Thank you to all of you who left comments on my last post, who sent emails and texts, left notes on Instagram, who called to check in, who dropped off wine, gift cards, and food on our doorstep. We are humbled and truly grateful. It feels so reassuring to have an amazing local community in which we are lucky enough to live, as well as this extended, supportive online community that includes all of you. I said to a friend that I felt bad excepting “charity” since we are so much more fortunate than so many others, and because this is temporary and we can technically get through it alone. She told me, “We know you can do it on your own… but that’s not why you have friends that love you. It’s not charity, it’s just friendship.” So thank you all for your friendship that came across to us in many forms. It is greatly appreciated and deeply felt.
I always try to be transparent in my posts. I certainly have enough recipes that I’ve been working on that I could have just kept them coming and glossed over this whole thing, but I didn’t want to phone in posts and recipes while I was really feeling and experiencing something else. I hope that I can always be transparent even when it’s not particularly easy or flattering. It was obviously something that resonated with so many of you, and I loved hearing your stories, and took your advice, suggestions, and encouragement to heart. A few of you mentioned in comments and via email that I should consider putting a donation button on the site, which I did, in the form of a link on the sidebar.
I don’t have a new recipe for you, but I’m linking of one of my favorites. My girlfriend dropped off all of the ingredients for me to make my Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (there’s also a cooking video), so that’s what we had for dinner last night. It’s a rich and delicious vegetarian soup that falls into the “healthy comfort food” category of my cooking, which happens to be my favorite type of food.
With that, I’m most likely signing off through Christmas to reboot, get some extra snuggling in, and think things through for the new year.
We wish you all very happy holidays.
With love (and endless gratitude),
Kacie
Mazz - I heart you, and your blog.
Ivy - Merry Christmas sweet friend, we adore you.
Angela - Merry Christmas, internet friend. Wishing you a love filled season.
Marian May - Thank you for sharing your story. I can also relate – I used to be a stay-at-home-mommy until my husband lost his job a few months ago and it has been a hard struggle for us – both financially and emotionally. We are extremely grateful that I was able to stay home and raise our daughter up until 18 months of age. I recently went back to work at my old job (another blessing!) and although we live paycheck to paycheck now and do not have the much, we are optimistic and pray for a better year in 2015. We have faith. You touched my heart deeply. I made a small donation- it isn’t much, but I really want you to buy your beautiful daughters a gift from my baby girl, Anah. Wishing you and your beautiful family a very merry christmas! Sending you all love, warm hugs, prayers for blessings from above and good health always! Here’s to 2015! <3