The art of returning

Coming back to places, people, and parts of ourselves

The view from our hotel on a day that was so cloudy it swallowed up the Seoul Tower. Pretty wild when you suddenly can’t see that thing you’ve been used to seeing! Ah. Such is life.

Greetings from a rainy morning in Seoul, South Korea!

As I type this from the hotel bed, JeeWoo is lying next to me playing Tetris on his little blue camera (Yes! A tiny camera with games! Best $30 ever spent.) and David’s doing laundry in the hotel basement. (Turns out 5-year-old boys aren’t made for wearing repeat clothes. Or is ours the only one who uses his shirt and pants for a napkin?)

GOSH, it feels good to be resting. We’ve been go-go-going!

Watching JeeWoo walk past one of my favorite places on the planet was pretty wild. So full-circle. Also SUCH a big lesson in acceptance. More on this soon.

Also, as I type this, I’m realizing that my plan to write a newsletter while on a trip with family (AND on the day I’m scheduled to send it!) was not the best idea. It usually takes me a few days to make these things. At least.

Sometimes it takes me hours to craft one paragraph, then, there’s a lot of simmering that needs to happen. And a lot of coming back and forth…in solitude…in quiet…in comfort.

Not this time. ;)

But that’s okay. This is all part of some big themes I’m feeling this week:

Not everything goes the way you envision it to.
Not everything feels the way you thought it would — especially when you return to it.

While it’s jarring when familiar things, comfortable routines, and attempts to repeat certain memories get shaken up, it’s also such a beautiful opportunity to grow.

Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself while I’m in the thick of it. I’ve been processing 10,000 emotions since returning to a place that holds great significance for my family.

A place where my son was born yet no longer calls home.
A place where David and I waited for him for two months in 2020.
A place that gripped us from the second we experienced it.

This city is where a family began.
It’s also a place of loss. Deep loss.
It’s beautiful and painful.

And the feelings I have upon my first return to it are just as divided. I’m comforted by what’s familiar AND grieving what’s changed AND amazed that we’re actually here. Together. From start to finish this time.

And after that “finish,” I see a Part 2 to all of this. There’s too much to put into words right now and too many stories still waiting to be written. (Like when we visit with JeeWoo’s foster mom. Talk about anticipation on every level.)

OH! But, wait! I did recently find some words!

One of my favorite writers,

Logan Steiner

, invited me to be part of her series, “The Old and the Young.” In this interview, she asked me questions that unlocked new things in me, all while revealing that I’m returning to old parts of me.

It was quite cathartic. Especially when she asked, “In what ways are you becoming the person your younger self needed?”

OOF. Deep.

As you read along, I hope you answer some of these beautiful questions for yourself. I bet they’ll spark something for you, too.

Here’s the interview:

Interview with Brit Stueven

THEN.

In my next newsletter, Logan and I will actually switch hats, as I interview her for the Not Til Now Series. In this vulnerable Q&A, she shares some “redefining BIG” moments from her book tour, gives beautiful advice to aspiring authors, reveals that she’s no stranger to waiting, and sooo much more. Stay tuned.

AND!

Speaking of book stuff and another full-circle, coming-back-to-something-significant event that I can’t quite put full words to just yet, I can’t believe this is coming up:

If you’re in Colorado, I'm honored to invite you to a very special book signing at my all-time favorite flower shop + boutique: The Perfect Petal.

Not only will this be the weekend before Mother's Day, but May marks one year since publishing my first book. So, come on down to the most magical place in Denver. Ignite your senses. Buy yourself flowers. Do a little shopping. Meet a new friend. Get inspired.

Then, get a long and awkward hug from yours truly and a signed copy of Mama Be Present: 40 Simple Yet Magical Ways to Find Joy while you’re at it, eh?

There are some fun freebies and in-store discounts in the works, so keep your eye on the Facebook invite for more details.

---

Well, my friend. Thank you for being here with me for a bit today.

And thank you in advance for letting me, well, return to a newsletter on returning. I have a feeling it will have some juicy takeaways.

Until then, there’s a pretty cool palace that’s calling our name.

To seizing what’s in front of you,