losing harper

This picture of Harper was taken over three years ago when we were still living in Chicago. I have so many pictures of Harper over the last six years (yes, I was a little bit of a crazy cat lady for awhile), but this one really captures the light she brought into my life. It was the first picture that popped up when I was searching for a photo to post to Instagram Monday night after we had to put her down.

It's strange that losing a cat feels like I've lost a part of myself. Harper's passing closes a significant chapter in my life. She was the last connection and surviving remnant of my life as a single lady. I'm not the same girl that I was when I adopted her over six years ago.

my next 30 years

In 10 days I will turn 30--the big 3-0. To be honest, I'm excited and not at all dismayed. My twenties were a period of immense growth and constant  change. I'm proud of what I achieved and the experiences I pursued. But I'm also happy to be leaving my twenties behind.

I spent most of my twenties focused on how I wanted my life to look and made my decisions based on that intangible dream. While that certainly wasn't necessarily a bad approach, over the past decade I've learned to embrace reality and live more in the present.

my first experience with natural beauty products

I'm by no means any type of beauty guru or aficionado (that position is filled by my main girl Tasha). However, thanks to some of my favorite lifestyle sites like Glitter Guide and The Mama Notes,  I've recently become more aware of the types of products I use and the ingredients in them.

A lot of my curiosity about natural beauty products has been fueled by my hope to get pregnant soon. Once I get pregnant I know I need to be more careful about what goes inside and on my body. So why not start to make healthy changes now?