International Women's Day 2022

On this March 8th, 2022, in honor of International Women's Day, I want to give a shout out to the girls at Cactus Creek.  For years it was just the three of us - Monita, Cary and me {Fancy}.  But we have had the joy of having Julie {top pic} with us for a couple of months now and it's like she has been here from the beginning.

Julie is kind and smart and she is responsible for the uptick in photos lately.  I told her to take a picture every time she touches something and I think she does!  It's so helpful for creating stories and content to have a library full of current photos.  If you have been around for very long you know that we are a crew that prays, all in our own way, and Julie was definitely an answer to some prayers.  I'm looking forward to having her with us for the long haul.

 Monita and I have worked together for 18 years now - or is it 19??  We have literally been to the edge of hell together and we always manage to pull each other back and carry on.  We are both only children of single moms and she is as much a sister to me as anyone.  Despite being total opposites in basically every way possible, we have walked this trail together long enough that we can catch each other from tripping before we recognize in ourselves that it's about to happen.  She is a warrior and a one-of-a-kind spice that adds a kick to the Cactus Creek crew.

I can't remember exactly when Cary came along either, I think that's because it was a slow roll that started 10-ish years ago.  At first she just took product photos for the shop, then she started doing one more thing and then another thing, and then eventually she was doing ALL of the things.  I often say she's our glue stick and that's the truth.  She executes computer, website and PO activities that would make the rest of our eyes roll back into our heads.  Cary is sweet and thoughtful and sensitive in a palpable way that will touch your heart forever.  

 And then there is me - Fancy. This whole Cactus Creek thing started almost 22 years ago.  I should have quit it about 100 times, there were soooo many times it didn't make sense to keep going.  But I kept going and I'll tell you why.  In 2009 I had a moment with God that forever changed me.  I was standing in the middle of Market street staring at the building where our shop is now located.  I wanted that corner building so badly but couldn't figure out how to make it ours, couldn't figure out how to move forward.  I was stuck and having an internal temper tantrum, a literal foot stomping moment.  Right there in the middle of the street I heard God talk to me so clearly I can still hear the words ring in my ears verbatim: "You need to shut up and sit down. I got this."  The rest was some iteration of "You may never be rich but this is what I'm calling you to do so go do it."  

 So I could say that I did but that's not true - we did.  Me and Cary and Monita, and now Julie will be with us while we carry out whatever mission God has given us through our little Cactus Creek shop.  

A big shout out to the thousands of women we have met along the way and the stories you've shared with us.  There have been a million laughs and a few tears we've shared with you. I know that so many of us feel stuck in terminal world trauma with war, pandemic and political moves that seem completely ass backwards. It affects all of us and our families in such a penetrable way but I still go back to God's loudest words to me: "Shut up and sit down. I got this."  May we all give it to Him - however He looks to you doesn't matter, we all do faith differently - but I hope that you can give a little of the heavy away today and trust that He's got this.