Year in Review

December 2012

(disclaimer - if reading this be prepared and comfortable.  It will take awhile.  Kathryn said this is not a blog entry but rather a short story)

Merry Christmas!  I am packing up to head off to three different cities for the next 10 days and I am determined that I am going to make my first blog entry ever.  I want to take a few minutes to discuss this past year and how much I appreciate the fact that I have the best JOB ever.  I love it and I love it because I get to do things that I love to do and I get to do them with people that I love to be with…what could be better than that??  I thought that the best way to start this was to think about some of the new people that have come into our lives this year through Pat Pankow Interiors…

I love that I got to help a great family that was getting to move into a new house but their husband/dad had been asked to go and help his country out for a bit of time.  I got to see them in action.  They are amazing.  The mom is a whirlwind of beauty, kindness, energy and lots of love all in one.  The children were thoughtful, respectful and lots of fun and sweetness. Their extended family was everywhere with mops, hammers, blowers and lots of sweetness.  Their church family was everywhere with meals, lawnmowers and sweetness.  Sweetness keeps popping up because this is one of the sweetest families ever.

I love that I got to meet a darling new couple that were fixing up a new house and they let me have lots of free rein to do so many beautiful things (just as long as it was all cat friendly).  I really loved them the very best until the wife asked me if I thought that the guestroom bed was too high for the husband’s elderly parents. I probably do not need to tell you that his parents are younger than me! :)  Their bill did go up a little.

I love that there are First Communions...that is the only time that I get the opportunity to be with another of my favorite families. Sorry to say there is only one more child :(  Hopefully we can redo the kitchen on that one…

I love that I got to completely redo a great house while another new friend left to go on vacation.  I had only met her twice and I have still not had the privilege to meet her husband.  That is TRUST and I love it.  I am also very happy to say that they were pleased.  I was on pins and needles.  I really should take away that last sentence – it is a very old lady expression.

I love that one of my favorite males got married this year.  He also opened a new business.  All about the same time.  I love this guy and his beautiful new wife but I promise you I am going to have to toughen up a little.  Our small showroom was turned into an upholstery shop for a few days as we fumbled around trying to get some new covers done for his grand opening.  I think we had ten minutes to spare.

I love that I get to meet some unbelievably wonderful new people that seem to just come out of nowhere.  A new family moved into Florida and met another of my all time favorites at a gym or something like that (I know very little about those places).  Anyway, she casually asked about a decorator and next thing you know she has been whisked off to a small event I was having at the showroom.  Great timing!  She is originally from Mexico so I was able to use the five Spanish words effortlessly that I know after living in Miami for 17 years.  Rather pitiful.  But back to point - this family has two teenage girls that have been moved to Florida from Texas.  Not the easiest time to move but you should meet them.  Amazing family!  The first time I met the girls we had absolutely changed their house up since they left for school.  The older one came in and probably wondered who we were and what were we doing but acted lovely and then went upstairs.  All of a sudden the most beautiful guitar music started and then the voice.  I promise it sounded like Norah Jones. The dad sings too and they have about 10 guitars.   How do I get so many fabulous families?

The other favorite person that introduced me to the above Von Trapp family is so fun, loving and good that you have a hard time thinking there is anyone that great and then you find out that her whole family is the same.  Husband: amazing.  4 Children: amazing.  They teach parenting classes and it is for real.  I want to introduce them before the next class and say “They really do this at their house.”  This person even made me cookies with my blue P on them at an event at the showroom last week.  They were so beautiful that unless you were giving me a $5,000 purchase you probably didn’t get one.  Did I mention that she was also sick and still brought them down?  And she does not live close.  I love my job!

{By now no one is reading most likely…maybe you should take a little break…I want to be finished too but I have more to tell!!  Everyone is probably hoping that I do not take up blogging and that I just concentrate on decorating but I just can’t stop until I mention another phenomena…}

Strong Women.  I love them!  I have them all around me.  This year about ten percent of our income came through commercial work.  I love that.  It is totally different and I hope to do more.  A very large percentage of this work was with women owners or managers.  Love that.  Strong, capable, cool women.  Also quick decision makers and very trusting.  One very special lady allowed me to take her special family pieces and mix in some fun contemporary ones that just made both look outstanding.  Her home was changed but it was still so much her home.  I loved getting to be in Dallas several times with a great company that owns apartment buildings and fix up their clubhouses, sales centers and models.  I have probably done a hundred models so it was super nice to do that again.  I so enjoyed two law partners as we spruced up their new building.  They are fun, bright and caring women.  Another very talented entrepreneurial person has let me help on a couple of her new offices.  She even lets me put up some very cool large edgy paintings that look great.  I appreciate women and the strengths they have and all the juggling that they do.

I am leaving out so many others that mean the world to me. One cool guy let me put pink chairs in his living room.  Another super savvy guy helped lift and tote heavy mirrors and window dressings so that it was finished before his wife was brought home with their fourth baby that afternoon.  Another two favorite husbands are picking up presents for their wives this afternoon (hope they love their gifts!!).

The number of people that keep coming back to work on another project is so encouraging because it means that we keep getting to see you.  That is what we want - to have you in our lives and be our friends and keep trying new things that make your homes and business be inviting.

It is hard to think that this little business in the middle of a uncertain and sluggish economy has thrived but it has.  We have worked hard but that is not the reason that this has been a good year.  Each of you have been our cheerleaders.  We are so thankful for that.  I remember one time when Gerry and I were having our quiet time and we were thanking God for the people that have come to us and one of us said that we should ask God to send us people that we can help - not just ask for people that will help us.  That has been our prayer ever since.  I hope that we have in some small way helped others because all of you have been unbelievably meaningful to us and we treasure you.  At the end of this year we are excited about you and your lives.  New babies are being born and new opportunities are opening up for so many of you and we are so proud. You have let us into your homes and into your lives. Thank you! 

We wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a very healthy and happy successful New Year.  We will be keeping all of you in our prayers and look forward to seeing you soon. 

Pat and Gerry