Adolescence

The very word gives me an awkward shiver- adolescence. But I have so much of it in my life right now, I have to embrace it. Oliver turned 13 on Friday. A teenager living in my house and it's not me?! Where has the time gone?? He is a piece of individuality. And even though it's been a little tough being the mom of an adolescent boy (there are more times we don't understand each other lately, I can't just ruffle his hair to mend things...), it's been such a gift to see him grow in ways I didn't expect or didn't prod. He anticipates the needs of others, and jumps to help. He runs a trap line that I don't understand (though he did take me on the full hike in the fall). He beats me in chess in 5 minutes (okay, that's been happening since he learned 4 years ago). He loves his English class and playing piano and snowmobiling and mountain biking. He loves to make his little brother run and his sisters scream (not my favorite). But then he sits down and plays Monopoly peacefully with them for hours. He's a pretty descent kid, considering he's in the depths of puberty. Love you, Bud!

Here we have Andrew and Mini Me...they even have the same teeth. (Oliver powered through a very messy bike race and a fever in Duluth  in October.) 

Another adolescent that's part of my daily grind is Traditional Cabinetry. Andrew started this company 13 years ago in January. At that time he had a business partner (not me) and a vague idea of what to do with his God-given passion for creativity and craftsmanship. A few years in, he bought out his business partner, and has been through a few transitions with employees and vision. He now has a business partner again as of last Monday (me), a team of 3 rock star employees, and the same dream to be a creatively fine craftsman. There have been actual growing pains during these maturing years of TC, as we question who we are as a company, and what our purpose is in this world. Sounds dramatic, but we're trying to embrace the awkward and listen to the promptings God has for us. Andrew and I are so excited to be working together and seeking to fulfill our calling as small business owners during an extraordinary time of cabinetry design, with companies like deVOL and Plain English Kitchens and designers like Emily Henderson and Jean Stoffer Design inspiring our work.

Here's to growing through discomfort and believing the matured version of ourselves will be all that we've dreamed of and more!