Measure Your Life in Love

Hi Everybody!

I’m finally back! 

I didn’t intend to take an entire year off blogging, but a whole lot of crazy stuff happened last year and all my creative energy seemed to be sucked into a giant black hole.  

But 2016 is a new year!  

I’ve taken lots of time to think, read, and recharge and I’m throwing myself full steam ahead into life.  

I learned a lot last year. Living through 2015, brought to the surface a lot of things which I already knew deep down but maybe had hidden; like no matter how hard I try, sometimes I just can’t protect my kids from going through traumatic experiences and that’s okay because usually they come out of it stronger; that I need to be thankful every day for all the love, family, and friendships I’ve been given; and that for me the purpose of life is love.  

The love of my husband, my kids, my parents and brothers, and in-laws, the love of my friends and maybe this sounds weird, but the love of all life, everyone and every living creature I come across. Life is precious and I intend to fully live and love in each moment I’m given. To smell a rose, and feel its petal’s velvety softness, to rescue a ladybug drowning in my dishwater, to reaching a box on the top shelf for an elderly lady at the grocery store.  If I can brighten one life each day I will have done my job.   

I’m excited about this year and the changes that I’m making, in my blog and my life.  I can’t see what the future holds but I know that as long as I live and love in the moment, everything else will be okay.  

I missed you guys and I can’t wait to see what you have all been up to!  

Kathy

Journey of a Lifetime... and Insecure Writer's Group

Our route to Seattle

Well October was an interesting month for us.

September 29th- said a tearful "goodbye" to our friends and family in Ohio.


September 30th- packed up the minivan and began our 2600 mile drive West to Seattle, our new hometown.

Along the way enjoyed the sights of Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, gorgeous mountains, and lots of corn.


October 8th- arrived in our Seattle apartment.  Great view of Puget Sound and Mt. Rainier.


Oct 9th- celebrated daughter Alyssa's 13th birthday by going out to breakfast and dinner at some cool restaurants in the city.


Oct 15th- husband realized that job in Seattle was not working out and house hunting was not going well.


Oct 21st 6:00 am Pacific Time- husband got job back in Ohio, resigned from new job.


Oct 21st 8:00 am Pacific Time- packed up minivan and began our 2600 mile journey back East to Ohio, to stay.


Oct 24th- explored Grand Teton National Park in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.


Oct 25th- blizzard in Wyoming dropping 12-20 inches of snow on our route forced us to explore Park another day.


Oct 26th- saw a beautiful black bear cross the road right in front of us.  AWESOME!


Oct 27th- visited my 97 year old grandma in Cheyenne, Wyoming who I hadn't seen in 25 years.


Oct 29th- we arrived back at our old house in Ohio, which luckily hadn't sold.

Our route back to Ohio

I know this seems like a crazy journey, but in this case it truly was not the destination that was important.  It was all the life lessons we learned along the way.  We realized that although Ohio is not perfect, what we had there was very special and difficult to find elsewhere.  We realized we can drive 5000 miles together and still enjoy each other! And we saw a bear!

OMG there's a bear!

I hope you had a great October!  I 'd love to hear what you were up to.





Kathy

p.s. I decided to do Nano this year and yesterday I made it to 1725 words!  Yeah!  My username is kjmckendry.  If you want to be my buddy you can click here.

Ohh with all this going on I almost forgot today was the first Wednesday of the month which means Alex J Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Group post.

Over the last few months, with everyone's encouraging words from the Insecure Writer's Group and the Campaign over at Rachael Harrie's blog I feel like I grown as a writer.  I have tried lots of new ideas, not all of them have worked but at least I was writing.  I even got some new inspirations for stories.  Last year I didn't think I had what it took to participate in NaNoWriMo, but yesterday I took the plunge.  So today I just want to say, "Thank you" to all my followers and fellow bloggers who spend time to support their fellow writers.  You're awesome!  Now stop reading my extra long post and get back to writing your novels! :)