Finding a Well-Lit Path

"Follow your bliss."

-Cher

Hello, friends and welcome to the middle of this fabulous week! This weekend, I found my light at the end of the tunnel and I've been walking on Cloud Nine ever since. As some of you who have been following for awhile know, school is NOT my cup of tea. As high school graduation approached, I watched my friends get accepted to universities and I basked in the comfort of knowing I'd be staying at home and attending a community college. It wasn't until September of 2008, when a stylist at my previous salon commented on my sense of fashion. Every day I would show up to work, dressed up and wearing heels and a coordinating outfit. I never repeated an outfit. My closet was filled to capacity and I loved putting together fabulous ensembles. Fashion was my life, but aside from designing, I was not aware of other career paths in the industry. That wonderful stylist told me of a fantastic fashion program in North Dakota that I would just love. I went home and researched the school online and one week later, I was on a tour.

Don't you want to go here??

North Dakota State University. It doesn't sound like much, but it's better than you could ever imagine and their academic programs are, to put it lightly, phenomenal. I decided on September 10, 2008 that THIS was where I HAD to get my real-life college degree. HAD. TO. And then I met Scott. And I knew that THIS was who I HAD to get real-life married to. HAD. TO. So I left behind my precious school and moved home to marry him. For almost two years now, I have been struggling: hopping from school to school and program to program in hopes of finding something; anything, like what NDSU had to offer. Epic fail.

I'll be honest, for almost that whole time there was a part of me that resented my husband... why couldn't he wait to marry me until I was done with school? Why did I have to be the one to move? But I eventually came to terms that I was the one who had agreed to it. At any given point, I could have said no. Those frustrated feelings and thoughts kept creeping back and a few weeks ago, I broke down. I was supposed to start at a new school in yet another new program, doing something I really didn't dream of doing. My heart remained at NDSU.

I prayed for guidance from the Lord. I researched all possible options. I talked to my family. I talked to my friends. And then I listened; to God, to my loved ones, to the facts. And the answer became crystal clear: Go back where you belong. I knew the school, the program, the teachers, and the subject material. The path was well-walked and well-lit... what was I waiting for?? And so, dear friends, this is my first declaration that I am officially following my heart and going back to North Dakota to finish following my dream.

So this past weekend, we went and visited my little brother, who attends NDSU, and stayed in his apartment there. To go back for the first time in years since I left there was AMAZING. I felt as though I never left and when we saw the school, I said, "I'm home." We had a great time visiting with him and had lots of great food at my favorite restaurants, shopped 'til we dropped at the West Acres Mall, and hit up an awesome art fair. I was so sad to have to leave, but I relished in the fact that I could look back as we drove off and think, "See you this winter..." I am so grateful for all of your prayers and support as I went through this lost period of my life and am so happy to share with you all that I have finally found my way to the best possible path.

 

So much love,