I’ve been working with an illustrator these past few weeks, and I’m thrilled with my new logo and I can hardly wait to unveil it! The new website and business card design are starting in three weeks. Unfortunately, the product is progressing slower than I’d hoped, but slow and steady worked for the tortoise, right? (Hmm, I’ve been down this road before… )

My thoughts have been directed inward so much lately that I find it difficult to craft words to fill my blog entries. Things are tumbling in my head. Up, down. Hot, cold. Inside, outside. Yes, no.

This is the year of Me. That statement isn’t as selfish as it seems. For me, it simply means it’s time for me to let go of some control. Life will happen without my permission. I am learning to accept that good enough IS good enough. I’m tired of letting self-doubt paralyze me, and I’m not going to be a victim to it anymore. I don’t know how being controlling and being afraid of failure are related, but somehow they’re mixed up together in my thoughts.

I’m re-branding my business. Branding has always been my favorite part of the process, so much so that I often choose it over inventing and building my product. This year, I refocus. I’m relaxing my grip on some things.

I feel less and less the need to define myself. I don’t need to be this thing or that thing. My goal for this phase (year, month, day… however long it lasts) is to Just Be.

Happy New Year! Okay, so I’m a bit late.

We decided to move my office/studio back up to the spare bedroom this week. Being in the basement during winter in Michigan was unpleasant. I think my blogging history these past two months is proof enough of that.

December was filled with all sorts of wonderfulness. I celebrated a birthday that wouldn’t be considered a milestone year by most people. Regardless, it felt significant to me. I’ve been very introspective these past few months. Perhaps I’ll speak more about that in a later entry. Perhaps not.

The boys were supposed to return to school today, but Brendan foiled our plans. He’s been complaining about a sore throat for the past 2-3 days. Yesterday, I made an appointment with his pediatrician. It turned out to be a non-routine sore throat. It wasn’t serious, but it did require a trip to the ER and antibiotics administered intravenously. We had a follow-up at the ER for more IV antibiotics this morning. The last time the boys were supposed to go back to school, Brendan had his run-in with the SUV. I dare say the ER is becoming part of our back to school routine.

I’m in the process of rebranding my business and it’s consuming a large portion of my brain function lately. That’s all I have to say about that for now.