First, Let Me Explain "Leap of Faith"!

I wasn't exactly convenient. I understand that, cosmically, I'm supposed to be here. But my timing wasn't so good. When I was born my birthmother was young and unmarried. I was an unexpected surprise. She had just met the man she would marry and spend her life with. I showed up in the middle of everthing and threw everyone a curve! Giving me up for adoption was HER leap of faith!

I was born on Valentine's Day 1966. Because I landed here on that particular day, I have always know I am supposed to feel loved. I feel my birthdate isn't just coincidence. I think God must have known I'd need a little reassurance!

I spent the first ten days of my life "between parents" (like some people are "between jobs") in the maternity hospital run by the adoption agency. Babies stay there until their birthmother signs relinquishment papers and departs the premises and until the adoptive parents are contacted and can arrive to pick up their little bundle of joy. (All that goes down onto paper so easily but don't make the mistake of overlooking the HUGE emotions that accompany the whole process!)

In the interim, the babies are given "crib names" in the nursery by the nurses -- just something to call them while they're there. My crib name was "Faith". Again, as far as I'm concerned, NOT a coincidence. I think God knew that I might need to lean on the name and the concept from time to time! In times of doubt, when I struggle with cynicism and fear, I remind myself, "have Faith"! I AM Faith. Surely "Faith" should have faith! It's my safety net. It catches me and keeps me from falling too far into despair.

As my life has moved forward, Faith/faith has become less and less of a passive concept in my life. It has taken root and grown into an active, living force. And I have learned something very important -- especially for a safety-minded, mortality-aware, homebody with no taste for adrenaline or adventure for adventure's sake: The best things in my life have come from taking the biggest leaps of faith!

This principle has come to guide me in times of uncertainty. Rather than leave you in the dark, I'll share a few examples of my giant leaps of faith:

Deciding to search for my birthmother (in 1985, when I was 19) brought me a wonderful, loving, inspriational role-model and fairy godmother!

Deciding to follow my college boyfriend to California after graduation let me both to California (which I still pine for) and to graduate school. That leap eventually led to landing in Laguna Beach! There are few better destinations!

The leap of going to graduate school (in clinical psychology) led me to book knowledge, life knowledge, and confidence beyond the token of earning a Master's degree.

Deciding to get pregnant and have my firstborn, Emily, was a huge flying leap into the abyss of parenting. Nothing can change a life more than that moment in the delivery room when they hand you your firstborn and your whole world changes in an instant! Emily is the first of the three best things I have ever done! The others would be her sisters Tesakiah and Sara-Grace, of course!

Deciding to marry Matt (my first husband) brought many happy years and much learning.

Deciding to start our own business (Harjo Properties) give us freedom from bosses and time clocks and allowed us BOTH to be home with our girls full time.

The leap of seeking out Mark, my junior high and high school sweetheart and my present husband, was intended to help me make sense of myself and of my/our past. What it brought me was the love of my life (again)!

Following my heart to garage sales, flea markets, and thrift stores led me to the jumping-off place for my staging business, Upstage. Staging and decorating is an absolute passion for me. There is no greater fun in my life!

I have many dear friendships because I chose to take that leap of faith and reach out to someone I didn't know.

So now, this blog is my newest leap of faith. May it bring what all the others have brought: change, progress, process, creativity, moving forward, new horizons, and soft landings.

Special thanks to Vanessa Ryerse for multiple layers of inspiration, to John Glaze for giving me my first view of blogging, and to Deirdre Pattillo for finally nudging me into taking this leap! If I end up regretting it, I'm coming after all of you!