We were really hoping to get the store open by Thanksgiving but I don't see it happening. I'm going to shoot for December 1st though. We signed a long lease so we just want to make sure that it's perfect. I've learned in the past that if we say we will finish a project at a later date just to hurry up and get the doors open, that we don't ever actually finish it.
My favorite necklace sold today. I know, I say that a lot. A lot of them become my favorite in one way or another. But I think that if you spend that much time nurturing anything that you are bound to get attached. However THIS necklace was different. It really was my favorite and I was very proud of it. Women would stop by and look at it everyday. And not once did I encourage anybody to ever it buy it. It wasn't that I wanted to for myself. I just really liked to look at it. So the moment that somebody would try it on I would just get real quiet. Awful, I know! But I really didn't want to see it go.
Today though a lady and her very fashionable mother fell in love with it. They were very careful as they made their choice. And even though the necklace was clearly for the daughter it was a joint effort in every sense. At the end of the sale I was happy to see it go to such a great set of shoppers. But I'm not going to lie, I will 
I can't really give the details. But something very important in my life was taken away. Even though I saw it coming and was prepared for the hurt I was still very upset. That night I cried in my husbands arms and we prayed about it together. And what God told me was to let it go. To surrender it and not to worry about it, that he had my back if you will. And so I did. Though it was hard it was also a relief. I was so tired of worrying about this happening that when it did happen I was just glad that it was over.
And so the next morning I woke up at peace with letting go of something I thought was so important. Too important really. And I heard God say, "This is going to hurt, but let me work." And work he did.
I was given back what was lost but under better circumstances. I know that is a promise in the bible but it was so rad to have it happen the way it did. I don't ever want to live outside of God's will. I don't ever want this feeling of total trust to depart from me. I know that in time it probably will. I am only human. But today the lesson didn't escape me and I am so thankful that I have a God that loves me and knows me and pays attention to detail. And I'm so thankful that he put people in my life that would fight for me.
I promise to try and hold the things of this world with a loose hand. And when something amazing happens to me, even if I can't share the details, I will share the lesson.
I have a confession to make. I'm a little sad. On the one hand I'm excited for the second location. From a business perspective it's a smart move. And from my perspective as a designer it's a necessary move. I need that space and that exposure to expand. But from a personal perspective I'm kind of a wreck. We were planning on adding to our family right about now. And though a second location was always in the works I didn't really think that it was going to happen right away. I know that I have all the love and support I need should I decide that I'm ready for another child. I'm just sad that I might not be ready. It's a lot to juggle even without children. How would I juggle it with two of them?
I know that the most important part of my life is my family. They will always come first. I just want
Poor Sophie didn't actually get to celebrate Halloween. By the time the day came around she had just enough of a sniffle that we had to keep her in. Thankfully I was so in love with her costume that I put her in it every chance I got before Halloween ever arrived. There are many more of these photo of Sophie going about her day dressed as a monkey. The only thing missing is the banana we were going to have her carry as we went door to door. Oh well, there is always next year.
So just a little advice to anybody thinking of opening a store on Maui. Unless you have the previous tenant transfer the electrical into your name, or allow you to transfer the electrical to your name, then you will owe the electric company a $500.00 deposit to get the lights turned back on. EVEN if you were a previous customer in good standing. So yes, I am now $500.00 over budget and I haven't even started yet!
And yes the chandelier is coming out of storage. My husband was thrilled to learn that he would have to remodel the ceiling to make it happen.
When it comes to commercial real estate it's always a game of hurry up and wait. I signed the lease over a week go but had to be patient while we waited for the previous tenant to vacate. It was weird signing the lease this time around. It's the first time that I have done that without Greg by my side. And it wasn't because he wasn't on board. It was just that we had already done this several times before and I didn't realize that I was breaking a tradition until it was actually happening. It made it kind of bitter sweet for me. From now on Greg will just have to be there no matter how busy we are.
So anyway, on Friday we were handed the keys and became official Paia tenants! We still have so much work to do but are trying not to rush ourselves. It's always been a push before to open by a certain date. But this year we don't have another rush until Christmas, so we have some time. So far on the list is paint the outside of the building, add a patio, plaster the inside, take out the drop ceiling, add some vintage wallpaper and make a whole lot of jewelry. Greg started on Saturday and is already exhausted! Thankfully though we are blessed to have friends willing to get dirty.
I won't post all the before photos until I have some after photos. But I couldn't resist this one of Sophie standing at the front door while we were doing the walk through. I hope that one day when she is all grown up that she can look at that photo and know that we were doing it all for he
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Using "Canta" by Jesse Edwards.
