good changes

My dear friend, Stefanie, who I have been friends with since we were 2 and 3 years old, had her second child on Saturday! Her first daughter, Lucia, is my goddaughter. She was born July 26th, 2007 and has been an immense joy in my life, as well an awesome manifestation of God's creation in new life. Now Stefanie and her husband, Mark, have their second daughter, Sofia. She is 8 lbs, 19 inches, and has dark hair like her daddy. She is so beautiful, I missed her birth by just 2 minutes, and I am so thankful to be let into their family in such an intimate way, as I was able to watch Lucia being born.
It is so fun for me to think back to when Stefanie and I were just playing "family" and nurturing our dolls, and here she is creating her own family! I love it.
Now the reason I was late for the birth is because I started the Aveda Institute this past Tuesday and I had class on Saturday until 5pm. I am really excited to be finally beginning this dream. I really have imagined myself there for years, and it is a little surreal to finally be there. I support Aveda's mission completely, they are a exceptional company. All their products are natural, and are flower and plant derived. The countries they obtain their ingredients in provide sustainable jobs to local communities and give back to their communities in healthy, sustainable ways. Aveda also cares about the environment, and is striving towards the goal of having all their packaging be 100% recycled. I believe they are at around 80% as of now. So it is a company I can stand behind, as well as believe in the products I am using. I for sure care more about people than I do about hair, so I am glad I can use products for hair in a way I love and know that it is providing for people in impoverished nations.
I am loving the classes thus far, and I think i will thoroughly enjoy all that I can learn. Ultimately Aveda is a means to an end for me. The environment of people I think will get a little waring on my spirit, and since I spend so much time there I just have to make the best of it. But it is not my idea of life to spend 40 hours a week there, and so I need to know that in order to fulfill the life that is to come I need to do this know. So even though I enjoy it, I want people to not think this is it. What is "it" for me is other places God has laid before me: living in Urban Homeworks in north minneapolis, working with young girls in Beautiful, helping out with Urban Jerusalem, building relationships with people at church,learning more about God's Justice, being aware of the hurt around the world, celebrating life with my friends, investing in Lucia and Sofia, and my sister's baby to come, trying to be a good daughter, and continually pursuing God intimately. That is life. Not Aveda. So it is going to be a little bit of a struggle for me, I believe, even though it is a good thing.
My sister is having her baby in like 6 weeks! That will be another big change in life, for her especially, but in our sisterhood as well. (as cheesy as that is....) I am so excited to be an aunt. I will apologize in advance to my friends, as I will be a little MIA after she is born. But it's all good, good changes....

Stefanie and I in the ocean in Mexico-she is so preggers!

My sister is super preggers too! (I love to touch her tummy!)

Me and sweet Luci in Mexico. I love this kid!