It All Started With..

...a conversation.
​   My sister and I were sitting in my room, discussing where our lives were at that point. I won't deny that some frustration was expressed. We were both single and ready for something to change. And obviously we couldn't snap our fingers and change our single status. But we could change something about ourselves. As the conversation wore on, we both decided that we were done letting our singleness hold us back from new challenges.
​   So the next question became, what can we do NOW?
​   If you've ever been a part of our conversations, you know that we bounce back and forth among multiple topics, and always seem to bring it back to the core topic. At some point, we lamented how hard it was to find the kind of clothes we like. You know, typical sister, women chatter. But I finally stopped and looked at Holly and asked, "Then why don't we open our own boutique?"
​   I could tell the idea had instantly taken root in Holly's mind. We continued to talk about the possibilities and the potential problems. Who were we to think of running our own business??
​   At this point, I have to pause and explain that a couple of our cousins had recently opened their own shops in our small town. Both were smart, capable women, but as far as I knew, neither had any training or certification in the business world. But their shops had garnered attention and they were enjoying the experience. It's thanks to those two ladies that Holly and I realized that opening our own boutique WAS possible. And we were capable!
​   From that conversation in my bedroom, things steamrolled. We discussed it with our family, researched, dreamed, planned, and prayed. And then we finally took the plunge, stepped out on faith, and made the announcement to the world. We would soon be the co-owners of Potosi' newest small business, Wish Granted Boutique.
​   Emily came up with the name. We had gone over lists of potential names, but either they were already taken or they just didn't fit. We liked how our name was represented, and considering that we were going to focus on modest clothing that traditional, conservative women wished for, we thought the concept was fitting.
​   I know our announcement raised a lot of eyebrows and drew a lot of skepticism. Neither of us are considered to be at the height of fashion. There's no denying we like our comfy, casual clothes. But casual girls like pretty clothes, too, just like the majority of the female population.  We sensed a lot of doubt and even more apathy from our friends and family. Fortunately, there were some that showed their support from the very beginning, and continue to do so.
​   But we pressed on. And we did it. I can't say the road's been easy or even wildly successful at this point. But the experience is one neither of us would have had if we'd not taken the initiative and just did it. I for one, have no regrets, and I know that Holly feels the same.
​   We learned a lot about ourselves. We developed a stronger relationship with each other. We found out who our friends are. We discovered the joy of having something to offer to the community. We had fun playing with clothes. 
​   And we're not done yet. We have dreams and plans for our little boutique, providing we can keep it up and running, of course! Lol. And even if everything falls flat and it doesn't work out. Again, no regrets. :) 
​   I guess if I had one moral of this story, it would be this: don't wait. Don't wait for things to get better or for that significant other to show up or for a more convenient time. If you have an opportunity, take it now. Pray about it, plan for it, prepare for it, pursue it. Don't stop dreaming!
​   We love you guys and want to give a shout-out to all those wonderful people who continue to support this endeavor. Thank you! It's because of you that our store has lasted this long. We've made it past our first year mark! And still counting.
   God bless you all and may the Lord bless you and keep you...
                                                                 In His Grip!
​                                                                 Crystal and Holly