My dad's 'coronation day' was in August of 2016. His passing has become one of the largest markers of time in my life: one year prior to it, he walked me down the aisle on my wedding day. The month of, we 'celebrated' our one year anniversary while planning his memorial service. One year after that, Josh and I made the decision that life was too short to spend it in a city we didn't love, so we moved from Seattle to Austin. From there-on, God has had something new in store for us each year....we got a dog (Sadie!), started new jobs, bought a duplex, (finally) got pregnant, and welcomed Esther into the world.
Now about half-way through the new YWOD (years without dad), we were sitting in a pandemic in a town we were still relatively new to, with no family, and no community. And it was in that time that I discovered that people post pictures of their planners on Instagram. They were colorful, encouraging, inspirational, and frankly, the people looked a whole lot like the community I was needing.
So in September of 2020 as the world was tip-toeing out of the shadows, I started my planner account @ejjoyful_plans. A month after that, I posted my first YouTube video. And from that point on, nothing in my life has been the same. The platforms have grown, I've stretched my creativity and learned new things, Josh built us an office/creative space in our backyard, I've met a ton of new people online and in 'real life', attended a planner conference, represented stationery brands - including the aspirational Happy Planner Squad, and all while settling into life in Austin and growing a family.
It's been 7 years without my dad, and they have been the most challenging of my life. But OH WHAT LIFE! I know he'd be tremendously proud of the courage Josh and I have shown through new challenges and adversities, I know he would LOVE little Esther, his first grandchild, and I know he'd be blessed to see his daughter make space for art in her life (he was a painter himself).
Today is October 2, 2023, the day I'm starting this website/blog. I don't know what's in store for us here, but I know that I want it to be real, something you can hang your hat on. I want it to be a creative space for me, and a place that inspires your hope, joy, and creativity.
Sooo...here we go! Here's goes somethin'!