An update...

I have to open this update with one big resounding THANK YOU!!! I really am just blown away by the support you guys have given us. After more than a week in the dark and cold, we now have power...and as the cliche goes: "with great Power comes great Responsibility."  Yeah I know it sounds corny...but that's kinda the way I feel right now. I feel Responsible. In the previous post I shared a bit of our Hurricane Sandy story with you guys...and I sounded our distress signal. Without hesitation, you guys dropped everything and came to our aid. We're currently waiting on the insurance company and/or fema to see what kind of assistance they can send our way. But in the meantime, you guys have already helped us get our cleaning and building underway. We're getting rid of the stinky floors, sheets, blankets and towels...and replacing them with fresh, clean, new ones. We're moving out of the tiny bedroom downstairs that was flooded and up into the master bedroom upstairs...finally. It took a natural disaster to get us up there at last! We just finished painting up there and by the end of next week we should have the carpet tiles laid down. We've been taking photos and I can't wait to share the whole new bedroom project from beginning to end. It is gonna be so so fabulous!

In the days immediately following Sandy we took many walks through our little town to survey the damage and just to get a feel for what our neighbors were experiencing in the wake of the storm. The weather was crummy the past few days but today was nice and sunny so we were able to revisit some of the streets from our previous walks. What we encountered on today's walk left us with a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand we were inspired...the clean up efforts were well underway. The sulking is over and people are rebuilding. It's out with the old and in with the new. There are piles and piles of stuff, ten feet tall and blocks long. Everyone is just throwing everything out and looking to start fresh. But on the other hand we were seeing entire neighborhoods all stickered with notices that pretty much declare the structures uninhabitable. And you don't know how much of it is just red tape. It's probably way too long of a story to get into at this point. You just have to hope that opportunists aren't trying to use a natural disaster to their advantage.

But like I said...I'm focused on the good. There are strong spirited people in my town...in my state of New Jersey...and I never once heard anybody talk about leaving. Everybody wants to rebuild. And everybody wants to do it up even better than it was before. So so inspiring!

And that's what I meant when I said that I feel Responsible. I feel responsible to you guys. To every one of you who has helped us. You guys can expect to see great things from us. We promise to live lives that run deep. And to make art that is worthy of your wonderfulness!

*And speaking of art...We'd love for you to take advantage of our Big Sale if you haven't already. 20% off Everything in the store. Just use code : XONEWJERSEY

We really do need the financial help tremendously and would only ask this of you guys if this were utterly true. There is also a donate button on the top left sidebar below the link to the shop. We have received some donations already and words simply cannot express our gratitude to those of you who have contributed. xoxoxo

In the midst of a disaster it is possible to encounter grace.

Thanks so so much again, I hope to be getting back on a regular blogging schedule very soon!
Love from the New Jersey Shore!

xo, Jenny...& Aaron