Yesterday was a pretty big day. I had my very first Dove and Blackbird pop-up shop. And of course as soon as I got home, all I wanted to do was grab my phone and do a quick post full of thank yous and saying that I had such a wonderful time.
But the day was so meaningful to me, that I didn’t want to just throw down a few lines through a haze of exhaustion. I wanted to take the time to get my thoughts in order so that I could reflect on this momentous event properly.
Yes, momentous.
Because yesterday was the start of a new chapter. For me and for Dove and Blackbird. Yesterday challenged me in ways that I didn’t expect, and admittedly in ways that I did. Yesterday was a story full of support, perseverance, lessons, struggle, success, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love… miracles.
Whoops! Damn that pesky affinity for Princess Bride. Stole this post’s title too. 😂
That last part was still pretty accurate though.
Because yesterday was in its own way a miracle.
If you had told the Jenn of last year that Dove and Blackbird would have its first pop-up shop yesterday, she probably wouldn’t have believed you.
Actually, if you had told that to the Jenn of just a few days ago, she probably wouldn’t have either.
Social media allows us to see things so instantaneously that years of hard work and determination can appear to look like an overnight success. My friends, Dove and Blackbird was not born overnight. It wasn’t even born in the last year and a half. And I am so grateful for the time that it took to get here.
Because in that time, I grew as a person. In that time, I found true love. In that time, I learned my faults and worked to correct them. I learned my gifts and how to best use them. I read, studied, discussed, practiced, and learned. I played piano, composed music, shuffled cards, strung beads, tied knots, and wrote and journaled until I thought my hand would fall off.
In that time I found out who I was.
In that time, I wasn’t ready.
Yesterday… it appears that I was.
I thought about pulling out the nitty gritty stuff, just laying it bare to put into perspective, for myself if nothing else, exactly what it took for yesterday to happen.
But honestly the details don’t really matter.
I mean, they matter to us, naturally. I’m sure I’ll put mine in my journal tomorrow. But we all have our own stories. We all have our own details. And what really matters in the end… to all of us… is that we never gave up.
That being said, I would like to share with you some important lessons that I learned and/or was strongly reminded of yesterday:
Wear comfortable shoes. (Seriously, y’all. This is a game-changer.)
A bangin’ support system can help make ANYTHING happen.
The person acting out the most may actually need what you have to offer the most.
You of course have to give in order to receive… but you also need to be able to receive in order to give.
Choosing your partner is basically the most important decision of your life. Don’t fuck it up. (And if you do, get yourself out of that mess and find the right one.)
Accept advice and guidance from those who know and are willing to teach.
Don’t hesitate to call on your guides, ancestors, saints, gods, to come to your aid when you need them. Trust in them to be there.
Our journeys are important and their unwinding has intention.
Start your inventory work sooner rather than later so you don’t stress yourself out. (Especially if you aren’t feeling 100%.)
Nerves are ok. And expected. But eventually, you HAVE to face your fear.
And now for that list of thank yous… because
11. Gratitude is essential.
To Devin: Thank you for taking a chance and believing in me to be up to the challenge of my own pop-up shop. Thank you for welcoming me into your store with open arms, having my back every step of the way, for never failing to push me to be a better person, and for all of the guidance. Thank you too to you and Jordan both for the great conversation, the laughs, the support, and helping carry stuff to the car at the end of an exceptionally exhausting day for all of us.
To Melissa and Anthony: For taking the time out of your day to not only come see me, but to be my very first customers. You helped set the tone for the entire day and gave me such hope in yesterday’s success. It was such a beautiful surprise seeing you both for the first time in… I think it may actually be years at this point lol… and for that moment to happen in such a wonderful way.
To my Momaroo: For checking in on me all day. Making sure I was feeling ok. Cool enough. Asking how business was going. Basically for being an awesome mom. To Poppy: For the game-changing advice. And to you both: For being the ears for the end-of-day play-by-play, for sharing in and supporting this undertaking, and for being the kind of parents who have allowed me to be strong enough, brave enough, and motivated enough to follow my dreams.
To Lucy and Brenna, and Dr. D., for helping provide me with the health and vitality to get through when health and vitality levels were at critical.
To Maria: For always finding a way to be my own personal cheerleader. Love you, girl.
To my Connection ladies: Thank you for being so wonderful as I stumbled through my very first FB live and for being pretty much THE most supportive circle of women I have ever been blessed to be a part of. My life has done nothing but improved having you all in it.
To Caleya: For always having fantastic ideas, for the check-in and support yesterday even though you couldn’t be there, and for your many years of friendship.
To Kaylene: For always going above and beyond what I would ask of any friend. For sharing nearly every pertinent Dove and Blackbird post, for being a sounding board no matter the hour, for checking on me at both the start and end of the day yesterday, and for being an all-around, A+ friend. Love you for real.
To Bernadette: For being, by far, my favorite new friend yesterday. For the wonderful chat and the immediate support. I look forward to creating for you and hope to see you again.
To my followers, my customers, and most importantly my friends: For your patronage, your likes, your shares, your support, and for helping me live my best life. I would literally not be able to do this without you.
To Spirit, my guides, my saints and angels: For getting me this far and always guiding me to be my best Self.
To past Jenn: For never giving up, no matter the struggle, no matter the cost. For always finding a way to go on. For always believing in me and our dreams. And for putting the knife down.
And last but not least (I’m actually pretty sure “save the best for last applies here”)…
To Tom-Tom: Thank you is just not strong enough a phrase for all the gratitude I have for your existence. For the way you navigate with me on this journey and for always giving your best effort to make sure that my trek is just a little bit easier. For always taking care of me when I’m sick, no matter the illness, and no matter the duration. For never thinking I’m actually crazy regardless of what kind of crazy I think up or express. For helping me in every way that you could yesterday: For picking things up and putting them down, for running to the car several times, for jamming out with me, for staying awake on the drive home, for knowing that “the tea was so good,” for manning the table when I had to step out, and for leaving so I could get a sale lol. For having unshakable faith in me and my dreams. For the late night chats. For sitting with me while I work when I just need some company. For your never-ending outpouring of love and support. For waiting for me. For asking me to marry you, all 13 times, and for all the times thereafter so I know you always want to choose me. For being my very best and beloved friend in all the multiverse. And for letting me touch your butt. 😘
So thank you. All of you. Yesterday was simply incredible.
And I had such a wonderful time.
💖🕯🕊
