hi there. i’m kelly. welcome to my little corner of the interwebs. i am so happy that you are here.
i share my nest with my wonderful husband of over 20 years and our two lovable dogs. meanwhile, our delightful daughter is flying high and chasing her dreams…building her own nest now that she has graduated from college.
i started this blog in august of 2010 when my daughter, my only child, was starting her senior year of high school. my empty-nest was looming large and as i sat down to type out that first blog post, my plan was to document the process – an online journal so to speak. then, when kelsey started her freshman year of college, i figured all would be well and that would be that. all my loose ends would be tied up. end of story.
only it wasn’t the end.
and trust me…NO ONE has been more surprised by that fact than yours truly.
i’ll be honest with you…this empty nest stuff is not for sissies. letting go was one tough pill to swallow and i’d be lying if i said i didn’t choke on it a time or twelve. and then in the year or so that followed, i found myself on an often-time uncomfortable journey in self-discovery. but once i was able to sort of lean in to the emptiness, that’s when everything changed…that’s when i learned to see my life differently.
a very big part of this journey was the revelation that there is more to me than my roles as a wife and mom. and also learning to see that my nest wasn’t really empty, it just had a little growing room. so that’s what i’ve spent the past several of years doing – growing, learning, exploring, trying, and enjoying my life.
from an empty nest to an abundant life, i have documented the journey here in my 31 days series.
it was also in this journey that i found a renewed passion for photography. seeing my life through the lens of my camera opened up an entire new world for me. photography became the outlet through which i learned to see my life differently. and consequently…see myself differently.
of course, no ‘about me’ page would be complete without a few random details. so in case you’re curious:
- i am a sentimental nostalgia junkie
- i am a recovering Diet Coke addict
- i cannot be trusted with a hot-glue gun
- i tend to overuse air quotes
- i believe that chips and salsa should be its own food group
in addition to being part journal, i also sort of think of my blog as a living scrapbook.
whether it’s big adventures or our everyday life, i love preserving the stories about my family and friends. cherishing the little things that make them unique and so very special to me. celebrating all the things that make me smile and bring such joy to my life.
these past several years have taught me so much and celebrating the everyday and embracing my ordinary life. i believe wholeheartedly that there is magic and beauty and wonder to be found in our ordinary lives, and i believe that this how we practice the art of an ordinary life.
seeing life through eyes of faith and a lens of gratitude….that is the key to an abundant life. it is in these moments when we experience the Love and Grace of our Heavenly Father. and that is how i came to really appreciate this journey.
so i think that’s pretty much everything you need to know about me and my blog. if you are so inclined, i would love to send you my blog posts via email…you can subscribe here.
you can also find me on the web in these places:
i’m sorry but i am mentally, physically, and emotionally unable to twitter.
anyway, i thank you so very much for stopping by. welcome to my not-so-empty-nest!
love, kelly
feel free to contact me by filling out the form below. (the captcha just proves you're not a robot and won't spam me to death). 😉
