First Week of Year 2

Today's Agenda:  Finish up the projects that got done this weekend!  We were all over projects all weekend and it was fantastic.  My hallway wall is painted and picture alignment determined, dining room decluttered and streamlined, office rearranged and all the little things in their place {even found my lucky peseta from my Sevilla study abroad in 1998!}.  Just need a quick trip to Container Store {when do I not need a "quick trip" to the Container Store!} and I'll move a few magnetic boards and such around the office and, I hate to say it, I think the house is done.

Which comes at an appropriate time...my one year anniversary of my "new" life!  A year ago, I made a pretty bold decision to leave my career as a lawyer {okay, so actually lots of people do this as I have found out after collecting stories like I work for the New York Times but, I would still consider it
bold for me and a life-changing decision} and try out a completely new career in design.  Being a lawyer, I could effortlessly rationalize my decision...and could also see the other side of the argument against what I was about to do.  {Yes, a little bit like arguing with your self, this happened a lot, but I move on...}.  But for the first time in a long time, I didn't second guess myself.  I had no doubts, only excitement and lots of energy.  A bit naive, yes.  But this time I chose idealism over cynicism, and lept.  I did have times where I stepped back to have an "Are you nuts?" moment.  But that's all it was, a moment.  My plan was to work hard, plan appropriately and do what I believe in.  And be flexible.

And, here I am a year later.  Not completely broke, insanely happy and self-fulfilled, and meeting wonderful people every week.  I have been working hard this year but there is something different about my after-midnight work these days -- I'm still exhilarated and engaged and inspired even in the middle of the night {and my friends know that my body is tuned to wake up at 5:30am vs going to bed at 3am!}.  Clients have turned into friends and, unbeknownst to them, mentors.  This is the part that has surprised me the most.  I knew I would like planning events and organizing and designing spaces, but who knew I would meet so many amazing women through this venture.  Their stories, experiences, points of view and work and family relationships have inspired me.  {And, one woman in particular kept me going strong as I faced some serious health issues this year.}  This was something that was sadly missing in my experience as a lawyer and one that I think is important for anyone, no matter what profession you are in, age or gender you are or experiences you have had.   

I must say that I could not have done this without the support of my husband.  I am lucky to be with someone that completely believes in me, is honest {too honest sometimes!} enough to tell me the truth, and at the end of the day looks forward to the next.  I was someone who I think went into law, in part, so that I would be financially independent and wouldn't need to lean on anyone for anything.  But through this experience, I have learned that I do need to lean on people.  And, as long as you are with the right partner, married or not, your relationship with a significant other really is a partnership where you work together to set goals, meet them and hopefully exceed expectations.  Now, it's not as easy as that on a day-to-day basis sometimes!  {And always good to be prepared for a change in circumstances -- I can't help it -- can't really take the lawyer out of me...} But we have a solid big picture view now and are working as a team on the little things {hanging a picture wall!} and the big things {where do we want to be in 5 years???}.   

Well, as my husband said this weekend, we are now on to year two!  This week I'm going to blog about a few more projects I have done this year and haven't yet blogged about -- a staging project {which sold the first day on the market!}, a wedding {which was THE most fun}, and invitations to a wedding {which I love!}.  And I can't wait to show you more soon -- a DC playroom by day/Mad Men viewing area by night, a third story addition to a Capitol Hill rowhouse, a beautiful North Carolina home with a cherry hardwood floor as its centerpiece, and more!  Thanks for reading and, to my friends and family, thank you for your support and friendship during this amazing year.

{I'm not a huge fan of blog posts with no pictures, so had to include this photo that I just found this morning and caused me to exclaim aloud how much I loved the idea of that glass door!  It could open what can really be an awkward, cramped space.  From Belle Maison.}