The day I "unliked" Macys...

(**macy's logo is the trademark property of macy's and NOT my property to reproduce for gain or sale)

To understand the trauma of removing any Macys information from anything in my life requires a little knowledge of my relationship with shopping...

Here in Columbus, OH - Macys bought-out a few years ago a long-time central Ohio company called Lazarus.  I began traveling to Lazarus as a very small child with my Nanna who had taken my mother to Lazarus as a small child.  Lazarus was a multi-generational gathering place for the latest sales and girl time in my family (Nanna, Aunties, Cousins, Best Friends, Sisters, etc.).  Obtaining a Lazarus credit card was an adult rite of passage for the women in my family. 

The day after Thanksgiving is a coupon festival at, you guessed it, Macys.  This tradition has continued until today.  Yes, I will still tag along to Macys for girl-time, but I am no longer their Facebook fan and have discontinued using Lancome Make-Up (you can't see me - but there is much thrashing and weeping at my desk right now...) and (big gulp) my Macys credit card.
<<I am now a coupon carrying L'Oreal girl or whatever else my sister can get on sale at WalGreens.  Thanks Sara - I love you!>>

There is not much room in my Single Wide Trailer for Macys clearance deals and extras - Mike and I will be sharing a closet the size of, it is so small, I don't know what to compare it to...it will only hold a few pairs of shoes and remnants of our old life.

I am not complaining as much as stating the facts and trying to get my mind around it.  I am sure this seems very shallow to most of you.

But I love to shop - I love the smell of Macys - the fragrances - the make-up - the clothing.  It has a calming effect on me every time!  Anytime an exciting event takes place - I go shopping.  A new house, new season, holiday, new baby, wedding, graduation, good trial decision...I want to SHOP!  Unfortunately, it has been a fixture in my uber-consumer lifestyle. 

As we strive to live more simply, I want to be a producer instead of a consumer.  I want to learn to be satisfied with things that are still usable and learn to "make do" in an attempt to disconnect from our "must have more" society and fully embrace whatever God has for us...I am still working this out in my mind!!  But for me, it means unliking Macys on Facebook and not using my Macys credit card...


Have a GREAT Thursday!!

My Elisha saying "Happy Thursday"

About a Boy...

MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR

This is my husband Mike.  I wanted to write about how we arrived at this place in our journey, but felt we needed some back story...

Once upon a time, eight short years ago, a broken man and bitter woman met at the Sack and Save in Chillicothe, OH for their first date...

That is how are not-so-fairy-tale life together began.  Mike and I had both been through painful relationships by the time we met.  But the first time my finger grazed his Bull tattoo on his upper arm - I fell in love.  We met in late May of 2003 and were married by October 3, 2003.  CRAZY?? Yes.  But beautiful and timely for both of us.

With this man, God has taught me what true love is.  That it is messy and sometimes tough, but always worth it.

Due to past experience, my trust level was not very high - I questioned and pushed Mike to the brink, and you know what?  He never left - NEVER.  I am not an easy woman to live with - however, he didn't give up and drew me out of the hurt and pain to enter into this beautiful love relationship with him.

I do NOT want to give the impression that we did not have some heated "discussions", and there were some slammed doors and hurt feelings - but you have to understand the love I have for my husband in order to understand why we are moving into our "love trailer".

Mike has a vision to impact the homeless and forgotten.  He is a natural. I have never seen anyone, other than my dad, that has such a heart for those that society has marginalized and forgotten. He has started a homeless ministry in Chillicothe, OH with our sister, Jaime Glandon, out of the back of our 1996 Hyundai Accent. Bringing only what he can scrape together - he has traveled the streets of Chillicothe seeking out the homeless and hungry. 

It is nothing for Mike to call me at work and say - "I am taking Joe to lunch at Ponderosa" - I ask, Who is Joe? Mike states, "it is our friend that sits at the corner of Bridge St. by the WalMart entrance".  It is nothing for my husband to be seen with the dirty, stinky folks most people try to avoid...and I couldn't be prouder of him.

So we move to our Single Wide Trailer to free up more resources to go after these precious ones in the name of the Father.  To show them Christ's love and that He has not forgotten their pain or lack. 

This is NOT because I am a saint - NO NO NO!!  I have selfishly grieved this move and the loss of Starbucks and Macys and Surly Girls, and Jenni's Ice Cream, and Williams Sonoma, and Easton...well you get the picture!!

Thank you for sharing this journey with me...have a GREAT Wednesday!!

Current Home

This is our current home.  Small, modest four-bedroom in Southeast Columbus, Ohio. I love this house.  When we moved in my boys were 7 and almost two...we have so many lovely memories here. Christmas, Easter - Halloween - Birthdays - my last Father's Day with my dad - all within the four walls of this house...

YET - we are moving from our comfortable home into a Single Wide Trailer in rural Ross County, OH - where the current residents are a lovely family of chipmunks and mice...

WHY would any sane, educated woman do this? That is what this blog is going to explore. How an attorney, and recovering fashionista, from Columbus, OH makes the journey to down-sizing and trying to build the life of her dreams.  This blog is going to help me put into words the thoughts and feelings whizzing around in my head - and hopefully - bring clarity to the life changing process in which I find myself and my family....