Almost ready to go

Well, this month has been a huge roller coaster! When I embarked on planning this pilgrimage I would have never guessed the changes. One of my best friends lost her husband suddenly.

After all my training I found a hole in it. The pain you feel for your friends and loved ones as they grieve. I was not close to my friend's husband, but her pain was so imminent. I hold her in my prayers, thoughts, and love as she moves into new territory and makes a new life for herself. The intensity of pain I felt for her was very unexpected.

Helping to plan and set up for the wake was an unexpected addition to my schedule. I am very honored that I was allowed to help in any way that she needed. My husband and I then lead our first Rite of Release. I had not expected to use my clergy skills in such an intense manner so quickly.

A local store that my husband and I lead several public events at announced they were closing at the end of August... mid July. Well, Spirit has been nagging me to finally get my practice up and running outside of my home for oh! only about a year. Time to grow up and be a big girl. I, of course, procrastinated till the last minute.

So at the beginning of August I started meeting with a CPA, reading over business plans to glean ideas, business-y big girl stuff... and trying to find an actual office space to rent. I had about given up on finding space before I left when an office almost fell into my lap. 2 weeks later and we have a beautiful Center, a website, business cards, big girl stuff, and a hecka powerful blessing ritual involving all of our beloved community. Pretty exciting stuff!

The kids will be returning to school while I am gone so the usual school stuff needed to get done before I left. A couple of trips to get vaccinations, school supplies, school clothes, registering Bella for kindergarten, etc...

I will be missing our local Pagan Pride Day this year. Not too cool for someone on the Board of Directors. But, I did my best to fulfill as much of my responsibilities as possible before leaving. Not a small task, but I am very happy with how much I was able to prepare my husband for covering for me while I am gone. And the other Board of Directors will be picking up in other areas that I won't be able to cover. I am very thankful to have such great friends!

Then there is the normal coven stuff that needed to be taken care of. Classes scheduled, an agenda planned for the Elders Retreat (which thankfully was moved to October so that I could attend), etc...

And our public events... I worked my heiny off. I have never worked so solidly, so hard, for so long. I sit here typing this almost moved to tears. Maybe everything catching up with me, maybe extreme gratitude, maybe...

It is amazing how gratefully, humbling, and honoring Spirit brings us experiences. I really wanted lots of time to process my upcoming pilgrimage. I didn't get it and probably for many, many good reasons. I feel so grounded, so ready, and so thirsty for this experience. My soul knows that we are coming up to a whirling vortex of extremeness! Bring it on!