Is This Real Life?

Three years ago, when Patrick was giving me reasons every day on why I should move back to Columbia, I told him that there was nowhere in Columbia that I would ever want to work. Nowhere.



But then I heard about this new magazine that was starting up called Fig Columbia. Fig Columbia was going to be a quarterly magazine that would celebrate all things local, and I was immediately enamored with it. I remember telling Patrick that if I could work for Fig, I would move back to Columbia. They weren't hiring {I checked on a regular basis} and I give up on the idea of ever working for them.

Fast forward a couple of years.

I had the opportunity to work with an incredible design company in Columbia when Patrick and I were getting married. It was a company comprised of talented, dedicated, and hardworking women who did incredibly awesome design work and who put together a beautiful wedding invitation suite for us. I ended up staying in touch with this company and following along with them via social media... and when the opportunity to work for them arose, I jumped on it. I knew there was no better place in Columbia for me than with this group of women.


{photo credit to Brynley}

Fast forward to last night.

Last night was a little surreal for me.

Last night, the talented team that I joined four months ago, launched the Fall 2017 Issue of Fig Columbia.

You see, that awesome little design company took on a huge new project at the beginning of the summer this year. We signed on to create and produce Fig Columbia... from the writing and design of the quarterly magazine, to managing all of the social media accounts, and to being the Fig representatives around Columbia.

We launched our first issue of Fig {the 16th overall for Columbia} and it is amazing. I might be a tiny bit biased but seriously, it's such a great issue. It is a product of a lot of hard work, a lot of late nights, a lot of running around, a lot of great concepts/planning/photography/design/writing, and a lot of talent. It is something that I am so, so, so proud of and I can't wait to get started on our next issue.

Y'all, I'm working for a company that I believe in. It's a company where my team members feel like family rather than just the people that I see at work every day. I work with women who are strong, talented, and so great. I'm grateful. I have to sit there sometimes and remind myself that yes, this is my life and this is what I get to do for a living.

{Photo credit to Lindsay}

I get to write. I get to take pictures. I get to run social media accounts. I get to meet some truly special people and companies from all around Columbia and tell their stories. I get to be involved. I get to research all of the fun things going on around town and share what I find with a big audience. I get to do all of this for a living.

Is this real life? Is this my real life?