Recently, my husband and I said “yes” to an adventure.
An adventure quite awfully big and of it-wasn’t-even-in-our-bucket-list proportions.
Last summer I was feeling quite unsure in my teaching job. To make the long story short, on one lazy summer day, I sent an application to teach in another school. The next thing I knew, I was being interviewed, hired on the spot, and was sorting out all the visa and paperwork required in order for me to make the transfer to my new job.
It’s amazing how things can fall serendipitously into place when you let God take the reins. One moment your nerves are shackled by uncertainty and restlessness and the next moment, by God’s grace, your soul is filled with strength, purpose, and calmness. If you recall, my word for 2016 is GRACE and how I was intentional about allowing a lot of it to thrive in my life. Last summer, I was only praying for enough strength and patience to endure the big changes taking place in my workplace. But through grace, I was blessed with more than an answered prayer.
Two months since the lazy summer day, here I am. In Japan. With my husband. Where a new adventure awaits.
This is where we will be based while I teach here. We’re hoping to become very happy here. To give you an idea, we’ve just found an apartment that we are absolutely in love with, are slowly purchasing items to fill our home, opening bank accounts, applying for a phone line, etc. It’s been delightfully crazy and the past week has had our heads in a whirl. We miss our families and the Philippines terribly but we are happy, nonetheless. For the sake of designing the kind of life that we love, we know we are where we need to be for now.
I am not certain how long the adjustment will take before I can sew a new play food set or a new skirt again. Or knit. Or cook. Or continue with my calligraphy drills. It might take months or a year. So here’s a little announcement - two, actually:
What will happen to the blog? The blog will be quiet for now. The graceful thing to do for now is to cut myself some slack and allow time to do its thing as far as adjustment is concerned. I want my blog content to be purposeful and intentional and while it is gratifying to be able to post regularly, I don’t want to post only for the sake of doing so.
When I am fully adjusted, I shall post more regularly, possibly with expat living undertones in my post (Don’t you want to see snippets of living in Japan?). Don’t worry, it will still be crafty!
Now, what will happen to Joujoux Playthings & Teachables? The fascinating thing about doing business nowadays is that it is possible to run one from anywhere in the world — well, as far as online businesses are concerned. Our lean start-up has been gaining a following and we are over-the-moon delighted with the way people have been responding to it. So, your toysmiths will continue to create playthings and teachables and ship it to anywhere in the world where someone can give a child the gift of meaningful play…
…after the adjustment period, of course. :) C’mon, give us time. Give us grace. Give me a sewing machine manual in English, please. Haha. They’re all in Japanese! We still have so many product ideas in our heads and we simply cannot wait to get started on making. When we do, Joujoux Playthings & Teachables will have more handmade product offerings.
I like to think of this time off from the blog and the startup as “creative contemplation" until I cross over to a better and bright Little Miss Pinay Crafter and Joujoux.
And so for now, I shall “trust the wait. Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible.” (Beautifully penned by Mandy Hale)
Attraversiamo.
