Catching Up

Proof that time stands still for no one. In what felt like a small amount of time away from blogging, so much has happened.

My hiatus solidified my decision to share myself here.

This blog is a place for me to document major family milestones and to share the beauty in our every day. It’s a space for creative release -- a blank page to write on. It’s been a safe place for me to share the thoughts inside of my head for nearly two years now.

What I think I love most about coming here is that it pushes me to live my life with intention. I notice more of my surroundings when I stop to think about how I would describe them to someone who isn't there.

The physical act of writing blog posts gives me quiet time to reflect on what’s transpiring in my life.

Sure, I could document these events in a private journal or scrapbook, but one of my biggest takeaways from keeping a blog are the connections that I’ve made. I’ve formed friendships with bloggers that have similar interests. What might mean the most to me, though, is finding common ground with friends or family members that I may not have otherwise shared so much of myself with.

I think a large part of what drives many of us to blog can best be summed up by a lesson that Oprah Winfrey shared in her final episode,

"I've talked to nearly 30,000 people on this show, and all 30,000 had one thing in common: They all wanted validation. If I could reach through this television and sit on your sofa or sit on a stool in your kitchen right now, I would tell you that every single person you will ever meet shares that common desire. They want to know: 'Do you see me? Do you hear me? Does what I say mean something to you?’”

What I'm really trying to say is that I missed this place and all that it brings into my life.

A list of sorts and some images to document my time away:

An engagement (my sister-in-law, Sarah, to her now fiance, JJ)

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A new baby on the way this fall (my brother-in-law, Zach, and his wife, Jenna)

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Our littlest niece Ellie turned 6 months old. Where does the time go? 

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A new furry family member (my parents rescued Cooper a shih tzu maltese mix with an adorable underbite)

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My sister, Brittany, and brother-in-law, Mike, broke ground on their new home

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We celebrated mother’s day, father’s day, my Mom’s birthday and the 4th of July

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My mother-in-law, Joyce, and brother-in-law, Adam visited and we vacationed in Wilmington

 Photo by Heather Cook Elliot