It's been a while since I've blogged or been on social for any consistent time- nearly 2 years... so I thought I'd catch you up! In the summer of 2021, I was preparing to sell the farm in the quaint town of Donalds, South Carolina. It was heartbreaking to let go of a dream I had dreamt for over 10 years, but it was just what we needed. Freddie and I moved to a town called Mauldin, which put us closer to our church and faith community. Freddie got super involved and was even asked to take over the sound board for our worship team. He loved it! Meanwhile, I found a women's group that helped me through the transition of life.
Through a series of events and sweet friends, who needed a bathroom remodel and wanted my advice, I had been in contact with a local contractor who helped me rekindle my passion for interior design. (I had originally went to Winthrop University for design and had since left the field early on in my early 20s.) He begged me to come work alongside him for months. I said "yes" gradually, as I redesigned his website and helped bring systems and processes to his business to help it flourish, all the while designing in small strides to help build my portfolio. My love for kitchens and baths became a full-fledge career.
The short version of The Alonso Story: Freddie and I were in the rental house for a short time, when I reconnected with a friendly face who had a mutual love for Great Pyrenees dogs and whose greatest desire in life was to be the best daddy in the world. Adam and I started dating intentionally in the spring and we got married in early June. With 3 kids between us and a deep desire to be a family, so we wouldn't have to divide our time any more, we bought a house instead of having a wedding, took a weekend honeymoon, and made a home of our own in the Upstate of South Carolina. (I'll tell more of our story on our anniversary blog.)
A short time into our becoming a family, we realized the need for me to be home with the kids, so I pivoted from my full-time job in the field to working virtually and remotely. And, if you're not new around here, you know this is my sweet spot! Of all places in the world, home is my favorite place to be. I value being able to be home and present with my kids and also being able to create and provide. I don't feel pulled and depleted when I can just be with my family. I can be both mom and a creator!
We started trying for a sweet baby together (and prayed for a boy). We got pregnant within 2 months and announced our pregnancy at just 9 weeks. Now we are expecting his arrival in late September- along with celebrating Freddie turning 19 in late August and our two littles turning 2 and 5 in September. It's the season of birthdays for us!
With all that is new in our life, we decided that we would focus on bringing back my blog and brand and expand it, because it was time to share my life again- our life together! Adam has been so incredibly supportive and is so excited to play a part in grits, grace, and granola. Our goal is to be able to share our lives with others and inspire them to find joy in every season of life. Our focuses here will be wellness, design, and business that are grounded in family and faith.
I'm bringing back...
Wellness- Young Living (all the natural living tips)
Recipes (LIVEs and blogs from our family kitchen)
Life (sharing our home birth journey and our weekly life lessons and stories)
Design (services, inspiration, and decor to make your space welcoming)
Faith (in every season of life)
Business (coaching, branding, and marketing for entrepreneurs)
Dream Coaching (helping dreamers create a path to their vision)
So friends, are you ready?! I'm so thrilled to finally be back! It was a quiet but exciting season, and I'm ready to unravel it and invite you into our crazy Alonso life!
PS... this is probably the shortest blog I've ever written...hahaha. So, if you made it to this point, send me a message and let me know your thoughts and what you're looking forward to most in our new adventure!
We so enjoy sharing my life alongside you! We are so grateful to each of you reading and being a part of our life and our story! We hope to be part of yours, too! And, we'd love to connect.
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Finding joy in every season,