Changes....Memories...and Going forward......

I love reminiscing.  I love old books and vintagey junk items that other people would just walk right past.  SO, although none of these pictures or memories have that same flair by any means, it's still a great moment for me to reminisce on the past year of SLD, and our own lives.

A year ago we lived in sunny, hot La Quinta, CA.  Worlds away from where we are now.  Golf courses abound, sunshine, manicured lawns and a large geriatric community. ;)  I had some wonderful friends there that I miss dearly...but there was always a proverbial  cloud hovering over us in such a sunny place.  Even the start...Moving into our new home there and my water breaking that night, 5 weeks early, surprising us early with beautiful little Finley, even though we didn't even have gas to our house yet!  Surprise!!

We struggled with a lot of sensory issues with Finley, who was going to weekly Occupational Therapy and Child Psychology and the whole thing just bummed us out.  That memory remains a dark cloud over us in California.  We remember the day we had to admit Finley in the hospital when she was 14 months for strange 'zone out' and 'seizure like' behaviors.  Yet we received no answers....

We remember her refusing to play with other kids, or go to the playground, or run screaming from group events and so on.   And we still got no tangible answers.  We just had to deal with daily meltdowns and avoiding public places and hanging out on our own lots.  And lots of alone time does not make for a happy family.

The decision to move back to our home in Jackson Hole did not come easy, but somehow, it did come quite naturally, five years after moving to California.  My husband lost his job at a prestigious golf course in CA because they went into foreclosure and the entire staff was let go.  I had just started SLD and had no clue where it was going....so we knew it was the right time for us to consider moving out from under that cloud that persistently followed us....  We always worried about changing up Finley's routine...but she embraced the move with open arms.  Here she is walking up to our WY home the very first time....

It was the best decision of our lives.  Not only was it easy to move right back into our old home, but it was even easier to move back into a neighborhood.  One full of friends we had left behind, with kids all over the place knocking on our door asking if Finley could come and play.  It was as though I was back in Israel, living on a Kibbutz.  There was camaraderie and friendship from the instant we stepped foot on Wyoming soil again.

And Finley flourished.  We had 'warned' some friends that we were having some 'issues' and that it may take a while for Finley to warm up and play.  But something happened in this mountain air...it was like she got out from under that cloud, and could feel the sunshine again.  She flourished in ways we never expected, and are completely still in awe.  She relished in all the new seasons she never grew up with (It was basically summer year long in CA).  She grew out of her shell.  She made friends easily.  We didn't recognize our child.  Now it's our turn to feel ok about not having answers.

And the growth my little business took also surprised us.  I used to have a little corner of a room, where Mr. SLD helped cut fabric for me.....

I grew into my very own room, and expanded my stock of fabric.....

I am always in awe when I get ready to pack up sales for the day and think that there is a kid, somewhere, whether it's in Arizona, Connecticut, Italy or Norway, that is going to be getting a package in the mail soon....and then be strutting their stuff in SLD!  I often get emails that go something like this:

"The dress came today! It's so gorgeous!!! Kinda freaking out over it." I read each and every single one of those emails to Mr. SLD.  It NEVER gets old!!! :)

A year has taken us to SO many incredible places; personally and professionally.   I can't wait to see what changes are in store for Finley and me and Mr. SLD. :)  I can tell you now, there are a few new styles coming for summer (think: halter!!!) that I CANNOT wait to share!!!!!

Thanks for coming along for the ride.....


xo,
shari