A Fresh Start

I guess by now saying I've neglected this blog is a moot point.  I've been posting infrequently on my infertility blog for the past several months, but even that hasn't felt quite right.  Oh I'm still infertile alright, but family-building has sort of taken a backseat in Aaron's and my life lately.  Although we do occasionally talk about one day adopting a child, we have to admit it's quite nice not having the responsibility of raising a little person.  We dream of traveling the world and financial freedom and early retirement...  Of course none of these things is feasible at the moment, and neither is adoption for that matter.  So we're pretty much enjoying what we have and looking forward to what the future has in store for us.

Not that we're sitting back and waiting for the future to come to us!  After months of job-hunting with nothing to show for it but my own increasing frustration, we've decided to start a business!  Or rather, re-start a business.  My parents once owned a very successful party store, which they sold about 10 years ago.  It's changed hands a couple of times since; then, at the beginning of 2012, it finally went out of business.  It would have been kind of sad seeing the store get slowly emptied out if my dad hadn't been talking for months about the possibility of starting another one.  As fate would have it, my frustration at the job market peaked just as I learned of the old store's closure, and I decided the only way I would be happy was to be my own boss!  So, with my parents' guidance, that's what I'm doing.

I announced my plans to become a party-planning, balloon-selling, beer-slinging, wedding-coordinating business owner to my family and friends and have been overwhelmed with the support I've gotten!  My parents handed over all the equipment and inventory they'd kept when they originally sold their store, and I'm meeting with them regularly to talk logistics.  I'm kicking things off with a little experiment to test the balloon market by selling and delivering Valentine's Day bouquets, and so many of my friends and family have posted my flyers in their places of business that I've lost count!  My sister and her husband even offered to let me use their SUV to deliver the bouquets since all I have are a pickup truck and a little car.  People are taking my flyers and showing interest, but I haven't gotten very many orders just yet.  I'm hoping they're procrastinators like me and waiting until the day gets closer.  But even if I don't end up making money off this little experiment, it's not going to stop me from going after my goal of becoming self-employed!  I already have one wedding lined up for this summer that I'm coordinating, and planning/decorating events is the direction I really want to take this business.

At the risk of making this post sound like a family Christmas letter, I'll add that the VD home life has been amazing since I've been FUNemployed.  Both Aaron and I are so relieved that I'm no longer working for the bank; the stress of working there was really taking a toll on my physical and mental health.  I may be far from the world's best housekeeper, cook, and grocery shopper, but I make an effort, and at least I have energy now to be a supportive wife when my hubby needs it!

I'd promise to be a better blogger here, but you've heard that one before.  I am planning on posting pics of my V-day balloons though, so come back soon :)

Shameless Plug: If you're planning a private / company / school event in the Ventura area give me a call or email OriginalMrSuds@gmail.com.