As a stay at home there was a time when my life started becoming all about my family. Taking care of all of their needs and wants and without being aware of it, I started losing myself. I loved going to watch Marc and the kids surf even though I didn’t surf myself. I would just hang back and take pictures and videos of them. All four of our kids were involved in sports and dance and driving them to practices, watching their events and games became the center of our lives. Besides that, I volunteered in their school classrooms, drove to fieldtrips and was available to them when they got home, for help with homework and listening to them about their day. Then, there were the responsibilities of taking care of the house, cleaning, laundry, shopping, cooking, etc. You get it. I really did love all of it but for some reason I found myself starting to get down, not really depressed, but something was wrong. Marc was noticing, so one weekend he suggested that I go out and do something just for me, something that I wanted to do on my own. That’s when I became aware that I had no idea what I wanted to do, I didn’t even know what I liked. The realization hit hard that I needed to find something that made me happy outside the home and begin finding out who I was besides being a wife and a mother. It took a while for me to learn what things I really found joy in doing. One of the things I decided that I really liked to do was to spend time at flea markets, antique, second hand or thrift stores. I had a doctor tell me once that a good way to reduce stress is to get involved in an activity where you lose track of time. I found that happening when I browsed through these places. Regular shopping could be stressful for me, we were living on a single income and I always tried not to spend too much money, but this was different. I could hunt for treasures at bargain prices, and get great ideas about how I could make things I already had look better.
I still, if given a choice, would choose second hand shopping over regular store shopping. Now going to flea markets has become something Marc and I really love to do together. He’s got a great eye and he has the patience, that I do NOT have, to look through everything! Because of that he almost always finds something really unique and special.
It’s fun when I find items that reveal a little bit about their story
Like this sculpture, Miss Mia here. She came with a certificate with her name and the original owners name written on it
I love this piece of pottery. It has the date and the initials of the maker inscribed on the bottom
Oil paintings or water colors with the artist signature make me wonder about who painted them and how they came to be sold in a thrift store or flea market?
I always keep my eye out for special pieces of furniture, rugs and vintage fabrics too
This love of vintage shopping for our home is what really inspired me to become an interior designer. I realized that finding beautiful things to bring home, and getting inspired with ideas to beautify our house really brought me joy.
Once a week now I volunteer at a second hand store called Second Story. It is a non-profit that raises money to fight against human trafficking. The founder came up with the name because with the money raised we could have a small part in not only rescuing the victims but giving them a ‘Second Story’. One of redemption. To be loved, valued, treasured and to restore some of what was lost when they felt used and discarded.
I have had a wonderful life of knowing that I am loved and valued, but I do have some second stories of my own. Stories of forgiveness, second chances, things I have overcome and am overcoming, navigating this next chapter of life with the kids all moved out, and so many more. If there is any wisdom I have learned so far, is that we all need love and a little restoration. This is Grace.