I Was Hoping to Be Open By Now

To tell you the truth, I was hoping to be open by now.

Decorating for fall. Planning the next few months, the most magical season of the year, in my eyes.

Already booking birthdays.

Already getting to know so many of you.

That's not where we are.

Sometimes things don't happen on our timeline.

And sometimes things are out of our control.

Why I Don't Regret Any of It

I've come to believe there's a reason behind it, even if I can't see it.

It gave me the space and time to fully embrace and enjoy this summer with my kids. To enjoy them fully, before I open something this all consuming.

It also gave me a lot of time to learn and prep.

All the spaces that have come and gone this year, they weren't the right ones.

I don't regret a single one of them.

I think I made the best decision, every time, for Messy Magic House.

And they taught me things along the way that make me feel so much more prepared for when the right space comes along.

What I'm Still Waiting For

I believe there's a space out there that will be everything we need.

And if it's not everything, I'll take this instead: a landlord who wants to do things properly.

That's really what I'm looking for now. Not perfect. Just right.

This Season

I'm excited to be here, in this season, even without the doors open yet.

Here in Portugal, I can feel the seasons changing. Fall showing up in the fallen leaves I've been walking through on my walks in the parks. Cool mornings. My car full of morning dew.

Something about the light changing that brings so much magic into the world this time of year.

I'm a Halloween and Christmas person through and through, so this season has always been special to me.

Here's hoping some of that magic finds its way to me too, and leads me to the right space for Messy Magic House.