![BIRTHDAY VIBES ☼ i don’t think i need to preface this by saying that these aren’t pictures of me today… they are however pictures of me only a few weeks after i found out i was pregnant with my little isla girl. i was scrambling to finish contracts before i started showing, my mind was trying to comprehend how i was going to be able to take on this new role as a mama & panicking how i’d still be able to give the business that i love so much 110%. needless to say, this year has been one of great change & for a self-proclaimed control freak change, even when wanted, can be really scary. whether it’s a new job, new city, new baby, new business, although exciting, it can feel like your world is spinning out of control. however, stevie & i just had a long conversation [one of thousands] agreeing that if we always got what we wanted, we’d be living such a different life right now. i’d still be a hairstylist in a salon, we’d probably still live in louisiana, he’d most likely be working at a university, etc… & the life we were meant to lead would have never come to fruition. a life that has given us more opportunities than we could have ever thought possible but it took letting go, taking risks & trusting our instincts for it to happen. so while pregnancy has been a rollercoaster of thoughts, emotions & hesitations, i know this is right where i’m meant to be. the most magical things in life are usually a little bit scary but sometimes having total control is even more scary because you may end up missing out on one of the universe’s beautiful plans for you. going into this next year i welcome all the uncertainty & while i’m still a control freak, i’m going to lean into the wonder of the unknown & my birthday wish is that you do, too. 12.3.21](https://scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/263168896_103362585491331_4944294000086260342_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=p3NZ0Qgl32EAX_Z7VHB&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AT_GR43GWepvdhkIIs10aoO1cQn2SlxbFwzflAcWcPkfLQ&oe=61F78777)
![BIRTHDAY VIBES ☼ i don’t think i need to preface this by saying that these aren’t pictures of me today… they are however pictures of me only a few weeks after i found out i was pregnant with my little isla girl. i was scrambling to finish contracts before i started showing, my mind was trying to comprehend how i was going to be able to take on this new role as a mama & panicking how i’d still be able to give the business that i love so much 110%. needless to say, this year has been one of great change & for a self-proclaimed control freak change, even when wanted, can be really scary. whether it’s a new job, new city, new baby, new business, although exciting, it can feel like your world is spinning out of control. however, stevie & i just had a long conversation [one of thousands] agreeing that if we always got what we wanted, we’d be living such a different life right now. i’d still be a hairstylist in a salon, we’d probably still live in louisiana, he’d most likely be working at a university, etc… & the life we were meant to lead would have never come to fruition. a life that has given us more opportunities than we could have ever thought possible but it took letting go, taking risks & trusting our instincts for it to happen. so while pregnancy has been a rollercoaster of thoughts, emotions & hesitations, i know this is right where i’m meant to be. the most magical things in life are usually a little bit scary but sometimes having total control is even more scary because you may end up missing out on one of the universe’s beautiful plans for you. going into this next year i welcome all the uncertainty & while i’m still a control freak, i’m going to lean into the wonder of the unknown & my birthday wish is that you do, too. 12.3.21](https://scontent-dfw5-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/262830447_336174891192956_5493474459147911630_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=CMSlsPNr5ZkAX9YC9QD&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AT9e0vy3WrB0axeUDnorclW8k6ZI4YPIQV_porAsNQAqXQ&oe=61F72439)
![BIRTHDAY VIBES ☼ i don’t think i need to preface this by saying that these aren’t pictures of me today… they are however pictures of me only a few weeks after i found out i was pregnant with my little isla girl. i was scrambling to finish contracts before i started showing, my mind was trying to comprehend how i was going to be able to take on this new role as a mama & panicking how i’d still be able to give the business that i love so much 110%. needless to say, this year has been one of great change & for a self-proclaimed control freak change, even when wanted, can be really scary. whether it’s a new job, new city, new baby, new business, although exciting, it can feel like your world is spinning out of control. however, stevie & i just had a long conversation [one of thousands] agreeing that if we always got what we wanted, we’d be living such a different life right now. i’d still be a hairstylist in a salon, we’d probably still live in louisiana, he’d most likely be working at a university, etc… & the life we were meant to lead would have never come to fruition. a life that has given us more opportunities than we could have ever thought possible but it took letting go, taking risks & trusting our instincts for it to happen. so while pregnancy has been a rollercoaster of thoughts, emotions & hesitations, i know this is right where i’m meant to be. the most magical things in life are usually a little bit scary but sometimes having total control is even more scary because you may end up missing out on one of the universe’s beautiful plans for you. going into this next year i welcome all the uncertainty & while i’m still a control freak, i’m going to lean into the wonder of the unknown & my birthday wish is that you do, too. 12.3.21](https://scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/263374039_623476152402821_5484975529277392073_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=lpYBhRR4tvsAX8dTT1D&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AT8ogcgrFT4fCeYA2gtLUq_JOyiz0gTPyNp4GbqAC8rwfA&oe=61F7E302)
