Well, holy rusted metal, Batman, I actually did it! Fancy Elephant Shoppe is official and open!

It took a little longer than my goal if 9:00 last night,  but there are reasons, important reasons, why… ready for a little story?

Way back when I turned 18, I decided to get my nose pierced. I have never regretted this choice, in fact I have always been happy with my nose piercing. Last night however, something I never expected to happen, happened.

While getting Gloria ready for bed I lay her down on the changing table and leaned over her to kiss her cheek. At exactly that moment, she reached up, grabbed my nose ring and pulled it out of my nose! What happened then? I wish I knew! Where did it go?! Had Gloria gotten it in her mouth? Had she swallowed this ½ inch nose stud?! I think I saw her swallow something- maybe? I didn’t hear it hit the wall or the heater grate or anything for that matter. It’s as though it just vanished.

Obviously, I freaked. I called on Micah for help and frantically searched high and low, through our clothing, through the bedding, through the drawers in the changing table – we’re talking flashlights, furniture moving, hands and knees combing through the carpet, on the phone with the doctor discussing “what ifs” – this is my baby were talking about and I’m not about to blow this off as a “woops!”

Lucky for us, we live about 3 minutes away from the local hospital, so at about 8:00 last night we all loaded up in the car and drove to our friendly, neighborhood emergency room. There was one other person in the waiting area (we live in a SMALL town) so we waited our turn to be seen. While waiting, I had to answer some questions- here’s the crazy part, when the gentleman receptionist typed in “foreign body in stomach” there was actually an option for “nose ring.” What? I’m not the only one?! Who knew?

Once we were in the private room with the experienced ER doctor, he basically said- she’s fine. She may or may NOT have swallowed anything, but she hadn’t choked and her airways were clear- so the doctor’s orders? Check her poop for the next few days and see if anything passes.

I was SO exhausted when we finally got home that I snuggled my little girls tightly and went to bed. I needed some time to just feel thankful that everything was alright. I did not finish setting up my shop, but happily resumed the work on the store today.

This afternoon I completed the 10 listings I had set out to have and pressed the “open your store” button. It was pretty cute actually, Etsy had guided me through the creation of my store step by step, then had a little “grand opening” confetti celebration page! And you know what? It was a celebratory moment for me, alone in my living room, holding my afternoon coffee in the silence of the house while Gloria napped and Daphne was away in her preschool program. It was a good feeling.

I think, truthfully- even opening the shop makes me feel successful, I did what I set out to do. I had the same feeling when I started the blog and I published my first post. It’s that realization that this- the blog, the shop and all that goes with it- it’s all me and it’s all on me. Nobody is holding me to any of it, but it’s something I enjoy, it’s something I want for myself and it fulfills a need in me to work, create and grow as a person.

So, thank you, Etsy for having a grand opening celebration page- it made my afternoon feel, just a little bit, like a party.