Happy Birthday Mama!

Today is my lovely mother's birthday. She is far away in Phoenix, so I don't get to spend it with her, which is sad. My mom and I are very close. We can talk about anything and everything together and we always have tons of fun when we spend time together. Happy Birthday, Mommy! I love you!

Into My Own

ONE of my wishes is that those dark trees,
So old and firm they scarcely show the breeze,
Were not, as ’twere, the merest mask of gloom,
But stretched away unto the edge of doom.
I should not be withheld but that some day	5
Into their vastness I should steal away,
Fearless of ever finding open land,
Or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand.
I do not see why I should e’er turn back,
Or those should not set forth upon my track	10
To overtake me, who should miss me here
And long to know if still I held them dear.
They would not find me changed from him they knew—
Only more sure of all I thought was true.

One of my favorite poets is Robert Frost. There is a simple, soft elegance in the way he turns a phrase. I love the way he brings things back to nature while incorporating the message he's trying to get across. This has been, for a long time now, my favorite poem. It's the poem for my life. When I read it I think back on my twenty-six years and see where I've been and where God's taken me. I remember being the insecure girl in school. I remember finding my voice through writing and art, and translating my thoughts into something coherent. I recall the many stages of my life...the changing of scenery, friends, family, beliefs. My faith has grown solid and resonates with the third and fourth stanza. Friends, even family have seen this change in the past eight years, and wonder at it. Some feel as though they don't relate, or they want the old Kelly back. There is no turning back. This is the path that is before me and I'm "only more sure of all I thought was true". I don't know where God is going to take me in my life, but I know where he has taken others in the past that followed Him faithfully. There are no guarantees of comfort, safety, security or riches in this life. But those are not my concerns. Of course it is my hope that others "set forth upon my track", that they know the truth and love Him. This is my life's work, to love my Savior and follow him "unto the edge of doom."

Edmund Dulac, "Alone"

Back and Forth

Well, I'm slowly but surely getting used to my short short hair. I don't know that I would go so far as to say I like it....or that I'll be putting any pictures up anytime soon. But it's growing on me (no pun intended).

Anyway, after an eight day stretch of work, I finally have a day off. It's been filled with leisure and productivity. I've recently learned to sew on my mom's old sewing machine she gave me. It's been such a blast! I never realized how fun it could be. So far I have altered a skirt that has always been way too big on me and I've turned two ugly vintage dresses into vintage treasures. One looked like an old lady muumuu night-dress. I brought it up above the knees and turned the slouchy, wing-sleeves into cropped short sleeves. It's pretty adorable now. The other is a vintage Banana Republic, cream maxi dress. I took off the sleeves, brought in the top part (to accommodate my modest bust) and brought it up a bit to be a midi instead. Now I just need the sun to shine a bit warmer and I can wear it.

After that I did some cleaning while listening to this among other songs. I took a little stroll down memory lane as well. I had an old YouTube account that held a bunch of old college video's. Most of them are just my friends and me being ridiculous. There's a part of me that misses it, and another part that is happy to just be looking back on it. But while I'm reminiscing, I might as well take you along with me. Most of these are with one of my best friends, Rachel.

We always managed to come up with the most...interesting...photoshoots.

 It was a time in my life for great road trips. And kidnapping friends on their birthday.

And then there was Battle of the Bands. We made this band for this occasion. We even included one of our professors. Our name was Rach, Rach, and the Funky Bunch.

That's all I have for now. Looking back just a little. I'll have a post soon that is more current, I'm sure. But for now, I hope this was at least a little entertaining and a bit of a closer look at your host.

Cheers.