason that you wake up in the morning, it's necessary but not the only thing you live for.
• Married, pre-children - Enjoy that everything is about you/your husband/both of you. If you want to sleep in on a Saturday you can. It is your choice. If you are tired you can choose to take a nap. You are in control of your emotions, your life, your situation. After having a child you can't very well say to a newborn "Mommy is feeling a little overwhelmed can you just not need anything from me for the next 3 hours so I can relax and take a shower". So enjoy that you can tend to your own needs. Enjoy the fact that you can spend time on developing new hobbies and talents. You can still do these after having children but right now it is about you and your spouse and that is a wonderful thing.

Sorry for the random post but Pete got my mind a thinking ;) Night!