Hmmm… Yesterday I spent 40 minutes talking to a lovely woman about the art of jewelry. Our conversation started with a simple inquiry regarding a pair of my cluster earrings. I found her to be very knowledgeable. Apparently she has been shopping beaded jewelry for quite awhile and she knows her stuff. I was very impressed.

We discussed everything from the time and cost that goes into the creation of a piece to the addicted bead artist who simply looks to make back what she spends in materials. (I was one of those artists when I first started six years ago – only I didn’t know it at the time.)

I find myself smiling now that I am reminiscing about my humble beginnings. When I started Coleena Bobeena, I was completely flying by the seat of my pants. I had no idea what I was doing but I was sure having a ball! I didn’t realize that I wasn’t even making back the cost of the materials I was purchasing. At the time, I would simply make a piece, look at it and say, “Well, that looks like it should cost such-n-such.”

I’m serious! I didn’t even consider the time I was investing in each piece. Overhead? Advertising? Shipping supplies? Business Cards? Electricity? (You get the picture.)

In walks my friend, Connie, to show me the rest of the story. She introduces me to Lisa who owns an exclusive upscale shoe boutique. Lisa offers to give me my first trunk show. There’s just one catch: She prices my jewelry. Okay. I’m game. Terrified, but game. She doubles my prices. Doubles. I am now more terrified and less game. A few pep talks later and I close my eyes and jump in.

It turns out the water is quite lovely. I sold everything and took orders for more. A few months and Jewelry-Making-for-Dummies books later I get the hang of the pricing thing. I hire sales reps and upscale boutiques scattered across the US start carrying my line. I am now Single Mom turned Jewelry Goddess.

My first visit to Ohio left me a bit overwhelmed by the contrast between Chattanooga and Urbana. There are cornfields as far as the eye could see, several acres between each house, two lane roads at every turn, maybe two traffic signals, no pizza deliveries to our area…I was ready to drive home after the first night! This city girl was definitely a fish out of water. I also found myself very aware of how far away I am going to be from my family.

Well, my daughter did not share my sentiment. She absolutely loves Ohio. Give her a cornfield and rock and she can be happy for hours. (I do have to admit the corn does make a neat sound when struck by a rock.) And I can see how three acres can be fun to a little girl on a bicycle. And horses! She got to pet her first horses. That was exciting indeed! Looking at the world through the eyes of my daughter always helps me appreciate the things I would overlook otherwise.

I am still trying to find peace with how far I am going to be from my family but this second visit to Urbana left me less overwhelmed and more able to embrace what will be my new home. I like the gentle rolling landscape and the small town feel. I also got to spend more time with my future stepdaughters and my future in-laws. Wow. Mr. Yummy’s family is definitely worth traveling to the end of the world for. He comes from good people and his daughters are amazing.

I find myself thinking about that a lot now that I’m back in Chattanooga. Mr. Yummy told me how much he loves and admires his family. He often speaks of how blessed he is. I now better understand why.

My family is also very close and I know Mr. Yummy’s family would love them. I wish we could all live in the same area. It’s going to be hard to leave my mom and brothers. Still, as difficult as all of this is, no truer words have ever been spoken than when my mom said that Cara and me are gaining so much more than we are losing. She said it would be a sin for me not to embrace and rejoice in this gift that God is giving me. God, bless my mom. This is so hard for her. She can’t even talk about our moving without crying. She couldn’t even talk to me on the phone while I was in Ohio this past week because she couldn’t “hold it together” long enough. This is going to be the hardest and easiest thing I have ever done.

Loving Mr. Yummy, his daughters, and his beautiful family is easy. Being six hours away from my mom is going to be very, very hard. Still, as my mom says, at least it is only six hours and the drive is not that bad. She says we’ll have to make a point to meet halfway on those occasions we find ourselves just too needy. I agree. That’s a deal, Mom.

So, today, I find myself more at peace with my decision, more excited about the future, more emotional by the realization of how my Father loves me and the tremendous blessings He has bestowed upon me. I will live my life doing everything I can to become worthy of these precious gifts as I champion each and every one with every fiber of my being. Thank you, God. Thank you.