Two Fridays ago, the kids and I spent the day in Detroit. It was the most, sustained fun we’ve had together in months, possibly all year!
We’d come for eye exams, stayed for The College for Creative Studies, and squeeeeezed in a lil trip down memory lane and an obligatory – ‘cuz Detroit-style!!! – stop at Buddy’s Pizza.
CCS is an art school, I’d heard about since I was in college. We fell in love immediately!
Below, are some photos, just a sample, of the genius witnessed❤️. The future is going to be okay… these kids are smart, beautiful and oh, so talented 💪🏻
I WISH I could credit, however, their names weren’t usually displayed and I don’t have their permission 😳. . . WHICH is another interesting topic of discussion that I’ll come back to in a future post. . . data I’ve been processing in the sub-levels of my mind for a while now, stay tuned!
For now, enjoy this eye-candy😜
Just to give you an idea, this was a random white board in a hallway! 
This chalk mural was created in the span of 3 DAYS!!!! … AND THEN left, unscathed. . . additions ONLY, no subtractions… FOR YEARS 😳💪🏻😁 
Another mural. . . If your a subscriber (hi Jen! Hi Janelle 🥰) than you have SOME idea how I feel about wall art😜 
I woke up the next morning to a winter wonderland ☃️ 
The NEXT Friday was my birthday!! Janelle left me a gift and I got this sweet text from our exterminator:
I wrote this the next day:
Yesterday marked my 46 trip around the ☀️. I distinctly remember my state of mind a year ago. I’d had a therapy session and I remember telling my therapist that this, my birthday, was the anniversary of when the nightmare began.
A year ago I conceptualized my birth as the beginning of an un-ending nightmare.
In many ways, this past year has been more challenging not less.
But I see myself and my life differently. I am a God-dammed cheetah and my life, the fact that I’ve been able to thrive, is impressive.
My best friend from middle school sent me these GORGEOUS flowers and my best friend from elementary school sent me a sweaty wrist band – THAT is definitely another post!! WHO gets thoughtful, beautiful, hilarious gifts from friends they met prior to PUBERTY on their 46 EFFING birthday?!?!? I DO!! That’s how I KNOW that I’m living the DREAM and definitely not a nightmare 😜💪🏻 
THESE beautiful people drove through the snow after a VERY busy week to eat pizza and bumpy cake, and to shower me with love and laughter 
This COMING Friday, we are expecting an enormous snow storm!! It’ll be the eve of Christmas Eve.
I am looking forward to snow and baking and Christmas movies and my late father-in-law’s egg nog and snuggling by the fire.. . even shoveling!!
Just as I was finishing this post, I heard one of my mentors say something that I’ve been nudging myself to believe, in earnest. I’ve shared the link to the podcast, below, and I encourage you to listen but I’ll sum it up here:
YOU. ARE. THE. THING♥️
*carpe diem*
Collecting Pieces of Me 