![BIRTHDAY VIBES ☼ i don’t think i need to preface this by saying that these aren’t pictures of me today… they are however pictures of me only a few weeks after i found out i was pregnant with my little isla girl. i was scrambling to finish contracts before i started showing, my mind was trying to comprehend how i was going to be able to take on this new role as a mama & panicking how i’d still be able to give the business that i love so much 110%. needless to say, this year has been one of great change & for a self-proclaimed control freak change, even when wanted, can be really scary. whether it’s a new job, new city, new baby, new business, although exciting, it can feel like your world is spinning out of control. however, stevie & i just had a long conversation [one of thousands] agreeing that if we always got what we wanted, we’d be living such a different life right now. i’d still be a hairstylist in a salon, we’d probably still live in louisiana, he’d most likely be working at a university, etc… & the life we were meant to lead would have never come to fruition. a life that has given us more opportunities than we could have ever thought possible but it took letting go, taking risks & trusting our instincts for it to happen. so while pregnancy has been a rollercoaster of thoughts, emotions & hesitations, i know this is right where i’m meant to be. the most magical things in life are usually a little bit scary but sometimes having total control is even more scary because you may end up missing out on one of the universe’s beautiful plans for you. going into this next year i welcome all the uncertainty & while i’m still a control freak, i’m going to lean into the wonder of the unknown & my birthday wish is that you do, too. 12.3.21](https://scontent-dfw5-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/262848478_862263777783047_5723526032403387195_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=pGveQbPH3ZkAX_Orv3z&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AT_yCmkqKxGIaCSYl-cP_e2p7JH2LhyzKDhcw9Yvzid-jA&oe=61F64D5A)
![an appreciation post for my two current favorite custom sneakers that i designed [swipe to see the nikes] thank you to all the brands who let my inner control freak thrive… i’ll happily give you an extra $40+ per pair to have them mY wAyYy. 11.8.21](https://scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/254849749_418364346408400_1625082825413775637_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=MvHT1J_FOukAX_qyHID&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AT-BwwxFKvwdtsupJ9vTRihaNTB27zQ55AVjAWEbP8autw&oe=61F60EF5)
![an appreciation post for my two current favorite custom sneakers that i designed [swipe to see the nikes] thank you to all the brands who let my inner control freak thrive… i’ll happily give you an extra $40+ per pair to have them mY wAyYy. 11.8.21](https://scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/253905268_6301977686543878_5025454833320300292_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=cVTCLwuFgxsAX_I9LUB&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AT8BQg9J-R8LZNG3ZxHVlK-DpSkRVE0F3IgNokxJH5Vs8g&oe=61F6DD4A)
![an appreciation post for my two current favorite custom sneakers that i designed [swipe to see the nikes] thank you to all the brands who let my inner control freak thrive… i’ll happily give you an extra $40+ per pair to have them mY wAyYy. 11.8.21](https://scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/253689201_231504025741324_2215177583748309986_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8ae9d6&_nc_ohc=UV07oDCht9IAX9NyBff&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AT_QjmpBG_aZXGavM2VJSN1cQFR_D0mM7axvUVvlHyX6Aw&oe=61F6E790)
As I mentioned in my last post, this past September my husband & I traveled to St. Thomas to visit his parents while they were living on the island. Soon after our trip was over, Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean, so I decided to hold off on publishing my stories from our vacation. Months have passed and the islands are rallying to come back better than ever, so I thought it was an opportune time to finally share. I’ve always been a die-hard island lover, but after hearing the stories of my in-laws having to ride out the storm, lose their condo to wind & rain damage, and ultimately relocate back to the contiguous U.S., my heart breaks for these little pieces of paradise. Not to get on my soapbox here, but it seems like after a storm blows over, it’s easy for people to forget that there is still a long recovery process ahead before businesses & families can return to normalcy. Like most islands, tourism is the heartbeat of their economy and they need our support. If you’re planning a trip for the upcoming spring or summer months, it’s my hope that these shots will encourage you to consider St. Thomas or St. John as your next vacation destination! If traveling isn’t on your to-do list right now, then no worries—I hope you enjoy this little peek into my getaway & appreciate the natural beauty that is the Virgin Islands.
As always, sending lots of tropical vibes your way!
Xx – Rachael
Blackbeard’s Castle
LOVE all your photos! St. Thomas is my favorite place and you went to all the best spots!
Love this story and what a way to promote tourism to the islands again- they need it bad! My heart is in the Caribbean, as I’ve grown up traveling to a few islands time and time again (I found my first love as a teenager on an island in the Bahamas that my family annually traveled to, a mecca to Puerto Rico to surf every year for the past 10 years, I learned to paint in St. John, etc.) It feels like my whole life really “started” in the islands although I was never a resident. My heart is there, and I relate to your love and heartbreak for the people there. Sending positive vibes + hope! – Sydney Pope Long, BARRACUDA MOON JEWELRY, IG: @barracudamoonjewelry, http://www.barracudamoon.com
Thank you so much for sharing your love for the islands & sweet words, Sydney! I hope to inspire more people to visit the Caribbean so they too can feel the magic & fall in love as well. The islands have given me so many amazing memories & I can’t wait to visit again very soon. Xx
Incredible photos, girl! I’m so glad you’re bringing attention to this sad reality. Hopefully the tourists will return and bring the islands back to all their beauty. Love your perspective 😉