A New Chapter Begins: Embracing Exciting Changes and Growth in the Year Ahead
Happy New Year to all our wonderful readers and cherished community members! As we step into the fresh pages of a new calendar year, there’s an undeniable energy in the air, a sense of fresh possibilities, renewed purpose, and boundless potential. I’m beyond thrilled for what this new year holds for the blog and for all of us embarking on this shared journey together. The excitement is truly palpable, and I cannot wait to unveil something truly BIG in the coming days. This isn’t just a simple update or a minor adjustment; it represents a pivotal moment we’ve been working towards, a significant evolution that I believe will resonate deeply with our community and set an inspiring, forward-thinking tone for the entire year to come.
Looking back with immense gratitude and a touch of awe, 2015 wasn’t just another year on the calendar; it was, by far, the biggest and most transformative year of my life. It was a whirlwind of profound personal milestones and incredible adventures that reshaped my perspective, deepened my understanding of myself and the world, and fueled my passion in countless ways. From cherished family moments to embarking on a lifelong partnership, and from exploring breathtaking new landscapes across continents to settling into a vibrant new home, each experience contributed to a rich tapestry of memories and invaluable lessons. These significant life events have profoundly influenced the vision for this space, directly inspiring the exciting changes that are now just around the corner and promise to make 2016 an equally meaningful year.
Reflecting on an Unforgettable 2015: A Year of Profound Milestones
The past year was a true testament to life’s incredible capacity for growth and change, presenting a series of unforgettable moments that stand out vividly in my memory. Each one, in its own unique way, contributed to the person I am today and significantly inspired the future direction of this blog. Taking a moment to revisit these pivotal events helps us appreciate the journey:
The Joy of Becoming an Aunt
One of the most heartwarming and profoundly life-altering moments of 2015 was the joyous arrival of my beautiful niece, instantly bestowing upon me the cherished title of ‘Aunt.’ This new role brought an overwhelming wave of unconditional love, immense joy, and a significant shift in perspective. Witnessing new life unfold, feeling the deep, unbreakable connection of family, and experiencing the world through the innocent, curious eyes of a child has been an incredible gift. It’s a constant, gentle reminder of the preciousness of life, the paramount importance of family bonds, and the simple wonders that, in our busy lives, often go unnoticed. This newfound dimension of family has undoubtedly enriched my personal life and added a layer of warmth, gratitude, and inspiration to everything I do and share.
A Journey to Forever: Our Wedding Day
Another monumental event that defined 2015 was celebrating my wedding day and wholeheartedly embarking on the incredible journey of marriage. It was a day suffused with immense love, infectious laughter, and the beautiful, heartfelt promise of a shared future. Committing to a life partner, surrounded by our most cherished friends and family, was an experience that words can barely capture in its full splendor. It marked not just the beginning of a new chapter, but the foundation of a partnership built on mutual respect, unwavering support, shared dreams, and endless adventure. The joy of planning, the eager anticipation leading up to it, and the sheer bliss of that magical day continue to inspire me, serving as a powerful reminder of the strength and happiness found in deep connection and profound commitment.
An African Adventure: Our Honeymoon
Immediately following our wedding, my husband and I embarked on the adventure of a lifetime for our honeymoon: a breathtaking journey to Africa. This trip was nothing short of magical, a truly immersive and transformative experience that opened our eyes to the world’s incredible beauty, vast diversity, and rich cultural tapestry. From exhilarating safaris where we witnessed magnificent wildlife thriving in its natural habitat to exploring vibrant cultures and awe-inspiring landscapes, every single moment was a discovery, a lesson, and a profound memory in the making. The vastness of the plains, the warmth and resilience of the people, and the sheer wonder of the continent left an indelible mark on our souls. Travel has always been a deep passion, but this particular journey broadened my horizons in an unprecedented way, fostering a deeper appreciation for different ways of life and the majestic grandeur of our planet. It was an adventure that continues to fuel my wanderlust and desire to explore new experiences and share them with the world.
Embracing a New City: Life in Chicago
Rounding out a year already bursting with significant changes, we made the exciting, yet undeniably challenging, move to Chicago. Relocating to a bustling new metropolis meant adapting to a different pace of life, navigating unfamiliar streets, and diligently building a new community and sense of home from the ground up. It was an exhilarating experience, full of endless exploration and continuous discovery, from finding our favorite local coffee shops to uncovering hidden gems within the city’s wonderfully diverse neighborhoods. While every big move naturally comes with its own unique set of adjustments and learning curves, embracing life in Chicago has been an incredibly enriching journey, pushing us gracefully out of our comfort zones and inspiring us to explore new interests, forge new connections, and seize new opportunities within this vibrant urban landscape. This fresh start has been invigorating, fostering a profound sense of adventure and resilience that I carry forward.
