Just when you think things are finally running smoothly, sometimes life has a way of coming along and punching you right in the gut.
My personal life has pretty much went off the deep end over the past several weeks and it’s taking basically all of my effort to keep my head above water over here. I think I hope that this craziness is finally coming to an end but I figured I’d give you guys a quick update so that everyone knows I’m still alive.
If you’re just here for the makeup, now would be a great time to just keep on scrolling!
On September 30th, my grandfather, who I was always very close to, very unexpectedly passed away. He was 86 years old so it wasn’t exactly the shock of the century but he didn’t have any major health issues and his mind was sharper than mine has ever been. This man could tell you precisely what he was doing at 3pm, 42 years ago, along with the news and weather for that day. He had several siblings live well until their 90’s and I always thought he would follow suit. My grandma passed just a little over a year before him. Losing them both has been really hard on me. Starting from day one of my life, this man was always there for me and loved me unconditionally. He stepped up the play the role of a father figure when his son did not and I will always be eternally grateful to him for that and for all of the memories that we created through my life. I never could have asked for a more wonderful Papaw!
I remember telling him when I started cosmetology school and being worried that he wouldn’t like the path I chose. I was wrong. He told me that he wanted me to do whatever made me happy. And then I remember when I quit cosmetology school and I was really afraid to tell him that because I thought he would think I was just throwing my life away. I told him that hair wasn’t for me and that I wanted to pursue a more makeup centric career. Again, he told me that he just wanted me to be happy. He was up here visiting just three weeks before he passed and my mom drove him back home. She told me that on the car ride back, he kept telling her how he was so proud of me and how he knew my makeup line would be a success. Now I’ve really got something to prove, huh? 
In the wake of his passing, there has been a lot of family chaos so I’ve been trying to lay low from the drama but crazy always seems to have a way of getting through. -_-
My birthday was on October 5th and I had already booked a trip leaving for Miami on the 3rd to celebrate and was SO jazzed to go! When I heard the news, I considered just canceling the trip and staying home but ultimately I decided to go because I knew that if he was around, he would tell me to get my ass on that plane and have a good time! So that’s just what I did.
Miami was beautiful, perfect and amazing in pretty much every way! We rented a studio in South Beach on AirBnb that was literally steps from the beach. Even in early October, the weather was gorgeous. It was in the mid 80’s the whole time we were there with a constant breeze from the ocean. The water was perfectly warm and the beach was clean and totally not crowded. We had an awesome time, delicious food, possibly a couple drinks too many and everyone we met was absolutely lovely. Miami is 100% on my list of cities to revisit! <3
Once we got back from Miami, we had about a week before our move date and not a thing packed up so we had to hop to and get to putting things in boxes! It took us 3 solid days to get officially moved in between all the trips me and my husband made back and forth on one day, to the movers the next day and the old apartment that we had to scrub from top to bottom on the third day, ’cause we’re nice tenants like that.
The new place is pretty amazing with one of it’s strongest points being that I now have even more room for Ash Noir Cosmetics! I know that I had mentioned in a previous post that I had scrubbed and vacuum and cleaned my old room to death before I started making products in there but now I have a brand new room that all of the pets are completely unaware exists! No pets have ever set foot in this room and that’s how it’s going to remain. Just me, my lab coat, a few tables and all sorts of pretty ingredients and things!
So yeah, without getting into too much detail, all of this pretty much sums up what I’ve been doing with my life for the past month! It’s been a bit a bumpy ride but I think things are finally settling down and I’m really thrilled to be in this beautiful new apartment with my wonderful husband and our furbabies and am super excited for the future of Ash Noir Cosmetics! 
I hope you babes have all been well! <3
The post A Month in My Life! appeared first on Sultry Suburbia.