To round out my litany of Hurley House posts, I want to share some beautiful images that my friend Lo shot during our Birthday Week celebration. I also have some people to thank.
To Timm, Annie, Jake, Norah, and Lillian…
Thank you for celebrating with me, for being my home, my constant. Thank you for cheering and supporting my work, for walking with me through the mess, patiently enduring when I was threadbare and continuing to champion Hurley House to your circle of friends. You make everything sweeter, and I love you very much.
To Rachel…
Thank you for being my creativity doula, helping me make choices on decorations and details that always bring my visions to life. Thank you for single-handedly installing the heart wall, for hanging yards and yards and yards of streamers, for cutting and taping endless photos onto boards, for knowing the exact right colors of honeycomb balls to order, and for taking time away from your family on a Saturday to help me finish a project that quickly escalated into more than I could handle on my own. Designing and executing creative events with you is one of my most favorite places to be, and I cannot imagine celebrating life’s big moments without you with me.
To Jess…
Thank you for pushing me to say yes to Birthday Week when I wasn’t sure we had the time. We always have time to celebrate, and when I temporarily lost sight of this value, you gently steered me back on track. Thank you for spending an entire Friday hanging decorations, taping up garland, and standing on tables with Rachel to make sure it was just right. Thank you for always holding space for my big feelings, listening to my next big idea, and speaking truth even when it isn’t easy to hear. I cannot imagine Hurley House without you.
To Jen and the entire Hurley House kitchen staff…
Thank you for the magic you create. Without you, Hurley House is just a place. The food you produce and the joy with which you produce it are what makes Hurley House sing. Thank you for being welcoming, joyful, and making the kitchen a happy, communal place. You make work fun! Jen, thank you for being an excellent steward of the kitchen, for leading the team with kindness, for working incredibly hard, and for hearing me out when I come around the corner with an unexpected wrinkle or a new idea. You are all doing an incredible job, and I am so grateful for each of you.
To my retail team…
You are the face of the business. You are the reason people feel welcomed when they walk in the door. You are the kind word, the knowing look, the eye contact, the extra touch, the sensitivity to ask more questions, and the beauty that comes when we take time to treat others well. Thank you for juggling endless orders, managing mountains of details, and basically keeping everything afloat with a smile. Your energy is like a breath of fresh air, and I love working alongside you to create space for others.
To the Hurley House community…
You are the reason we exist, and without you, all of our work would be in vain. Thank you for making Hurley House part of your life, for bringing your children in for treats, for taking meals to friends, for trusting us with your big moments, and for continuing to be a supportive, loyal network. Small business is not easy, but you make every day a gift. Ten years would not be worth celebrating without you!
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