dandelines design ~Michele Grotenhuis

1989 the year we got married, the following year we bought our house, and the year after that we had our first kid, and three more after that in 1994, 2000, and 2005. That is 32 years, and within those years, we have watched 3 highschool graduations, 3 kids leave for college, a wedding, a pandemic, lots of bumps and bruises, a million and one sporting events and still going, 2 million band concerts and marching festivals, also still going, dances, PTA meetings, drivers test, birthday parties, sleepovers, family lake weekends, camping, last minute road trips, amazing holiday celebrations, snow days, swimming parties, I could go on and on and I would do anything to do it all over again! I DO NOT want to do it all over again because I have regrets,That is the opposite of why, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED every single moment of it, the good and the bad. YES! there were some really bad moments, but those moments defined who I am now and taught me to accept who each of my kids are as individuals. ...

I love this picture of my boys. It is a metaphor for my post today. As I am sure many of you, like me, have struggled through this unusual time during the pandemic, I have found myself very unmotivated, yet looking for an excuse to really make a difference. Really make a change. I have always wanted to start a business, I have many creative outlets, all of which I have considered taking out into the public, but have struggled all of my life with self esteem, confidence, whatever else that I can put a label too, you name it, I have used it as an excuse to keep from failing. That is my biggest fear, failure, disappointment. The other part of the equation is not being able to narrow down exactly what it is I want to market, because I have a passion for so many avenues of being creative. Another really big roadblock is my need to do everything perfect, and if it is not perfect, no one else is going to buy what I have to offer. With all that being said, I have realized staying in my lane,...