“The ocean waves are still crashing at your favorite place on the coast. The sun on your back this morning was the sun that was shining on you during all those perfect days. Right now, there are flights taking off and heading toward exactly where you want to be. The country is lined with roads that can take you anywhere. Whenever you think you can’t be happy where you are, please remember that everything is connected. Please know that you are not stuck and never have been. Please remember that your joy is a flow from deep within you, and anywhere is the right place to set it free.”

I personally haven’t felt much joy these past few weeks, but I love this reminder-poem anyway.

1-2) Us, literally any time the sun is shining these days.

3) Colin snapped this v glamorous photo of me practicing the ukulele one night

4) Walks walks walks - I’ll never get tired of seeing blossom petals on the ground. It’s like confetti :)

5-8) Scenes from Colin’s 30th birthday! It sucks being quarantined for your birthday (as I’m about to fully find out on Monday), but I’m glad I still got to surprise Colin with a virtual hangout full of friends from all over. We had over 20 people on a call from California, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Texas, and England. It was so special to see everyone’s faces and hear their voices. We got to laugh together for awhile and I’m so glad. Love and miss every single one of you!

9-11) Workspace love. Also, life update: I was laid off from my job at Everlane a week ago along with 41 of my coworkers. I don’t really want to get into it here, but the short version of the story is that I’m devastated. It’s been a week that’s felt like 2 really really long days, and I’ve been doing what I can to just make it through the anxiety that’s now feeling deeper than ever.

I’m not ok, but that’s ok ya know? I’ve been doing lots of work in therapy for years now, and I have tools I know how to reach for that help me through things like this. We’re all going through crazy rough times right now, so if that’s you too, please know I’m here with you feeling the same sun on my face. We all feel all the things - we’re all here together.

12-24) Random moments from various days inside and walks outside

25) I truly don’t know if I’ve ever been more thankful for the internet than I have during this past week especially. I’ve gotten to connect with so many people and it’s helped me more than almost anything else. My two best friends from work, Jake and Daylan (<3 packagedeal++ forever), and I had a virtual “happy hour” at the weekend, and it was just what I needed. Bozeman had to be involved too, and Daylan sent me this screenshot after we chatted :) I love it

26-27) A rainy walk and a virtual version of my watercolor class

28) We’ve been getting all the rain we missed during the winter recently, which means the hills are greener than ever. You can get glimpses of it when the clouds aren’t fully covering them in shadow - they’re stunning.

29) Let me tell you, if I was enjoying DnD before the pandemic, I’m enjoying it even more now. It’s nice to escape Earth once in awhile these days.

30) Bozeman taking a nap on my laptop charger :)

31-37) More rainy walk love - our walks tend to be much longer now, I love them.

38) I’ve been reading Mary Oliver since Daylan sent me one of her poems a few weeks ago (thanks again, Daylan), and it’s so healing. This book is called '‘Upstream” and I picked it up when I was in OKC last September from one of my favorite places in the whole city.

39) Waiting in line to get into the grocery store during a pandemic

40-41) Poppies by the river

42-45) I’ve been painting watercolors on the porch - this week we’re practicing florals, so of course I tried my hand at some poppies. Bozeman also loves company during his sun nap.

46-51) More poppies and moments from little walks.

52) Like I said, I’m so so grateful for the internet right now. I’ve met with lots of my sunshine gang former co-workers this week, and it’s been the loveliest to just hold space for each other. I loved getting to see these sweet faces all the way from Portland and Nashville. It makes me tear up a bit to look at this photo - so much love for these literal angels, Jenn, Mel, and Nat <3

53) More porch time - it’s a necessity

54) More laptop charger naps

55-56) More scenes from walks, you know the drill.

57) We’ve started playing DnD with The Five (Colin’s group of guys he’s been friends with since elementary school) and I’m the DM! Last night we got a good laugh when Sean and Kristen’s sweet cat, Stan, replaced Kristen in the video chat. We love you, Stan!

This weekend we’re taking care of ourselves as well as we can. I’m not sure what that means yet, but I hope you do the same. Take a deep breath, stretch, drink some water, go for a walk if you can, stay safe and healthy.

xx

M

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Friday Phone Dump