Guys get married and they go right on being the same person they’ve been their entire life.
Girls get married and we spend countless hours submitting formal documents proving we’re new version of ourselves, better versions — married versions.
Don’t get me wrong. I wanted to marry Garrett. I wanted the family, the partnership — the occasional bickering over who’s going to put the pillowcases on the pillows. (I sometimes lose. That sucks.)
I just didn’t want to be Mrs. Judd.
Or more accurately, I didn’t want to stop being Mikaela Cowles.
I was Mikaela Cowles when I won state, accepted a college scholarship to play Division I basketball, and graduated with honors from Saint Mary’s.
I was Mikaela Cowles when I earned my MFA; founded my business; and kissed my now husband for the first time. (He was sitting in his white Ford Thunderbird with the engine running when I leaned in. It was electric.)
Every byline. Every award. Every accomplishment. Mikaela Cowles.
But I realized something earlier this year. I was also Mikaela Cowles every time I drenched my shirt in nervous sweat. Every time I failed a test, tripped while running, and had one too many cocktails — that was Mikaela Cowles. Forgetful. Messy. Insecure. All Mikaela Cowles.
‘Becoming Mrs. Judd’ doesn’t take away the good or the bad. It won’t keep me from a repeat of last February’s 5:58 AM dumpster dive in my own recycling bin. Twenty-eight minutes and a large pile of plastics later, I discovered my ID wasn’t in the recycling bin. It’d been in my wallet all along. #sigh
Accepting — OWNING — the fact that I’m Mrs. Judd, is about owning the fact that I’m responsible for my happiness. It’s about not just dreaming of goals, but going after them.
I am Mikaela Judd — Mrs. Judd. And I’m damn proud of it.
Welcome to MikaelaJudd.com!
So with no further ado, or personal angst, I’m moving. Or, that is to say — I’ve moved! Welcome to my new domain MikaelaJudd.com!
Hot damn! That’s a decision I never thought I’d make. But there you have it. I’m discontinuing my Baguette Taste — Wonder Bread Budget blog and moving all my writing and photography to MikaelaJudd.com.
Baguette Taste — Wonder Bread Budget was focused on affordable food. And at the time, it made perfect sense. I was in grad school. That was the life I was living. The only one I could afford.
While saving money in the kitchen is still part of my life, there’s so much more to who I am. The focus on making affordable food has felt stifling for some time. Moving gives me the freedom to explore more avenues and share more of what’s going on.
What does that mean you’ll find here? Ultimately the theme I’m focused on now is happiness. Finding it. Spreading it. Living it. And for me, that means talking about all the things, including:
- Food. Obviously.
- Travel tales.
- Writing insights, including tips about how to write heartfelt love letters, thank you notes, and emails.
- Product reviews, highlighting items I’m truly passionate about.
- Interviews with inspirational people.
- Definitely bits from weddings and personal shoots. But also some beginners tips and simple gear recommendations.
- Thoughts about life.
I feel like my heart could burst with excitement. Because happiness isn’t always easy to find, but the more we band together and celebrate one another, the more joy that floods our lives.
Let’s go on this crazy, happy adventure together.