T
hank you to Dr. Steve Larsen of Casper for
sending in this image. I hung onto it for this issue
because I feel it symbolizes the rebirth of beauty
and growth amidst the cold and dreariness that can
be smothering…much like the game of tug of war that
Wyoming spring plays with our emotions.
For my husband Levi and I, it is a very symbolic image
right now. We were blessed with a very successful year
as a business in 2014, but a very challenging year as a
family. Things in our life moved in a direction we never
saw coming, leaving us feeling often as though the wind
were knocked out of us. I wish I could say it was all
positive, but the reality is that it was not. It’s been a year
to focus on patience and prayer, one of which we never
have in abundance, and the other of which has been an
emotional lifeline. It has both challenged and grown our
marriage, our ability as parents, and our ability to tackle
each day as it comes.
When it came to December 2014, our growing business
and our family challenges collided headlong, as our
Wyoming Weddings guide and its expos grew by a great
deal more than we had anticipated. It created a time
crunch that we could only cope with. At a point we
realized that something had to give – and that something
was our winter issue of Lifestyle. I apologize for and am
not pleased with that decision we had to make. It was
one of the hardest I have had to make in our business,
and it is one that I never want to have to make again. I
realize I let people down, and that is something I do not
take lightly.
When it came to picking up the spring 2015 issue for
production, I felt such joy creating Lifestyle, which
reminds me much of how I felt when we first began five
years ago. (Where does the time go?!) This business and
this publication has taken on a life of its own that is so
much bigger than myself or our family. It is a vehicle for
sharing our state’s people, its present, past and future.
Wyoming has become our passion – promoting it is
almost addictive.
This issue, as with others, has its own theme that arises
from its pages. Intriguingly, this issue revolves around
that idea of growing, building, failing, and growing
again. I identified wholeheartedly with the story of
photo by Steve Larsen
Dick Casull and his career in the firearms industry; of
Shawn Perry’s rise to a career in music and acting; to
the UW 1943 basketball team, growing and succeeding
despite World War II; to the German Russian families
(including my own ancestors) who journeyed an
incredible distance in search of space and freedom…and
then did it again.
For us, we’re going to do like Dr. Larsen’s image
illustrates, and we’re going to continue to grow amidst
the snow and cold; it’s not going to stop what we’re
doing. We’re also expanding our staff and making moves
to ensure that our growth can be managed efficiently.
Thank you for your continued patience with us, and
for reading our publication. Your time is valuable and
we realize that. We aim to make WLM something
that you’re excited to read and that stirs your pride in
Wyoming, as it does ours.
Happy 2015,
Kati Hime
Owner & Editor
editor’s note
www.wyolifestyle.com
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