The Anticipation Builds: A Major Announcement on the Horizon
For several months now, I’ve been delighting in hinting at and playfully teasing you about something truly significant brewing behind the scenes of this blog. I must confess, it has been incredibly challenging to keep this under wraps, especially for someone who cherishes sharing every detail of this ongoing journey with you! There’s been a tremendous amount of hard work, dedicated focus, and passionate effort poured into this upcoming reveal, and the anticipation has been building to an almost unbearable, yet wonderfully exciting, degree.
Rest assured, every single ounce of this effort has been absolutely worth it. This isn’t just a minor tweak or a small aesthetic adjustment; it truly represents a major leap forward for this blog and its incredible community. It’s something I genuinely believe will significantly enhance your experience, offer new and exciting avenues of inspiration, and open up exhilarating possibilities for our shared connection and growth. The fervent desire to finally share this with you, after all this dedicated work and thoughtful planning, is immense. Gah, it’s truly been so hard to keep it a secret, but I promise you, the wait will soon be gloriously over!
As I always make a point to do when significant life or blog updates occur, I will, of course, write a much more detailed and comprehensive post explaining every facet of this exciting change when the precise time comes. Expect a deep dive into the ‘why,’ the ‘how,’ and the thrilling ‘what’ of this new chapter. My unwavering aim is always to be transparent, authentic, and to bring you along on this journey, making you an integral and valued part of our evolution and every step we take forward.
The Essence of “Thyme for a Change”: Evolving Our Path Forward
As my dear and incredibly insightful close friend recently put it, with a clever and perfectly timed twist, “it’s thyme for a change…” This playful pun, while lighthearted and charming, carries a profound truth that resonates deeply with the spirit and essence of this upcoming announcement. It beautifully encapsulates the very essence of growth, continuous evolution, and the natural, vibrant progression that comes with every journey, especially one as dynamic and personal as building a community around a shared passion and purpose.
Life itself is a constant process of transformation, learning, and adaptation, and so too is the vibrant life of a thriving blog. To remain truly vibrant, deeply relevant, and continuously inspiring, it must evolve, it must adapt, and it must courageously embrace new directions and innovative ideas. This isn’t about abandoning the cherished foundations we’ve meticulously built together; it’s about purposefully building upon them, magnificently enhancing them, and thoughtfully expanding their horizons to reach new heights. It’s about taking the core values, the authentic voice, and the beloved content you’ve come to expect and infusing them with fresh energy, innovative concepts, and exciting new features that will elevate our collective experience. The phrase “Thyme for a change” signifies not just a chronological shift, but a strategic, heartfelt, and visionary move towards something even more impactful, more engaging, and more enriching for all of us involved in this wonderful community.
Looking Ahead: What 2016 Promises and Our Vision
While 2015 was undeniably defined by monumental personal milestones and grand adventures, 2016 is already shaping up to be equally meaningful, albeit in different, yet equally profound and exciting, ways. This year, my unwavering focus shifts towards thoughtfully channeling the immense growth, the invaluable insights, and the renewed energy gained from the previous year into creating something truly special, sustainable, and deeply impactful for this digital space. It’s about building an even stronger foundation for greater connection, unleashing boundless creativity, and fostering a richer sense of community amongst us all. The lessons learned from extensive travel, from courageously adapting to a bustling new city, and from joyfully embracing new family roles have all contributed significantly to a clearer, more defined, and more passionate vision for the exciting future ahead.
I envision 2016 as a year of deeper engagement, richer and more diverse content, and perhaps even broader reach to new audiences. It’s a year where creativity will be purposefully unleashed, where new ideas will blossom, and where the core passion that first ignited this blog will find fresh, inspiring expressions. The “BIG” announcement is merely the vibrant first step in this thrilling new trajectory, expertly setting the stage for a year truly filled with inspiration, delightful discovery, profound learning, and shared experiences. We’ll explore new themes, dive into more intricate and engaging projects, and steadfastly continue to foster a supportive, encouraging, and welcoming environment for everyone who chooses to visit and engage with our community. The potential is limitless, and I’m incredibly enthusiastic about what we can achieve together.
Stay Tuned: Your Invitation to Our Next Chapter
This journey, as it has always been, is one I’m profoundly eager to share with each and every one of you. Your unwavering support, your thoughtful engagement, and your infectious enthusiasm are truly the very heart and soul of this blog, and I’m incredibly grateful to have you all so wonderfully by my side as we navigate these exciting new horizons. The coming days will bring the full, exhilarating reveal of what’s been simmering and perfecting behind the scenes, and I genuinely believe you’ll be just as excited, if not more so, as I am about this new and inspiring direction we’re taking.
So, please, keep your eyes peeled, your notifications on, and stay tuned across all our digital channels! Make sure you’re happily subscribed to our newsletter and actively following along on social media so you absolutely don’t miss a single, exciting detail of this thrilling new chapter. Get ready to embark on an even more enriching, inspiring, and engaging journey with us. Believe me when I say, the very best is truly yet to come, and I simply cannot wait to unveil it all very, very soon!